Creating engaging and effective eLearning content is a collaborative effort. While instructional designers are experts in structuring and delivering content, subject matter experts (SMEs) bring the deep knowledge necessary for the course’s substance. However, working with SMEs can be challenging, as they are often busy and may have limited time to devote to the project. The key to success lies in fostering a smooth collaboration that maximises both the SME’s expertise and the learning designer’s skills. In this blog post, we’ll explore practical tips for working with SMEs to create high-quality eLearning courses. These strategies ensure that SMEs can contribute meaningfully without becoming overwhelmed, while also making the most of their subject knowledge.

Great learning experiences are rarely designed in isolation. Collaboration, co-design, and co-creation are essential approaches that bring together instructional designers, educators, subject matter experts, and learners to build more effective, engaging, and relevant learning content. By fostering shared ownership and diverse input, these approaches improve course quality, ensure alignment with learning objectives, and create learning experiences that truly meet learner needs. In this article, we explore how these methods reduce siloed thinking, enhance engagement, and strengthen instructional design practices.

Refreshing learning content ensures relevance, improves learner experience, and maintains instructional quality. Setting periodic review points, using clear evaluation criteria, and leveraging learner feedback can help identify areas for improvement. Quick fixes can be implemented immediately, while larger changes should be scheduled strategically to avoid disrupting current learners. Establishing a structured approach to content maintenance prevents the "set and forget" mentality and encourages ongoing refinement of learning materials.

Clear learning design criteria are essential for creating effective and engaging eLearning experiences. They provide instructional designers with a structured framework, ensuring courses align with educational goals, maintain consistency, and enhance learner engagement. By using predefined criteria, designers can enjoy development, improve quality control, and reduce costly revisions. These criteria also support organisational objectives and create a smoother, faster production process. Additionally, working within a defined criteria framework enhances a designer’s skillset by reinforcing best practices and encouraging continuous learning. Without clear criteria, courses risk inconsistency, inefficiency, and reduced effectiveness. Establishing strong design criteria leads to higher-quality learning experiences, benefiting both learners and organisations.

Storyboarding is a crucial step in eLearning design, serving as a blueprint that outlines the structure, content, and interactions of a course before development begins. It ensures alignment with learning objectives, improves collaboration among stakeholders, and helps identify potential issues early, reducing costly revisions later. By using a storyboard, instructional designers can create a more structured and engaging learning experience and reduce friction during production. Skipping this step can lead to disorganised content, increased costs, and frustration for both developers and learners. Tools like Coursensu provide structured support for creating and refining storyboards, making the process more efficient. Ultimately, investing in storyboarding results in higher-quality courses, smoother development workflows, and significant cost savings.

A well-structured content design process significantly reduces eLearning development costs while improving quality and efficiency. By prioritising stakeholder alignment, early-stage engagement, and iterative low-fidelity designs, organisations can improve their workflows, prevent wasted resources, and enhance learner experiences. This post explores how a design-first approach optimises your eLearning production workflow and will reduce the cost.

A learning design platform enables instructional designers to map out and refine courses before content development begins. By focusing on design first, you mitigate risks, streamline collaboration, and improve the quality of your learning experiences. This post explores the key benefits of a design-first approach and how a learning design platform transforms the development process.

Choosing between synchronous and asynchronous learning is a critical decision in instructional design. Each mode offers distinct advantages, and selecting the right one depends on factors such as learner needs, content type, and course objectives. This post explores when to use each approach, helping you design effective and engaging learning experiences.

Learning outcomes and objectives are essential elements of instructional design, but they’re often confused. This post unpacks the differences, helping you understand their unique roles in creating impactful courses. By distinguishing these concepts, you’ll improve course alignment and enhance learner success.