As an instructional designer, you know that great learning experiences don’t just happen; they’re crafted with insight, creativity, and a dash of inspiration. Exceptional IDs are curious, empathetic, and always learning themselves; they ask the right questions, understand learner needs deeply, and translate complex concepts into engaging experiences. But where do those sparks come from? From the right ideas, of course — ideas that challenge your thinking, expand your skills, and help you create learning that truly makes a difference.
We’ve rounded up a mix of reads that high-performing instructional designers are diving into right now, each one packed with insights, strategies, and a few surprises to keep your creative gears turning. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let these materials inspire you to design the next great learning experience.
Table Of Content
- 10 Best Instructional Design Books
- How to Apply these Learnings in Real eLearning Projects
- Keep Reading, Keep Designing, Keep Inspiring!
10 Best Instructional Design Books
Here's a list of the best books on instructional design — from practical design strategies and storytelling techniques to AI-powered engagement and behavior-change tactics.
⚠️ Caution: This list of reads may cause excessive note-taking and sudden “aha!” moments.
1. The Accidental Instructional Designer, Learning Design for the Digital Age
If you are looking for a practical guide to navigating the real-world challenges of learning design, this book offers exactly that. Cammy Bean breaks down the evolving role of IDs in the digital age, giving you strategies, tips, and relatable scenarios to thrive even when you weren’t “born” to be an ID.
2. Action-First Learning: Instructional Design Techniques to Engage and Inspire
When engagement feels like a buzzword, Karl Kapp brings it back to action. This book dives into how to move learners beyond “knowing” to “doing,” blending cognitive science and design techniques that help you create training that inspires real behavioural change.
Hit play to hear All About Action First Learning!
3. Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behaviour Change
If you’ve ever struggled to make training stick, Julie Dirksen’s work is your guide. She explores how emotions, motivation, and human psychology shape learning — giving you tools to design experiences that nudge behaviour, not just transfer knowledge.
4. Instructional Design Strategies to Design Engaging eLearning Courses
Modern learners are busy, distracted, and mobile-first. This quick, powerful read gives you instructional strategies to design eLearning courses with that reality in mind — combining classic ID principles with the agility and innovation today’s workplace demands.
5. Instructional Story Design: Develop Stories That Train
Great learning isn’t a list of bullet points — it’s a story. Rance Greene shows how narrative can transform dull modules into meaningful journeys, helping learners connect emotionally with content and remember what truly matters.
Hear from the man himself — Rance Greene on the power of storytelling in learning.
6. AI + Gamification: Supercharge Your eLearning Engagement!
Gamification is one of the most effective and commendable instructional design strategies—and this book takes it a step further by showing how to create smarter, more impactful game-based learning using AI tools. It explores how AI enhances motivation, adapts challenges, and personalizes learning paths to make gamification truly effective.
7. The Guide to Working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
Every ID knows the love-hate relationship with SMEs. Michele Medved’s guide is the bridge you wish you had — offering practical ways to ask the right questions, manage expectations, and turn expert knowledge into learner-friendly content..
8. Instructional Design Meets AI
AI isn’t just for tech teams; it’s becoming a powerhouse tool for instructional designers, too. This eBook shows how to integrate AI into every stage of learning design—from identifying performance gaps to automating content creation and refining learner feedback loops. It dives straight into how AI can boost efficiency, enrich personalization, and empower IDs to focus on strategy instead of mundane tasks.
9. Agile for Instructional Designers: Iterative Project Management to Achieve Results
In a world where deadlines never wait, Megan Torrance shows how agility isn’t just for software teams. This book breaks down how to apply agile principles to instructional design — helping you adapt, iterate, and deliver impactful learning fast.
10. The Modern Learning Ecosystem: A New L&D Mindset for the Ever-Changing Workplace
JD Dillon redefines how we think about learning at work. This isn’t just about courses — it’s about creating ecosystems where learning happens continuously, across platforms and moments. A refreshing take for forward-thinking L&D professionals.
Tune in as JD Dillon reveals the secrets of performance enablement for frontline workers.
How to Apply these Learnings in Real eLearning Projects
The true value of learning from these books comes when theory meets practice. Use their insights to design learner-centered courses, experiment with microlearning or gamification, and structure content using proven frameworks like ADDIE or Gagné’s Nine Events. Gather feedback, iterate continuously, and measure learning impact to ensure your designs drive real results.
Keep Reading, Keep Designing, Keep Inspiring!
If you design learning, these 10 reads will blow your mind because every exceptional instructional designer knows that creativity grows with curiosity. These books are blueprints for designing meaningful eLearning courses, sparking innovation, and reimagining how people learn. So, dive in, explore new perspectives, and let your next instructional design masterpiece begin with the turn of a page.
