Additional resources
What Is an Instructional Designer
Core Instructional Designer Roles and Responsibilities
Essential Skills for Modern Instructional Designers
Difference Between Instructional Designers and eLearning Developers
How to Identify Your Instructional Design Needs
Analyzing Current Training Gaps
Determining Project Scope and Timeline
Budget Considerations for Instructional Design Projects
Creating an Effective Instructional Designer Job Description
Key Components of Job Postings
Required Instructional Designer Qualifications
Preferred Experience and Portfolio Requirements
Where to Find Instructional Design Talent
Professional Networks and Communities
Industry-Specific Job Boards
Academic Institutions and Certification Programs
Remote Work Platforms
How to Evaluate Instructional Design Candidates
Portfolio Review Best Practices
Technical Skills Assessment Methods
Interview Questions for Instructional Designers
Trial Project Considerations
Instructional Design Consultant vs Full-Time Employee
Benefits of Hiring Instructional Design Consultants
When to Choose Full-Time Employment
Hybrid Engagement Models
Compensation Strategies for Instructional Designers
Current Salary Ranges by Experience Level
Project-Based Pricing Models
Performance Incentives and Bonuses
Onboarding Your New Instructional Designer
Setting Clear Expectations
Providing Access to Tools and Resources
Establishing Communication Protocols
Creating Collaborative Workflows
Common Mistakes When Hiring an Instructional Designer
Overlooking Cultural Fit
Focusing Only on Technical Skills
Inadequate Project Scoping
Ignoring Industry-Specific Experience
Managing Remote Instructional Design Teams
Communication Tools and Strategies
Project Management Best Practices
Time Zone Coordination
Quality Assurance Processes
Future Trends in Instructional Design Hiring
AI and Automation Impact
Microlearning Expertise Demand
Virtual Reality Skills Requirements
Data Analytics Capabilities
Building Long-Term Relationships with Instructional Designers
Retention Strategies
Professional Development Opportunities
Feedback and Performance Reviews
Finding the right talent to transform your organization's learning initiatives requires a strategic approach that goes beyond traditional recruitment methods. The demand for skilled instructional design professionals continues to grow as companies recognize the critical role of effective training in business success.
What Is an Instructional Designer
An instructional designer creates structured learning experiences that help people acquire new knowledge and skills efficiently. These professionals bridge the gap between subject matter expertise and effective educational delivery by applying learning theories, technology, and design principles to develop training programs.
Core Instructional Designer Roles and Responsibilities
Instructional designer roles and responsibilities encompass a wide range of activities throughout the learning development lifecycle. These professionals conduct needs assessments to identify learning gaps and define specific learning objectives that align with organizational goals. They research and analyze target audiences to understand learner characteristics, preferences, and constraints.
Content development represents a significant portion of their work. Instructional designers create course outlines, write learning materials, and develop assessments that measure knowledge retention and skill application. They collaborate with subject matter experts to ensure content accuracy while maintaining pedagogical effectiveness.
Technology integration forms another crucial aspect of their role. Modern instructional designers select appropriate authoring tools, learning management systems, and multimedia elements to enhance the learning experience. They ensure content meets accessibility standards and technical requirements for various delivery platforms.
Project management skills become essential as instructional designers coordinate timelines, manage resources, and communicate progress to stakeholders. They conduct pilot testing, gather feedback, and iterate on designs to improve learning outcomes.
Essential Skills for Modern Instructional Designers
Today's instructional designer qualifications extend beyond traditional educational backgrounds to include technical proficiency and analytical capabilities. Strong writing and communication skills enable them to create clear, engaging content and collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
Technical competencies include proficiency with authoring tools like Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, or similar platforms. Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and basic programming concepts helps when customizing learning experiences or troubleshooting technical issues.
Understanding of learning theories such as cognitive load theory, constructivism, and behaviorism guides design decisions. Familiarity with instructional design models like ADDIE, SAM, or Design Thinking provides structured approaches to project development.
Data analysis skills have become increasingly important as organizations seek measurable training outcomes. Instructional designers analyze learner performance data, completion rates, and feedback to optimize learning experiences and demonstrate return on investment.
