Designers’ dilemmas: The tripartheid responsibility of the instructional designer

Conclusion It is the responsibility of instructional designers not only to create good products but, in the process, develop sound theories and do work that is rooted in the notion that we must work to make the world a better place. Design-based research is an approach that can help us to produce theory by putting our design work in naturalistic contexts while assessing learning. Critical design ethnography can help us to do good work by offering a process that includes prolonged engagement with participants, co-creating social commitments, design, and broad scale implementation. We must think deeply on our collective tripartheid ethical responsibility and continue to develop ways to serve these ambitions. We must work to develop better ways of exploring the nature of learning so that those who come after us can stand on our shoulders and ennoble our work by carrying it further still.