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Instructional Design Agency Alternative—Build Your On-Demand Team

Connect with vetted instructional design experts who can start in 48 hours. No agencies, no overhead – just experienced professionals ready to deliver results.

4.9/54.9/5 average project satisfaction for on-demand ID teams
17 instructional design consultants active today

Used by L&D leaders who need scalable instructional design without agency friction

GooglePepsiSAPMichelinServiceNow
48hr response
$80–140/hr transparent pricing (avg $110)
Pre-vetted experts
AI-Powered Instant Matching

Find Your Perfect Instructional Design Consultant Match

Get video proposals from pre-vetted instructional design consultants who understand your specific challenges and can start in 48 hours.

👇Type your project here👇

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Assemble a team in 48 hours • Flexible ramp-up/down • Transparent hourly and sprint pricing

Featured Instructional Design Experts

Curated Pods of Instructional Designers, Developers, and PMs

Mix and match strategists, storytellers, media designers, and project managers. We vet every specialist for portfolio quality, stakeholder communication, and enterprise experience before they join your team.

🎯 35+ Instructional Design consultantsAverage 10+ years experienceFrom Bluewater, Endurance Learning, Designing Digitally
Melinda Archuleta-Moon

Melinda

Instructional Design Consultant

Melinda is an instructional design expert with 15 years of experience. Produced successful learning results through course design and development at Sprint, AlphaGraphics, and AMN Healthcare. Transformed f2f training into Articulate Storyline 360 courses. Cultivated SME production of scenarios for Learning Mate and managed complex relationships with global teams. Directed WC3 accessibility at Pearson Online Learning Solutions.

Available Now

Melinda - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Digital Instructional Designer

Melinda is an instructional design expert with 15 years of experience. Produced successful learning results through course design and development at Sprint, AlphaGraphics, and AMN Healthcare. Transformed f2f training into Articulate Storyline 360 courses. Cultivated SME production of scenarios for Learning Mate and managed complex relationships with global teams. Directed WC3 accessibility at Pearson Online Learning Solutions.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Kathleen Murphy

Kathleen

Instructional Design Consultant

Kathleen is a seasoned L&D professional specializing in instructional design services. She designs and delivers blended learning experiences, including ILT, eLearning, and VILT. Kathleen developed eLearning for Cisco, Laerdal Medical, and UCSF Medical Center. She created training for Grocery Outlet on financial subject matter and designed customer experience courses for Prologis. Kathleen applies ADDIE and adult learning theory to create effective ID services.

Available Now

Kathleen - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Senior Learning Specialist

Kathleen is a seasoned L&D professional specializing in instructional design services. She designs and delivers blended learning experiences, including ILT, eLearning, and VILT. Kathleen developed eLearning for Cisco, Laerdal Medical, and UCSF Medical Center. She created training for Grocery Outlet on financial subject matter and designed customer experience courses for Prologis. Kathleen applies ADDIE and adult learning theory to create effective ID services.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Justin Lambakis

Justin

Instructional Design Consultant

Justin Lambakis is an expert instructional design consultant offering premier instructional design services. With a robust background as an Instructional Designer at tech giants like Cisco, Google, Apple, and Adobe, he transforms complex ideas into engaging, results-driven learning experiences. His work at Apple significantly improved employee productivity, while at Virgin America, he developed highly engaging training programs that improved employee performance. Justin's instructional design services empower teams and elevate performance, making him an ideal partner for companies seeking impactful learning solutions.

Available Now

Justin - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Instructional Designer

Justin Lambakis is an expert instructional design consultant offering premier instructional design services. With a robust background as an Instructional Designer at tech giants like Cisco, Google, Apple, and Adobe, he transforms complex ideas into engaging, results-driven learning experiences. His work at Apple significantly improved employee productivity, while at Virgin America, he developed highly engaging training programs that improved employee performance. Justin's instructional design services empower teams and elevate performance, making him an ideal partner for companies seeking impactful learning solutions.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Susan Gatti

Susan

Instructional Design Consultant

Susan Gatti is an experienced instructional design consultant and Chief Learning Officer specializing in instructional design services. With a background as Director of Training at Fortune 500 companies like W Hotels and ANN INC., she brings a strategic perspective to instructional design. Susan's expertise includes setting global learning strategies and designing impactful training solutions, as demonstrated by saving a client $50,000 in unnecessary course costs. Her instructional design services focus on creating measurable business impact and solving critical people, product, or service challenges for organizations.