Difference Between Instructional Designers and eLearning Developers
While these roles often overlap, distinct differences exist in focus and responsibilities. Instructional designers concentrate on learning strategy, content structure, and pedagogical effectiveness. They define learning objectives, create storyboards, and design assessments that measure knowledge acquisition.
eLearning developers focus more heavily on technical implementation and multimedia production. They transform instructional designs into functional online courses, handling programming, animation, and interactive element creation. Their expertise lies in making designs technically feasible and visually appealing.
Many organizations benefit from professionals who combine both skill sets, particularly smaller companies that need versatile team members. However, complex projects often require specialized expertise in each area to achieve optimal results.
How to Identify Your Instructional Design Needs
Understanding your organization's specific requirements forms the foundation of successful hiring an instructional designer initiatives. This assessment process determines the scope of work, required expertise, and optimal engagement model for your situation.
Analyzing Current Training Gaps
Start by examining existing training programs and identifying areas where learner outcomes fall short of expectations. Review completion rates, assessment scores, and post-training performance metrics to pinpoint specific deficiencies. Gather feedback from learners, managers, and training administrators about current program effectiveness.
Document compliance requirements, skill development priorities, and business objectives that training must address. Consider whether gaps stem from content quality, delivery methods, or lack of engagement rather than assuming all issues require new course development.
Evaluate your current training infrastructure, including learning management systems, content libraries, and delivery capabilities. This assessment helps determine whether you need someone to work within existing systems or redesign your entire approach.
Determining Project Scope and Timeline
Define whether you need ongoing support for multiple projects or focused expertise for a specific initiative. Consider the complexity of subject matter, target audience size, and desired delivery formats when estimating project requirements.
Establish realistic timelines that account for content development, review cycles, testing phases, and implementation. Factor in time for stakeholder feedback, revisions, and quality assurance processes that ensure final products meet your standards.
Document any constraints such as budget limitations, technology restrictions, or organizational policies that might impact project execution. Clear scope definition prevents misunderstandings and helps candidates assess whether they can deliver within your parameters.
Budget Considerations for Instructional Design Projects
Instructional design costs vary significantly based on project complexity, timeline, and required expertise level. Simple course updates might cost a few thousand dollars, while comprehensive curriculum development can require substantial investment over several months.
Consider whether you need basic content conversion, custom interactive development, or innovative learning experiences that require specialized skills. Factor in costs for tools, licenses, hosting, and ongoing maintenance when calculating total project investment.
Evaluate the long-term value of training improvements against upfront development costs. Effective instructional design often reduces ongoing training expenses while improving business outcomes through better skill development and knowledge retention.
Creating an Effective Instructional Designer Job Description
A well-crafted instructional designer job description attracts qualified candidates while filtering out those who lack necessary skills or experience. Clear, specific descriptions save time during the screening process and set appropriate expectations for potential hires.
Key Components of Job Postings
Begin with a compelling overview that explains your organization's mission and the role's impact on business objectives. Describe the learning challenges you face and how the instructional designer will contribute to solving them.
Outline specific projects or initiatives the designer will work on, including target audiences, subject matter areas, and delivery formats. Mention any unique aspects of your industry or organizational culture that might appeal to candidates with relevant experience.
Include information about team structure, reporting relationships, and collaboration expectations. Specify whether the role involves working independently or as part of a larger learning and development team.
Required Instructional Designer Qualifications
List essential qualifications that candidates must possess to succeed in the role. These typically include relevant education, years of experience, and specific technical skills required for your projects.
Specify required proficiency with particular authoring tools, learning management systems, or multimedia software that your organization uses. Include any industry-specific knowledge or certification requirements that apply to your situation.
Mention soft skills such as project management capabilities, communication abilities, and problem-solving approaches that align with your organizational culture and work environment.
Preferred Experience and Portfolio Requirements
Distinguish between must-have qualifications and preferred experience that would enhance a candidate's effectiveness. This might include experience with specific industries, advanced technical skills, or leadership capabilities.
Request portfolio samples that demonstrate relevant experience and design quality. Specify the types of projects you want to see, such as compliance training, technical skill development, or leadership programs.
Ask for examples that showcase the candidate's ability to work with your target audiences or address similar learning challenges. Portfolio quality often provides better insight into capabilities than resumes alone.
Where to Find Instructional Design Talent
Finding instructional design talent requires a multi-channel approach that reaches professionals with diverse backgrounds and experience levels. Different sourcing strategies yield varying results depending on your specific requirements and timeline.
