The Association for Talent Development (ATD) conducted research into the skills, challenges, and trends in instructional design. As they state, the primary purpose was to focus on instructional design competencies and the designer’s role in talent development. ATD conducted a survey of 1,381 instructional designers and has released a whitepaper on the top competencies required to be effective in the profession.
ATD used this information to determine if there has been a shift in the instructional design field, especially as a result of the constant evolution of technology. Interestingly, the research did not show a significant change. Determining learners’ needs and designing training programs remain the core competencies.
You can read the full report (or just get a better view of the one-page infographic on the research results) on the ATD website.