Available Now

Susan - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Elementary Teacher

Susan Gatti is an experienced instructional design consultant and Chief Learning Officer specializing in instructional design services. With a background as Director of Training at Fortune 500 companies like W Hotels and ANN INC., she brings a strategic perspective to instructional design. Susan's expertise includes setting global learning strategies and designing impactful training solutions, as demonstrated by saving a client $50,000 in unnecessary course costs. Her instructional design services focus on creating measurable business impact and solving critical people, product, or service challenges for organizations.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Jim Caro

Jim

Instructional Design Consultant

Jim is an instructional design consultant with 20 years at Cisco Systems Inc. Jim led learning experience design and training strategy for 13 years, creating instructor-led and online learning for product solutions and customer support. Jim delivers instructional design services, developing engaging and interactive visual design elements for training.

Available Now

Jim - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | E4 PFC

Jim is an instructional design consultant with 20 years at Cisco Systems Inc. Jim led learning experience design and training strategy for 13 years, creating instructor-led and online learning for product solutions and customer support. Jim delivers instructional design services, developing engaging and interactive visual design elements for training.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Heather Emerick

Heather

Instructional Design Consultant

Heather is an instructional design expert specializing in e-learning development and virtual facilitation. She develops custom programs for clients like the U.S. Department of State and Brown University. Heather transitions instructor-led content to interactive virtual sessions using Zoom, MURAL, and Articulate Rise. She designs and develops online and classroom-based programs, serving as adjunct faculty at the Foreign Service Institute.

Available Now

Heather - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Learning and Development Consultant

Heather is an instructional design expert specializing in e-learning development and virtual facilitation. She develops custom programs for clients like the U.S. Department of State and Brown University. Heather transitions instructor-led content to interactive virtual sessions using Zoom, MURAL, and Articulate Rise. She designs and develops online and classroom-based programs, serving as adjunct faculty at the Foreign Service Institute.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Kimberly Fields

Kimberly

Instructional Design Consultant

Kimberly is an instructional design expert, owner of KF Instructional Design Solutions, LLC, providing custom instructional design services. Led a team of instructional designers at The CE Shop, Inc., creating online pre-licensing courses. Designed, developed, and delivered competency-based training for eight agencies at the State of Wyoming, fostering individual growth and organizational development.

Available Now

Kimberly - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Part-Time Instructor

Kimberly is an instructional design expert, owner of KF Instructional Design Solutions, LLC, providing custom instructional design services. Led a team of instructional designers at The CE Shop, Inc., creating online pre-licensing courses. Designed, developed, and delivered competency-based training for eight agencies at the State of Wyoming, fostering individual growth and organizational development.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Inna Link

Inna

Instructional Design Consultant

Inna is an Instructional Design and eLearning Expert, founding LinkDesign Learning to provide instructional design services. At First American, Inna led strategic learning initiatives, including organizational assessments and instructional design consulting. Inna applied sound instructional design models and adult learning theories to develop engaging training content. Inna also provided internal instructional design services to various business units and project managed external instructional design projects.

Available Now

Inna - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Founder Founder

Inna is an Instructional Design and eLearning Expert, founding LinkDesign Learning to provide instructional design services. At First American, Inna led strategic learning initiatives, including organizational assessments and instructional design consulting. Inna applied sound instructional design models and adult learning theories to develop engaging training content. Inna also provided internal instructional design services to various business units and project managed external instructional design projects.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Robert Milton

Robert

Instructional Design Consultant

Robert is a PMP-certified instructional design consultant with 20+ years of experience. Developed eLearning modules for Bank of the West and managed curriculum for PG&E's Apprenticeship programs. Led instructional design for the American Psychological Association's HiPAA series and Unity's XR course. Specializes in immersive experiences and rapid iterative design for instructional design services.

