SAM (Successive Approximation Model)

SAM (Successive Approximation Model) is an agile instructional design model that develops training through rapid, repeated cycles of prototyping, review, and refinement instead of the sequential phases of the traditional ADDIE model. Created by Michael Allen, SAM starts with a brief preparation phase (gathering background information and running a kickoff called a Savvy Start), then moves quickly into iterative design and development: small prototypes are built early, evaluated with stakeholders and learners, and improved in successive passes until the product is ready. The underlying premise is that stakeholders cannot fully articulate requirements upfront — they recognize what works when they see it — so showing something imperfect early beats specifying everything on paper. SAM's advantages are speed to first version, early risk detection, and stronger stakeholder alignment; its trade-offs include the need for disciplined iteration control (scope can drift without firm boundaries) and less predictable upfront budgeting than a waterfall plan. In practice, many L&D teams blend approaches: ADDIE's analytical rigor for defining the problem, SAM-style iteration for building the solution. SAM is the standard answer to the interview and RFP question of how design processes handle changing requirements.