Professional Networks and Communities
LinkedIn groups focused on instructional design, eLearning, and learning and development provide access to active professionals. Engage in discussions, share relevant content, and build relationships before posting opportunities.
Professional associations such as the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and eLearning Guild offer member directories and networking events where you can connect with qualified candidates. Many members actively seek new opportunities and stay current with industry trends.
Local training and development meetups, conferences, and workshops provide opportunities to meet candidates in person and assess their communication skills and industry knowledge.
Industry-Specific Job Boards
Specialized job boards like DevLearn Jobs, ATD Career Center, and eLearning Industry job boards attract candidates specifically interested in instructional design roles. These platforms often yield higher-quality applicants than general job sites.
University career centers, particularly those with instructional design or educational technology programs, can connect you with recent graduates who bring current knowledge of emerging trends and technologies.
Professional development organizations and certification programs often maintain job boards or referral networks that help members find opportunities aligned with their expertise.
Academic Institutions and Certification Programs
Partner with universities offering instructional design, educational technology, or related degree programs to access emerging talent. Many programs include internship requirements that provide opportunities to evaluate potential hires.
Professional certification programs like those offered by ATD or the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (IBSTPI) maintain networks of certified professionals seeking advancement opportunities.
Consider reaching out to faculty members who often know students and alumni looking for new challenges or career changes into instructional design.
Remote Work Platforms
Remote-first platforms connect you with global talent pools and professionals who specialize in distributed work environments. Many experienced instructional designers prefer remote work arrangements that allow them to serve diverse clients.
Freelance platforms provide access to contractors for project-based work, allowing you to evaluate capabilities before considering longer-term arrangements. Review portfolios carefully and conduct thorough interviews to ensure quality matches your standards.
Professional services platforms that focus on specialized skills often pre-screen candidates and provide additional quality assurance for client engagements.
How to Evaluate Instructional Design Candidates
Effective candidate evaluation combines portfolio review, skills assessment, and cultural fit evaluation to identify professionals who can deliver results within your organizational context.
Portfolio Review Best Practices
Request portfolios that demonstrate the candidate's ability to handle projects similar to your requirements. Look for evidence of systematic design approaches, clear learning objectives, and measurable outcomes rather than just visual appeal.
Evaluate the quality of storyboards, course outlines, and project documentation to assess planning and organizational skills. Well-documented projects indicate professional approaches and attention to detail.
Ask candidates to explain their design decisions, target audience analysis, and outcome measurement strategies for portfolio pieces. This reveals their thinking process and ability to articulate design rationale.
Technical Skills Assessment Methods
Provide sample content or scenarios and ask candidates to create brief design documents or prototypes. This practical assessment reveals their ability to apply skills to your specific context and requirements.
Test familiarity with your preferred tools through hands-on demonstrations or small sample projects. Ensure candidates can work efficiently with your existing technology infrastructure.
Evaluate their understanding of accessibility standards, technical constraints, and quality assurance processes that impact project success in your environment.
Interview Questions for Instructional Designers
Ask candidates to describe their approach to needs analysis and how they gather requirements from subject matter experts and stakeholders. This reveals their consultation and project initiation skills.
Explore their experience with different learning theories and instructional design models to assess their theoretical foundation and ability to select appropriate approaches for various situations.
Discuss their project management experience, including how they handle competing priorities, tight deadlines, and scope changes that commonly occur in organizational settings.
Trial Project Considerations
Consider offering paid trial projects that allow both parties to evaluate working relationships and deliverable quality. Structure these carefully to provide meaningful assessment opportunities while respecting candidates' time and expertise.
Define clear expectations, timelines, and evaluation criteria for trial work. Provide necessary background information and access to tools or resources the candidate would use in the actual role.
Use trial projects to assess communication patterns, responsiveness, and ability to incorporate feedback rather than just evaluating final deliverables.
Instructional Design Consultant vs Full-Time Employee
Choosing between consultant and employee arrangements depends on project scope, organizational capacity, and long-term learning development strategy. Each model offers distinct advantages for different situations.
Benefits of Hiring Instructional Design Consultants
Instructional design consultants bring specialized expertise and fresh perspectives that may not exist within your organization. They often have experience across multiple industries and can apply best practices from diverse contexts to your specific challenges.