Available Now

Robert - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Senior Learning Strategist

Robert is a PMP-certified instructional design consultant with 20+ years of experience. Developed eLearning modules for Bank of the West and managed curriculum for PG&E's Apprenticeship programs. Led instructional design for the American Psychological Association's HiPAA series and Unity's XR course. Specializes in immersive experiences and rapid iterative design for instructional design services.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Herb McCartney

Herb

Instructional Design Consultant

Herb McCartney is an accomplished Senior Instructional Designer offering expert instructional design services. With a strong background as a Senior Instructional Designer at Fortune 500 companies like Walmart and Fifth Third Bank, Herb has a proven track record in developing engaging e-learning and training programs. He updated and added greater engagement interaction for e-learning training programs at Fifth Third Bank and developed eCommerce training for Walmart using Captivate 9, including voice-overs and various graphics. His instructional design services encompass user manuals, facilitator guides, and interactive PowerPoint training. Herb's expansive tool kit delivers impactful learning solutions that drive business results.

Available Now

Herb - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Senior Instructional Designer

Herb McCartney is an accomplished Senior Instructional Designer offering expert instructional design services. With a strong background as a Senior Instructional Designer at Fortune 500 companies like Walmart and Fifth Third Bank, Herb has a proven track record in developing engaging e-learning and training programs. He updated and added greater engagement interaction for e-learning training programs at Fifth Third Bank and developed eCommerce training for Walmart using Captivate 9, including voice-overs and various graphics. His instructional design services encompass user manuals, facilitator guides, and interactive PowerPoint training. Herb's expansive tool kit delivers impactful learning solutions that drive business results.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Michael Fimian

Michael

Instructional Design Consultant

Michael Fimian is an experienced instructional design consultant with a strong background in instructional design services. With years of serving education clients, he has developed a diverse mix of multimedia for courses, including instructional graphics, scenarios, and interactive self-assessments. His work as an Instructional Designer at Clarity Consultants and Becker College, alongside teaching instructional design at Southern New Hampshire University, demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of ID services. Michael's expertise in developing engaging and effective learning experiences makes him a valuable asset for any organization seeking professional instructional design firm support.

Available Now

Michael - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Multimedia Specialist

Michael Fimian is an experienced instructional design consultant with a strong background in instructional design services. With years of serving education clients, he has developed a diverse mix of multimedia for courses, including instructional graphics, scenarios, and interactive self-assessments. His work as an Instructional Designer at Clarity Consultants and Becker College, alongside teaching instructional design at Southern New Hampshire University, demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of ID services. Michael's expertise in developing engaging and effective learning experiences makes him a valuable asset for any organization seeking professional instructional design firm support.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Dorothy Thomas

Dorothy

Instructional Design Consultant

Dorothy is an instructional design expert with experience at USAA and SweetRush Inc. She specializes in instructional design services, developing high-quality e-learning courses and assessments. Dorothy converted over 50 Flash courses to HTML and created multimedia content for clients like Kaiser Permanente. Her expertise includes Storyline 360, Vyond, and Adobe Suite, delivering engaging and effective ID services.

Available Now

Dorothy - Instructional Design Consultant

Instructional Design Consultant | Technical Design & Development Specialist

Dorothy is an instructional design expert with experience at USAA and SweetRush Inc. She specializes in instructional design services, developing high-quality e-learning courses and assessments. Dorothy converted over 50 Flash courses to HTML and created multimedia content for clients like Kaiser Permanente. Her expertise includes Storyline 360, Vyond, and Adobe Suite, delivering engaging and effective ID services.

Experience: years in instructional design

Specialties: instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing

Our instructional design consultants are thoroughly vetted professionals with extensive experience in instructional design agency, instructional design agency alternative, corporate training design agency, elearning development agency, instructional design outsourcing. Each consultant can provide video proposals within 48 hours and has proven expertise in delivering instructional design projects for enterprise clients.

