In the field of instructional technology, development has a
particular, somewhat unique, connotation. The most current
definition views development as “the process of translating the
design specifications into physical form” (Seels & Richey, 1994,
p. 35). In other words, it refers to the process of producing
instructional materials. Development is viewed as one of the five
major domains of theory and practice in the field.1 Even though
this varies from many other uses of the term development, it is
consistent with the fundamental attribute of being a process of
growth, and in our field development is a very creative process.