Consultants provide flexibility for project-based work without long-term employment commitments. This arrangement works well for organizations with sporadic training development needs or those testing new learning initiatives.
Access to specialized skills and advanced tools becomes cost-effective when consultants bring their own technology licenses and resources. You avoid investing in expensive software or training for occasional use.
Consultants often work more efficiently due to their focused expertise and experience with similar projects. They can accelerate project timelines and reduce the learning curve associated with new initiatives.
When to Choose Full-Time Employment
Full-time employees provide continuity and deep organizational knowledge that benefits long-term learning strategy development. They understand company culture, processes, and stakeholder relationships that impact training effectiveness.
Ongoing training needs, multiple simultaneous projects, and integration with broader organizational initiatives often justify full-time positions. Employees can dedicate time to relationship building and continuous improvement activities.
Sensitive content, proprietary information, or complex compliance requirements may necessitate employee arrangements that provide greater control and confidentiality.
Budget predictability and cost control become easier with salaried employees when training development represents a consistent organizational need rather than sporadic projects.
Hybrid Engagement Models
Consider retainer arrangements that provide ongoing access to consultant expertise while maintaining flexibility for varying project loads. This approach combines consultant specialization with employee-like availability.
Project-based contracts with renewal options allow you to evaluate consultant performance while building longer-term relationships with proven performers.
Team augmentation models where consultants work alongside internal staff can provide knowledge transfer while delivering immediate project results.
Compensation Strategies for Instructional Designers
Understanding current market rates and structuring competitive compensation packages helps attract and retain quality instructional design talent while managing budget constraints effectively.
Current Salary Ranges by Experience Level
Entry-level instructional designers typically earn between $45,000 and $65,000 annually, depending on geographic location and industry sector. These professionals usually have 0-2 years of relevant experience and may require additional training or mentorship.
Mid-level designers with 3-7 years of experience command salaries ranging from $65,000 to $90,000. They can work independently on most projects and often specialize in particular industries or technologies.
Senior instructional designers and team leads earn $90,000 to $130,000 or more, reflecting their ability to manage complex projects, mentor junior staff, and contribute to strategic learning initiatives.
Geographic location significantly impacts salary expectations, with major metropolitan areas typically offering 20-40% higher compensation than smaller markets.
Project-Based Pricing Models
Freelance instructional designers often charge $50-150 per hour depending on experience level and project complexity. Simple content updates or conversions fall at the lower end, while custom interactive development commands premium rates.
Fixed-price project contracts provide budget certainty but require detailed scope definition to avoid misunderstandings. Typical ranges include $5,000-15,000 for basic course development and $20,000-50,000 for comprehensive curriculum projects.
Value-based pricing aligns consultant compensation with project outcomes and organizational benefits. This approach works well when training improvements generate measurable business results.
Consider retainer arrangements for ongoing relationships, typically ranging from $3,000-10,000 monthly depending on expected time commitment and service levels.
Performance Incentives and Bonuses
Link compensation to measurable outcomes such as learner satisfaction scores, completion rates, or business impact metrics. This approach aligns designer motivation with organizational objectives.
Project completion bonuses reward timely delivery and quality work while encouraging efficiency. Structure these carefully to maintain quality standards rather than just speed.
Professional development stipends demonstrate investment in designer growth while ensuring they maintain current skills and industry knowledge.
Recognition programs and advancement opportunities often matter as much as monetary compensation for retaining talented instructional designers.
Onboarding Your New Instructional Designer
Effective onboarding accelerates productivity and integration while establishing clear expectations and communication patterns that support long-term success.
Setting Clear Expectations
Document specific deliverables, quality standards, and timeline expectations for initial projects. Provide examples of successful previous work to illustrate organizational preferences and standards.
Explain approval processes, stakeholder relationships, and communication protocols that the designer will navigate. Clarify decision-making authority and escalation procedures for issues or scope changes.
Define success metrics and evaluation criteria so designers understand how their performance will be assessed. Include both quantitative measures and qualitative factors that matter to your organization.
Providing Access to Tools and Resources
Ensure designers have necessary software licenses, system access, and technical resources before their start date. Delayed access to essential tools frustrates new hires and reduces initial productivity.
