If you’re building a training course and you’re not sure whether to hire an instructional design consultant or a contract eLearning developer, you’re not alone. These roles often overlap in job descriptions and portfolios, but they play very different parts in the success of a learning project.
Understanding the difference isn’t just about getting the right person in the right seat. It’s about delivering a course that actually works on time, within budget, and aligned with your business goals. Let’s break it down.
What Is an Instructional Designer?
At its core, an instructional designer (ID) is a learning strategist. This role is all about how people learn best and how to turn complex information into a meaningful, engaging learning experience.
Key responsibilities include:
- Conducting needs analysis to determine performance gaps.
- Writing measurable learning objectives.
- Creating instructional flow and sequencing.
- Developing storyboards and outlines.
- Writing or curating course content.
- Aligning with stakeholders on training goals.
- Working with subject matter experts (SMEs) to prioritize what’s essential vs. what can be left out.
Instructional designers are especially skilled at helping SMEs break free from the “everything is important” mindset. They guide the process of narrowing down the content to what the learner actually needs to know to succeed on the job. Nothing more, nothing less.
Another important distinction: instructional designers don’t just work in eLearning, they support a wide range of training solutions. That includes blended learning, instructor-led training (ILT), virtual instructor-led training (VILT), job aids, performance support tools, and more. Their skill set allows them to design effective learning experiences across any delivery method, not just digital courses.
Common tools they use:
Word, PowerPoint, Miro, ChatGPT, Vyond, Excel, and anything that helps visualize or structure learning.
The bottom line? Instructional designers make sure the course has a clear purpose, flows logically, and supports behavior change, not just information delivery.
Common tools they use:
Word, PowerPoint, ChatGPT, Vyond, Lucidchart, Excel, and anything that helps visualize or structure learning.
The bottom line? Instructional designers make sure the course has a clear purpose, flows logically, and supports behavior change—not just information delivery.
Download Your Copy of 10 Interview Questions to Ask an Instructional Design Consultant
What Is an eLearning Developer?
Once the content and structure are nailed down, an eLearning developer brings it to life. They’re the hands-on builders, taking storyboards and scripts and transforming them into polished digital courses.
Key responsibilities include:
- Building interactive modules using authoring tools.
- Adding voiceover, animation, and video.
- Programming interactions (quizzes, scenarios, drag-and-drops).
- Troubleshooting technical issues.
- Testing compatibility in the Learning Management System (LMS) platform (SCORM, xAPI).
- Ensuring the final course meets accessibility and usability standards.
Many eLearning developers come from a variety of backgrounds; graphic design, programming, media production, or animation, which influences how they approach their work. A developer with a programming background may excel at custom interactions, while one with a graphic arts background might create more visually immersive learning experiences. Their technical expertise complements the instructional designer’s strategy to produce high-impact courses. A good developer isn’t just technically skilled, they understand the user experience and know how to make learning feel seamless and intuitive.
Common tools they use:
Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, Vyond, WellSaid Labs, and more.
The goal? A functional, visually engaging, and bug-free course that runs smoothly on your LMS.
Where the Roles Overlap
Many professionals wear both hats, especially freelancers and consultants. In smaller teams, one person might take on the entire project from needs analysis through final publishing.
Common overlapping skills include:
- Adult learning theory
- Basic visual design
- Storyboarding and scripting
- Light authoring (especially in Rise or other rapid tools)
But beware: just because someone can do both doesn’t mean they excel at both. If you need deep instructional strategy or advanced technical development, you may want to split the roles. This is where using specialized contractors can really help you meet your goals.
How to Know Who You Need
Here’s a quick guide:
- If you’re in the early planning stage and need to figure out what to train on and how, you need an instructional designer.
- If you have finalized content and need it turned into an online course, you need an eLearning developer.
- If you’re starting from scratch and want one person to handle both, look for a hybrid, but vet them carefully. Alternatively, you can consider two separate resources.
Ask behavior-based questions like:
- “Tell me about a time you worked with an SME who gave you too much content. How did you decide what to include?”
- “Describe a course you designed from start to finish. What were the key phases?”
- “Walk me through how you approached interactivity in your most recent eLearning build.”
- “How have you handled compliance or accessibility standards in a course?”
- “Tell me about a time you ran into a technical challenge during development. What did you do?”
These questions help you uncover how someone works, not just what’s on their resume.
Download Your Copy of 9 Things to Consider when Hiring an eLearning Developer
Why This Distinction Matters
Hiring the wrong person for the job can create serious delays, confusion, and rework. For example:
- A developer without instructional design expertise may produce a beautiful course that doesn’t meet the learning objectives.
- An ID who doesn’t build courses well may leave you with a great storyboard and a sub-standard eLearning course.
Understanding the distinction helps you:
- Set the right budget
- Manage expectations
- Hit your deadlines
- Deliver training that works
Final Thoughts
The best training projects usually involve both roles, even if they’re wrapped into one person. Instructional designers bring clarity and structure. eLearning developers bring that structure to life with interactivity and polish.
Know what your project needs and ask the right questions to make sure you’re bringing in the right kind of expert.
Download Your Copy of Getting Started as a Contract Instructional Designer:An 8 Step Guide to Launching Your Freelance Career
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Does your L&D team have more projects than people? TrainingPros has been named a Top 20 Staffing Company internationally by Training Industry, and recognized as a Smartchoice® Preferred Provider by Brandon Hall Group for 2025. We’re also proud to be named a Champion of Learning by the Association for Talent Development (ATD)—an international honor that reflects our dedication to excellence in corporate learning. These accolades underscore TrainingPros’ unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, tailored training solutions.
If your projects need instructional design consultants, eLearning developers, or other L&D consultants for your custom content projects, reach out to one of our industry-expert relationship managers today.
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