A Guide for SMEs for Working with Instructional Designers

If you are a Subject Matter Expert (SME) working with your Learning and Development (L&D) Team and responsible for your company’s training materials, you might have worked with Instructional Designers (IDs) – could be in-house IDs or from the training services provider’s team. Hopefully, you enjoyed the experience – because as many L&D people comment in their reviews, partnering with IDs is usually a fantastic experience – and different too, compared to working with other stakeholders… 

… or maybe it was a difficult experience and you sadly found it awkward. Phew! Things can be difficult at times… 

… but we can make this experience easier, smoother, and better. Here we present some time-tested tips that should help you and the IDs to not only have a great work relationship but also ensure the success of the training program. 

I. Understand the workflow and establish proper communication 

Any good relationship is based on mutual trust and understanding. Working with Instructional Designers is no different and you must have a proper channel of communication and are on the same page regarding expectations, responsibilities, delivery formats and timelines, and constraints. 

It is also essential to be acquainted with the common terminologies used by IDs and understand the workflow. Here is a list of terms you should be aware of: 

1. Storyboard: A document that serves as a blueprint for the learning module or course. IDs create it to plan, organize, and communicate the design and flow of the learning content. A storyboard details all the content featured in the module or course – this includes the voiceover (VO) text, the On-Screen Text (OST), and visualization information. It also specifies how developers/programmers should put it all together as a functioning deliverable. 

2. Design Document: A detailed plan that outlines the structure, content, objectives, and strategies for creating educational materials or courses. 

3. Turnaround time (TAT): The period it takes to complete a project, from its initiation to its delivery, including all design, development, and review stages. 

4. Seat time: the total duration a learner spends in a training session or course, usually computed by dividing the word count of the VO or OST (Whichever is more, by 120 – by assuming that learners process the information as the normal human reading rate of 120 words per minute) 

5. Gamification: The use of game elements, such as points, badges, and competition, in non-game contexts, like education or business, to engage users and motivate them to achieve goals or learn. 

6. Content augmentation: Enhancing existing content with additional information, multimedia elements, or updated material to improve its value, relevance, and overall quality for the audience or users. 

7. Authoring tools: Software used for creating digital content, like eLearning courses. They enable one to develop, edit, and organize multimedia materials for educational and informational purposes. 

8. Learning delivery format: The method or medium through which educational content is presented to learners, such as in-person, online, virtual, or blended formats. 

9. ADDIE: A widely used instructional design framework consisting of five stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation, from which it derives its name. It guides the creation of effective educational programs and materials. 

10. Bloom’s taxonomy of learning: Hierarchical framework to classify learning objectives and cognitive skills into six levels, ranging from lower-order thinking (remembering) to higher-order thinking (e.g., creating). It helps educators plan and assess learning outcomes effectively. 

11. Knowledge Checks and Assessments: Knowledge checks are brief, in-lesson assessments to gauge understanding. Assessments are comprehensive evaluations, used to measure overall learning outcomes and knowledge, often at the end of a course or unit. 

12. Learning experience: A subjective description of how users/learners feel while acquiring knowledge and skills, influenced by methods, content, interactions, and assessments, impacting the effectiveness of learning. 

II. Realize that IDs are special 

Instructional designers possess a distinct skill set, that includes reading comprehension, writing, creative, visual design, pedagogical, and quality control skills. They bring a fresh perspective and “out-of-the-box” thinking to training design. The specific responsibilities of IDs vary across organizations, so clear communication is essential for setting expectations. IDs are creative and consulting-oriented, and they may request more context or suggest content improvements to optimize course delivery. IDs are learning consultants, not necessarily subject matter experts. By effectively collaborating with them, you can together produce great instruction. 

III. Identify other stakeholders that you might need to work with 

One needs to realize that things sometimes go wrong – and they will when you work with IDs. But it surely does not mean the end of the road! You can leverage these setbacks as learning experiences (what else!) or stepping stones towards a fantastic work relationship. One thing that would work in your favor is that most IDs are receptive to feedback (“Feedback is the breakfast of champions”, as they say!). Secondly, know that other vendor stakeholders – this could be the ID Manager, the Project Manager, or any Reporting Manager is likely to have your back. So, make it a point to have proper communication with the common Point of Contact (PoC) and the appropriate escalation channels. Remember that documents like the Statement of Work, Design document, and Storyboard serve are your go-to documents in case of any controversy or disagreement. 

With the right smarts, you should surely be able to nail your working relationship with IDs. Best of luck then! 

Conclusion: 

While experience and common wisdom play a huge role in establishing smooth working with IDs, it always helps if you get to work with a reliable services provider/vendor. Check out our portfolio – with our experienced team of IDs, we hope it would be a great partnership.