What if IDs helped SMEs build their own courses?

Here's a thought experiment: should instructional designers step back into a consultative role and let subject matter experts build their own courses?

Leaning on SMEs to support content development may help expedite the development process and optimize L&D resources. At the same time, SME course development carries a greater risk of information dumping, and SME availability or aptitude issues are amplified and can threaten the project.

---

Consider the following case study. A client approaches me with the following project:

• Scope: 6-hour virtual, instructor-led course on business writing

• Audience: federal government contractors with 3-10 years of work experience

• SMEs: editorial manager and course instructor

• Source Material: 50-slide PowerPoint on business writing practices

What might it look like if, as the instructional designer, I took a consultative role on the project? Entrusting SMEs with course development, I would support the project by ideating and designing with the team, and providing guidance on instructional design principles to enable the SMEs to develop effective materials. Let's take a closer look.

DISCOVER

ID Reviews Source Material

I review a 50-slide PowerPoint on business writing practices previously delivered as a 3-hour virtual training session. I also review course feedback, learning that participants felt there was too much content crammed in, and not all of it was relevant to every learner.

Discovery

I hold a kickoff meeting with the client and course SMEs. As a team, we identify existing learning objectives, establish roles and expectations, and set a tentative schedule.

Define Learning Objectives

With the course SMEs, we co-create learning objectives using a collaborative whiteboard. I interview the SMEs to uncover why the existing training wasn't working, what mistakes people were making, and what learners needed to be able to do on the job.

ID Designs Architecture

I put together a few slides outlining a proposed architecture for the learning solution and additional recommendations, such as:

1. Chunking the learning experience into four 1.5-hour sessions

2. Personalizing the experience by allowing learners to attend only the sessions relevant to them

3. Shifting knowledge acquisition to asynchronous learning activities

4. Developing job aids and practice activities for reinforcement

5. Devising a plan to measure performance improvements

Review Architecture

The project team discusses and revises the proposed learning architecture together in real time. The client approves proceeding with prototype creation.

PROTOTYPE

Brainstorm Prototype

With the course SMEs, we brainstorm activities to prototype for session 1 of the learning experience. We identify activities that model the actions learners need to perform well on the job. As an instructional designer, I coach the SMEs on instructional design principles such as:

• How to connect the activity to learners' existing knowledge and intrinsic motivation

• How to scaffold the activity, gradually increasing the difficulty and removing training wheels over time

• How to build a rubric with observable, measurable, and standardized success criteria as a means of providing feedback

SME Builds Prototype

One of the course SMEs begins developing a rough draft of the prototype in PowerPoint while the second course SME reviews and provides additional input.

ID Reviews Prototype

I review the prototype draft for instructional soundness, adding suggestions as notes with explanations grounded in learning theory.

Review Prototype v1

The project team, including the client, reviews the prototype together. We brainstorm potential alternatives and enhancements to activities, and discuss content that can be shifted to an asynchronous format.

SME Revises Prototype

The SME incorporates the team's feedback into the prototype, consulting with me as needed to make the changes. The SME also adds facilitator notes to the slide deck at this time.

Graphic Design Pass

With a functional prototype, I facilitate a handoff to a graphic designer who creates custom graphics based on the SME's sketches and applies branding standards to the slide deck.

Review Prototype v2

The project team reviews the prototype again, discussing any additional improvements before launching an internal pilot test.

Internal Pilot

I assemble a small, diverse group of internal participants to participate in a pilot delivery of the prototype session. The course instructor and I meet to prepare for delivery, and we hold focus groups after the session to gather feedback.

Debrief Pilot

I report back to the team on the pilot results. As a team, we discuss themes, prioritize action items, and deliberate over any necessary changes to the design of the prototype or the learning experience as a whole.

BUILD

Once a prototype is pilot-tested, it's off to the races. I consult with the course SMEs to ideate, design, and support the development of the remaining three sessions in succession. Development is staggered such that development work on the three sessions overlaps. By the time the final session has been approved by the team, we're ready to run a course pilot with target learners.

---

Is course development by SMEs the direction of the future, or retreating to ways of the past? What is the best use of L&D resources? Perhaps a more flexible, integrated approach to course development that leverages the content expertise of SMEs and the learning expertise of instructional designers as consultants is a step forward towards richer learning experiences—and leaner development processes.