Introduction to the ADDIE Model for Solving Real Business Problems

When organizations struggle with problem such as performance, efficiency, or employee engagement, the instinct is often to “do more training.” Leaders may rush to roll out new modules or schedule a day of in-person lectures to cover the topic. Problem solved, right?

Not quite. Too often, these quick fixes lack a fundamental understanding of what caused the issue in the first place. Even worse, they rarely include a plan to measure whether the training actually worked. That’s where the ADDIE instructional design model comes in.

ADDIE—short for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation—is more than a learning framework. It’s a structured problem-solving process that helps organizations pinpoint performance gaps, develop targeted solutions, and measure real impact.

The best part? Most of us already use ADDIE in our everyday lives, sometimes daily, without even realizing it. I’ll use an example here to give you a quick introduction to what the ADDIE model is, and how it can be used to formalize the steps in creating solutions to real world problems.

Imagine that you’re driving in your car and you suddenly hear a strange noise coming from the vehicle. Most of us probably wouldn’t immediately pull our car to the side of the road, grab a wrench, and start banging on the engine hoping to fix the problem. Instead, our tendency is to follow a natural problem-solving process. That’s exactly what ADDIE formalizes. Let’s walk through each step using this car example.

1. Analysis (Identify the Problem)

You’re driving and hear a grinding sound. This is where you start analyzing the situation by asking yourself questions like:

• Where is the sound coming from (front, back, left, right)?

• When does it happen (braking, accelerating, turning)?

• Is it constant or occasional?

  
  

By asking these questions, you narrow down the possible causes. In business terms, this is where you uncover the real source of performance gaps instead of assuming more training will fix everything. You pull data around the problem- performance reviews, call times, service tickets, input vs. output performance metrics. You can also do interviews with individuals experiencing the pained point, leadership, and experts in the field (whether in your company or not!), and research how others have addressed this kind of issue. Anything you can think of that would add to your understanding of the specific target problem.

Back to the car issue- you can ask friends and family members who have more experience in this area about what they think would be the cause. Or you can watch videos of your car’s make and model to see if anyone has posted about similar issues.

2. Design (Plan How to Fix It)

Once you have gathered that information, you begin designing a plan.

• If the sound happens when braking, you suspect worn brake pads.

• If it happens during turns, you consider wheel bearings.

  
  

You’re weighing options: fix it yourself or take it to a mechanic.

In training, this is the stage where you decide what kind of learning intervention makes sense—an online module, a workshop, coaching, or a blended solution. You start putting pen to paper to jot down ideas of what to do about it.

3. Development (Prepare the Solution)

 Next comes development—preparing the resources to solve the problem. For your car, that could mean:

• Purchasing brake pads or tools you’ll need.

• Watching a repair video or reading your car manual (let’s be honest, we are going to watch the videos).

• Or scheduling an appointment with a mechanic.

  
  

In a workplace, this is where training content takes shape: building slides, writing facilitator guides, recording eLearning modules, or creating job aids.

4. Implementation (Take Action)

Now it’s time to act. You install the new pads, or the mechanic does it for you.

In the organizational world, this is the rollout of the training- set a date for your training and make the announcements. Launch the course, hold the workshop, or add the new module to onboarding. Whatever your solution is to the problem, you are now spreading it to those who need the material and information.

5. Evaluation (Check the Results)

Finally, you evaluate the outcome:

• Did the noise stop?

• Is the car running smoothly again?

• Did the repair fix the root cause—or is another solution needed?

  
  

In training, evaluation involves both concrete and abstract data:

• Concrete: What do the numbers show?

  • Did sales increase? Did error rates decrease? Did compliance improve?

    
    

• Abstract: How did it impact those who experienced the training?

  • How did employees respond to the training? Did they find it useful or tedious? Are they applying what they learned?

    
    

Numbers get the attention of senior leaders, but stories behind the numbers create deeper understanding of both the problem and the solutions you have selected. Both are essential in determining whether your solution was truly effective—or if it simply checked a box.

Why This Matters

Just like fixing a car, the ADDIE model prevents leaders from applying quick, surface-level fixes that don’t solve the root problem. It forces organizations to:

• Analyze carefully,

• Design intentionally,

• Develop thoughtfully,

• Implement strategically, and

• Evaluate rigorously.

  
  

When used well, ADDIE ensures that training isn’t just an activity—it’s a targeted, measurable solution to real business challenges.

And the best part? you can use it yourself.

So get started! Write out the problem you are dealing with and put 5 boxes below it each titled: Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. Then start jotting down ideas to tackle each in order. You will need to start with the Analysis section because it lays the foundation of the others. But you will see the problem and your solutions begin to take shape.   

If you get to the evaluation stage and realize that perhaps your method was not as effective or beneficial as you had hoped, don’t hang your head in despair. Thanks to your documented progress you now know how you got there and have a better understanding of the problem. Pull out your original paper with ADDIE on it, and give it another shot!