The Dick and Carey Instructional Design Model (also known as the Systems Approach Model) is one of the most widely used systematic frameworks for planning and developing instruction. It was first published in the book The Systematic Design of Instruction (1978) by Walter Dick and Lou Carey (later joined by James Carey).
This model takes a systems view—meaning it emphasizes that all components of the design process are interrelated and must work together to produce the desired learning outcomes. It is highly detailed and places a strong focus on measurable objectives and criterion-referenced testing.
📝 The Core Steps of the Dick and Carey Model
The model is typically presented as a nine-step process, which is often viewed as more detailed and structured than the high-level ADDIE model. The steps are often iterative, meaning that feedback from later steps (like evaluation) loops back to revise earlier steps.
| Step | Focus Area | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify Instructional Goals | Goal/Need | Define what the learners will be able to do at the end of the instruction, usually based on a need or skills gap (Desired Status - Actual Status = Need). |
| 2. Conduct Instructional Analysis | Task Analysis | Break the broad goal down into the specific, step-by-step skills, knowledge, and procedures learners must master to achieve the goal. |
| 3. Analyze Learners and Contexts | Learner Analysis | Determine the general characteristics of the target audience (prior knowledge, motivation, attitudes, entry behaviors) and the context in which they will learn and apply the skills. |
| 4. Write Performance Objectives | Objectives | Create clear, measurable statements (Behavior, Condition, Criterion) that specify what the learners will be able to perform. |
| 5. Develop Criterion-Referenced Tests | Assessment | Design tests (like pre-tests, post-tests, and practice items) that directly measure the performance objectives defined in Step 4. This is a key step that happens before content development. |
| 6. Develop Instructional Strategy | Strategy | Create a blueprint for the instruction, including pre-instructional activities, content presentation, learner participation, assessment, and follow-up activities. |
| 7. Develop and Select Instructional Materials | Development | Produce or select all the teaching materials, manuals, multimedia, and tools based on the instructional strategy. |
| 8. Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation | Formative Evaluation | Test the instruction with a small group of learners (one-to-one, small group, or field trial) to collect data and identify areas for improvement. |
| 9. Revise Instruction | Revision | Make changes to the instructional materials, objectives, tests, or strategy based on the data collected in the formative evaluation. This step loops back to the beginning of the design process. |
| 10. Conduct Summative Evaluation | Summative Evaluation | Assess the overall effectiveness and worth of the final instructional program, often done by an independent evaluator after implementation. |
💡 Key Strengths of the Model
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Strong Alignment: It enforces a tight and logical connection between the Instructional Goals, Performance Objectives, and Assessment Instruments. If you follow the steps, you ensure you are teaching exactly what you plan to test.
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Systematic and Detailed: The step-by-step process is highly prescriptive, making it an excellent framework for beginners in instructional design or for managing large, complex, and high-stakes projects.
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Focus on Performance: It is heavily outcomes-focused, ensuring the instruction is designed to solve a measurable performance problem.