When to Hire a Instructional Design Consultant
You need to ramp an instructional design team quickly without long-term retainers
Major transformation (new LMS, onboarding academy, compliance overhaul) requires dedicated pods
Internal design team is at capacity and you need coverage for roadmap milestones
Executive stakeholders expect PM oversight, QA, and reporting similar to an agency
You want transparent pricing and direct access to instructional designers and developers
Global or cross-business launch needs blended expertise (ID, media, change management)

Typical Instructional Design Projects

Launch Sprint Pod
6 weeks

Curated squad (ID lead, developer, media designer) spinning up new learning products in 6-week sprints.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Sprint charter with priorities, risks, and resource plan
  • Prototype and pilot deliverables within 10 business days
  • Weekly stakeholder readouts and burn-down dashboards
  • Transition kit for internal enablement teams
Change Enablement Playbook
8-10 weeks

Instructional design strategists + change specialists preparing comms, learning journeys, and reinforcement cadence for enterprise change.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Audience segmentation and readiness assessment
  • Integrated learning + communications plan
  • Measurement dashboard aligned to adoption metrics
  • Leader toolkits and reinforcement assets
Continuous Learning Ops Retainer
Quarterly

On-demand team maintaining course library, tackling backlog requests, and delivering microlearning campaigns each month.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Rolling 90-day roadmap with capacity plan
  • Governance and QA workflow embedded in each sprint
  • Monthly insights on utilization, learner engagement, and ROI
  • Flexible scaling (add/remove specialists within 7 days)

Agency-Level Outcomes Without Agency Overhead

See how organizations launched academies, transformed compliance, and deployed change programs using Learnexus on-demand instructional design teams.

Sanofi Genzyme

Kamal

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Sanofi Genzyme

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva

Improved training completion rates by 35%

2 weeks

Point Click Care

Kamal

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Point Click Care

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline

Reduced onboarding time by 40%

1 month

RBC

Kamal

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

RBC

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline

Improved training completion rates by 35%

2 weeks

Thales

Kamal

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Thales

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline

Reduced onboarding time by 40%

6 months

Rotman School of Business Management

Kamal

Leadership Program

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Rotman School of Business Management

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Leadership Program

Tools used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Suite

Reduced onboarding time by 40%

6 months

Rotman School of Business Management

Kamal

Leadership Program

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Rotman School of Business Management

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Leadership Program

Tools used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Suite

Improved training completion rates by 35%

3 months

Cosmetics

Kamal

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Cosmetics

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Kamal

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline

Improved training completion rates by 35%

3 months

Procedure Sample/Excerpt

Jennifer

Training Materials

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Procedure Sample/Excerpt

A portfolio sample showcasing L&D expertise

Jennifer

Training Materials

Tools used: Articulate Storyline, Adobe Creative Suite

Improved training completion rates by 35%

6 months

Compare Your Options

See how Learnexus delivers the perfect balance of quality and value

Traditional Agencies
$150-250/hr
  • Not included: Long contracts required
  • Not included: High overhead costs
  • Not included: Limited flexibility
  • Not included: Slow hiring process
BEST VALUE
Learnexus Consultants
$80-90/hr
  • Included: No long-term contracts
  • Included: Vetted talent only
  • Included: 48-hour hiring
  • Included: Direct communication

The smart choice for quality and value

Why Not Freelance Platforms?

Freelance platforms seem cheaper at $25-75/hr, but you get what you pay for.

Unvetted talent
No quality guarantee
Learnexus: Pre-vetted quality

Typical pods run $8K-$15K per sprint, with transparent rates per role and the ability to pause or scale whenever priorities shift.

Spin Up an Instructional Design Team in Four Steps

From discovery to delivery, Learnexus helps you run the same process you expect from an agency—minus the markups and delays.

New Project
1

Post Your Project

Kickoff discovery to define objectives, stakeholders, and desired team composition

2

Receive Video Proposals

Review curated team configurations with bios, portfolios, and proposed sprint plans

3

Choose Your Expert

Select the pod that fits your budget and attach your internal SMEs or leaders

Project Started!

