Human resource development (HRD) is recognized as an interdisciplinary field covering the breadth of behavioral and social sciences. However, since its inception, instructional systems design (ISD), a methodology widely used in the HRD field, has been based on a narrow range of behavioral science. Grounded in general system's theory, the ISD framework has primarily been presented as asocial in orientation and application, drawing primarily on individual theories of learning. This manuscript considers the emergence and history of current ISD technologies, and presents a social ecological framework to facilitate the integration of behavioral and social science theory into the ISD process. Research and training initiatives using the social ecological framework are discussed as are implication for HRD research and practice. (Contains 2 figures.)