Provide brand guidelines, content templates, and style guides that ensure consistency with organizational standards. Include examples of approved designs and messaging approaches.
Connect designers with subject matter experts, key stakeholders, and technical support resources they will need for project success. Facilitate introductions and explain each person's role in the design process.
Establishing Communication Protocols
Define regular check-in schedules, reporting requirements, and preferred communication channels for different types of interactions. Some organizations prefer email for formal communications while using instant messaging for quick questions.
Clarify availability expectations, response time requirements, and escalation procedures for urgent issues. Remote workers particularly benefit from explicit communication guidelines.
Establish feedback mechanisms and revision processes that balance quality control with designer autonomy. Over-management can stifle creativity while insufficient guidance leads to misaligned deliverables.
Creating Collaborative Workflows
Integrate designers into existing project management systems and team collaboration tools. Provide training on organizational processes and workflow management approaches.
Define roles and responsibilities for team projects, including who provides content, reviews deliverables, and makes final approval decisions. Clear accountability prevents confusion and delays.
Establish regular team meetings or design reviews that keep designers connected to broader organizational goals and initiatives. Isolation can reduce effectiveness and job satisfaction.
Common Mistakes When Hiring an Instructional Designer
Avoiding predictable pitfalls improves hiring success rates and reduces the time and cost associated with poor hiring decisions.
Overlooking Cultural Fit
Technical skills alone do not guarantee success if designers cannot work effectively within your organizational culture. Consider communication styles, work preferences, and value alignment during evaluation.
Remote work arrangements require particular attention to self-motivation, communication skills, and ability to work independently. Some excellent designers struggle in distributed environments despite strong technical capabilities.
Industry experience often matters more than general instructional design skills, particularly in highly regulated or specialized fields. Healthcare, financial services, and technical industries have unique requirements that generic experience may not address.
Focusing Only on Technical Skills
Creativity and problem-solving abilities often distinguish exceptional designers from merely competent ones. Evaluate candidates' ability to develop innovative solutions and adapt to changing requirements.
Project management and stakeholder communication skills become crucial as designers advance in their careers. Technical expertise without these capabilities limits their effectiveness in organizational settings.
Business acumen and understanding of organizational dynamics help designers align training solutions with broader business objectives. This perspective becomes increasingly important for senior roles.
Inadequate Project Scoping
Vague project descriptions lead to mismatched expectations and disappointing results. Invest time in detailed requirements gathering before engaging designers, whether employees or consultants.
Underestimating project complexity often results in budget overruns and timeline delays. Complex subject matter, multiple stakeholder groups, and technical constraints require realistic planning.
Failing to account for revision cycles, testing phases, and implementation support creates unrealistic timelines that pressure designers and compromise quality.
Ignoring Industry-Specific Experience
Generic instructional design experience may not translate effectively to specialized industries with unique compliance requirements, technical complexity, or audience characteristics.
Regulatory knowledge becomes essential for industries like healthcare, finance, or aviation where training must meet specific compliance standards. Designers without this background require significant additional support.
Technical subject matter expertise helps designers work more effectively with subject matter experts and create more accurate, relevant content. This becomes particularly important for software training or complex technical procedures.
Managing Remote Instructional Design Teams
Remote work arrangements have become standard in instructional design, requiring specific management approaches and tools to maintain productivity and collaboration.
Communication Tools and Strategies
Video conferencing platforms enable face-to-face interaction for complex discussions, design reviews, and team meetings. Regular video calls help maintain personal connections and reduce isolation.
Project management software provides visibility into task progress, deadlines, and deliverable status. Choose platforms that accommodate design workflows and file sharing requirements.
Instant messaging tools facilitate quick questions and informal collaboration while maintaining documentation of decisions and discussions. Establish guidelines for appropriate use and response expectations.
Project Management Best Practices
Break large projects into smaller, manageable tasks with clear deliverables and deadlines. This approach provides regular progress checkpoints and maintains momentum.
Use collaborative design tools that allow real-time editing and commenting on storyboards, prototypes, and content drafts. Version control becomes critical when multiple people contribute to design documents.
Establish regular milestone reviews that assess progress, address obstacles, and adjust timelines as needed. Remote work requires more structured communication than co-located teams.
Time Zone Coordination
Plan project schedules that accommodate team members across different time zones. Identify core collaboration hours when all team members are available for meetings and real-time discussions.
