The Domain of Management

"Management involves controlling instructional technology through planning, organizing, coordinating and supervising” (Seels & Richey, 1994 p.48).

Supervision and coordination of all activities and resources of the instructional design process are the focus of this domain. A team can consist of a two or more people with roles such as; instructional designer, subject matter experts (SME), graphic artists, writers, editors, application developers, scripters, etc. Management becomes more important as the instructional design team enlarges. In particular, time management to ensure that all phases of the process are initiated. Lee and Owens (2004) suggest rationing the time to give each phase an appropriate amount of the total project time. In this way, regardless of the scope (i.e., time, budget, resources) of the project, the process can be completed in full.

While the instructional technologist's role may change from situation to situation, there is a common responsibility for management skills and techniques. This is obvious for those with 'director' or 'manager' in the job title. However, even small instructional design projects require the coordination and management of many resources across several disciplines. For evidence of this, one needs only look at the credits of a movie or media production.

The domain of management can be divided into four areas: project management, resource management, delivery system management, and information management.

Project Management

Project management includes “planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects” (Seels & Richey, 1994 p. 30). Instructional technologies project management relies heavily on general management and project management theory as defined by the Project Management Institute.  Instructional technology professionals mirror the definition and best practice of project management as stated in the Project Management Book of Knowledge, commonly called PMBOK.

The PMBOK divides the field of Project management into 9 areas.

• 1. Project Integration Management – ensures coordination of project activities
• 2. Project Scope Management – ensures a project includes all the work required
• 3. Project Time Management – ensures timely completion of a project
• 4. Project Cost Management – ensures observance to budget requirements
• 5. Project Quality Management – ensures project’s end results meet defined goals
• 6. Project Human Resource Management – ensures effective use of people
• 7. Project Communications Management – ensures effective flow of information
• 8. Project Risk Management -  ensures identifying, analyzing and responding to risks
• 9. Project Procurement Management – ensures the attainment of goods/services from outside of the organization

It's worthwhile to define the term 'project' as "a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service" (PMBOK 1996, p.4).  Many instructional design processes are projects, meaning that they are temporary or 'one off' activities. However, as instructional design becomes more integrated or routine, general management techniques and processes become more prevalent.

Resource Management

"Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services"(Seels & Richey, 1994 p.51). Resource management becomes critical as access to resources becomes limited. The resources of instructional technology are all of the materials described in the development domain, plus personnel, budget, supplies, time, and facilities needed for instructional technology projects and processes.

Delivery System Management

"Delivery system management involves planning, monitoring and controlling the method by which distribution of instructional materials is organized ... [it is] a combination of medium and method of usage that is employed to present instructional information to a learner"(Seels & Richey, 1994 p.51).

Specific delivery systems require management. A training facility, as well as an online LMS, requires user support, scheduling and maintenance. In addition, policies and standards must be written, evaluated, and implemented to ensure alignment with and successful achievement of stated goals.

Information Management

"Information management involves planning, monitoring and controlling the storage, transfer or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning" (Seels & Richey, 1994 p. 51). Information management becomes critical as the number of learning resources increases. Providing practical and useful access to the growing array of instructional information is the task of the instructional technologist working in the information management domain.

As with project management, information management is its own field and has professionals working solely in this area. Likewise, just as project managers overlap with instructional technologist, so do librarians. The process by which information is stored and accessed is vital to organizations. Topics such as intellectual property rights, open educational resources, Internet security and digital identity fall into this sub-domain.