This chapter summarizes the state of the art of instructional development and characterizes instructional developers in terms of the chapters in both volumes of "Instructional Development: The State of the Art," other literature in the field, and the personal experiences of the authors. A number of conclusions are drawn, and the nature of the field--i.e., whether instructional development is a science, an art, or some combination of both--is briefly discussed. Topics that have been the focus of research are noted, as well as probable future developments in this area. (58 references/notes) (Author/EW)