Use asynchronous communication and handoff procedures for work that spans multiple time zones. Clear documentation and status updates enable continuous progress without requiring simultaneous availability.
Record important meetings and design reviews for team members who cannot attend live sessions. Provide opportunities for input and questions from those who review recordings.
Quality Assurance Processes
Implement systematic review processes that ensure deliverables meet quality standards before client or stakeholder presentation. Remote work requires more formal quality control procedures.
Create detailed style guides and design standards that remote team members can reference independently. Consistency becomes more challenging when designers work in isolation.
Establish testing procedures for interactive content and technical functionality. Remote teams need clear protocols for identifying and resolving technical issues.
Future Trends in Instructional Design Hiring
Understanding emerging trends helps organizations prepare for evolving skill requirements and market conditions that will impact future hiring decisions.
AI and Automation Impact
Artificial intelligence tools are beginning to automate routine tasks like content formatting, basic assessment creation, and initial course structure development. Instructional designers will need to adapt their skills to work alongside these technologies.
AI-powered analytics provide deeper insights into learner behavior and performance patterns. Future designers will need data interpretation skills to leverage these insights for continuous improvement.
Personalization algorithms require designers who understand how to create modular content and adaptive learning experiences. This represents a shift from linear course design to more flexible, responsive approaches.
Microlearning Expertise Demand
Organizations increasingly prefer bite-sized learning experiences that fit into busy work schedules. Designers need skills in creating focused, standalone learning modules that connect to broader curriculum goals.
Microlearning design requires different approaches to content chunking, knowledge reinforcement, and progress tracking. Traditional course design skills may not translate directly to these formats.
Mobile-first design becomes essential as learners access training on smartphones and tablets. Designers need experience with responsive design and mobile user experience principles.
Virtual Reality Skills Requirements
Immersive learning experiences using VR and AR technologies require specialized design skills and technical knowledge. Organizations in training-intensive industries are beginning to explore these applications.
3D environment design, spatial interaction principles, and motion sickness considerations represent new competencies that traditional instructional designers may lack.
Cost-benefit analysis for immersive technologies requires understanding of development complexity, hardware requirements, and maintenance considerations that impact project feasibility.
Data Analytics Capabilities
Learning analytics platforms provide detailed data about learner engagement, progress patterns, and outcome achievement. Designers increasingly need skills to interpret this data and optimize learning experiences.
A/B testing methodologies help designers validate design decisions and improve learning effectiveness. Statistical analysis skills become valuable for evidence-based design iteration.
Predictive modeling can identify learners at risk of non-completion or poor performance. Designers who can create interventions based on these insights provide additional value to organizations.
Building Long-Term Relationships with Instructional Designers
Successful organizations invest in ongoing relationships with talented designers, whether employees or preferred consultants, to ensure consistent quality and institutional knowledge retention.
Retention Strategies
Provide challenging, varied projects that allow designers to grow their skills and explore new approaches. Repetitive work leads to disengagement and eventual departure.
Offer competitive compensation that reflects market rates and individual performance. Regular salary reviews and adjustment opportunities demonstrate organizational investment in designer success.
Create clear career advancement paths for internal designers, including opportunities for leadership roles, specialization development, or expanded responsibilities.
Recognize achievements through formal programs, peer nomination systems, or public acknowledgment of successful projects. Professional recognition often matters as much as monetary rewards.
Professional Development Opportunities
Support conference attendance, certification programs, and continuing education that keeps designers current with industry trends and emerging technologies.
Provide access to new tools and software that enhance designer capabilities and efficiency. Investment in technology demonstrates organizational commitment to excellence.
Encourage participation in professional associations and industry communities that provide networking opportunities and knowledge sharing.
Create internal knowledge sharing sessions where designers can learn from each other and discuss successful approaches to common challenges.
Feedback and Performance Reviews
Establish regular feedback cycles that provide specific, actionable guidance for improvement. Focus on both technical skills and business impact to encourage well-rounded development.
Include stakeholder feedback in performance evaluations to provide comprehensive perspectives on designer effectiveness and collaboration skills.
Set collaborative goals that align individual designer objectives with organizational learning strategy and business outcomes.
Document successful projects and lessons learned to build institutional knowledge and inform future hiring and development decisions.