48hr turnaround

4

Start Working

Launch with a shared workspace, structured milestones, and Learnexus support

48hrs

Average time to hire

3000+

Vetted consultants

$85

Average hourly rate

94%

Client satisfaction

What is Instructional Design?

Instructional design services connect you with consultants, companies, and on-demand teams who build blended programs, modernize compliance, and deliver measurable ROI. Compare proposals and launch in 48 hours without legacy agency overhead.

Quick Stats

Available Experts

35+

Typical Duration

Flagship programs run 2-4 months; sprint pods available in 2-week blocks

Average Investment

$20K-$120K per initiative (hourly $85-$140)

Key Benefits of Hiring Instructional Design Consultants

  • Launch critical training 2-3x faster with vetted instructional design pods
  • Convert outdated materials into blended, scenario-based experiences learners love
  • Access industry-specific expertise (regulated, technical, customer-facing)
  • Measure training ROI with dashboards, assessments, and stakeholder reporting
  • Scale up or down using marketplace pricing instead of long retainers

Common Instructional Design Projects

Instructional design strategy + blueprint sprints

Digital conversions of ILT/webinar programs

Compliance and risk training modernization

Curriculum design for onboarding, academies, and certifications

Rapid production pods for microlearning and reinforcement

When to Hire a Instructional Design Consultant

You need instructional design consultants or companies ready this month

Leadership demands analytics and ROI from learning initiatives

You’re considering agencies but want transparent modular pricing

Major systems or product launches require turnkey enablement

Internal team is at capacity and needs specialized contractor support

Our Instructional Design Consultants Have Worked With:

BluewaterEndurance LearningDesigning DigitallyBottom-Line PerformanceTTAKaleidoscoped'Vinci InteractiveAllenComm

Related Instructional Design Services

Explore specialized instructional design consulting services tailored to your specific needs:

Each service page provides detailed information about specialized consultants, typical project examples, and industry-specific expertise to help you find the perfect match for your instructional design needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about building an instructional design agency alternative with Learnexus.

Need help shaping your on-demand ID team?

Share your goals and we’ll recommend an optimal mix of instructional design talent, roles, and sprint cadence.

See On-Demand Instructional Design Teams in Action

Hear from L&D executives, product enablement leaders, and compliance chiefs who replaced traditional agencies with flexible Learnexus pods.

Want to review sample sprint plans?

Explore related instructional design resources

L&D leaders from these companies trust us for L&D Consultants

Google
SAP
ServiceNow
Michelin
Citadel
Pepsi
Paramount
University of Michigan
Dollar Tree
Anywhere Real Estate
Sitecore
Veeva
Ares Management
Western Union
Gannett
Kaiser Permanente
Freshpet
Cognizant
MongoDB
Concentrix
Zurich
Related Companies
Korn Ferry
Carnival Cruise
Skanska

Why Leaders Swap Traditional Agencies for Learnexus

Direct access to talent, transparent pricing, and collaborative workspaces mean faster launches and better handoff to your internal teams.

48-Hour Matching

Stop waiting months. Get matched with perfect consultants in 2 days, not 6 months.

10x Faster

Video-First Hiring

See personality, communication style, and expertise before you hire. No more resume roulette.

95% Success Rate

Pre-Vetted Quality

Only 3% of applicants accepted. Enterprise-ready consultants with proven track records.

3% Acceptance Rate

Flexible Scaling

Scale your team up or down instantly. No agencies, no overhead, no long-term commitments.

Zero Contracts

Enterprise Ready

Trusted by Fortune 500 companies. Procurement-friendly with MSA options available.

15+ F500 Clients

Cost Effective

Save 40-60% vs traditional agencies. Pay only for work delivered, when you need it.

$80-90/hr Average

Ready to assemble your instructional design team?

Outline your initiative and we’ll recommend the right mix of IDs, PMs, and media specialists—plus deliver a project plan in 48 hours.

✓ 15-minute call • See video proposals • 100% satisfaction guaranteed