Customers. Stakeholders. The success ofyour e-Learning project depends on meeting their expectations. Itcould almost go without saying, but customer relationships on someprojects are easier to manage than others. Having a solid process inplace can help keep the business relationship, as well as theproject, running smoothly.
Instructional designers are trained tothink of analysis as the first step in creating an e-Learningprogram. But before you conduct any content analysis, learneranalysis, or gap analysis, you should lead your customer through ajoint analysis of the e-Learning product you plan to develop.Creating a shared understanding of the customer’s expectations isthe key to fulfilling them. Conversely, failing to develop a sharedunderstanding can negatively impact the project at every stage alongthe way. Here’s where to start.
The journalistic questions that help build agreement
As an erstwhile journalism student,I’ve often found it useful to approach the training request armedwith the Who, What, Where, When, and Whykinds of questions a journalist might ask to generate the lead of anews story. The questions that follow can help you build a commonunderstanding with your customers.
Who are the subject matter experts that can help with the content? Who will write the script?
The level of subject matter expertinvolvement can vary from project to project, and customer tocustomer. Subject matter experts might actually write the first draftof the script or might not be involved at all except to review eachstages of the project as it is completed. The question of howinvolved the expert plans to be in the development of the course isbest answered early in the process so your team knows how to budgettheir time.
What does the course look like?
The answer to this question can beespecially sticky. Customers often have preconceived ideas about whatconstitutes an online course, and they expect that your definitionmatches their own, often without recognizing the assumptions they’vemade. Before you meet with your customer, bring along a portfolio ofdifferent e-Learning methods and media you might use. Ask yourcustomer for examples of courses they’ve seen and liked, too.Providing common points of reference lets customers speak to theelements they value (or don’t value) in a course. It also gives youthe opportunity to demonstrate different ways of approaching similartraining problems, so you can help the customer make informeddecisions about questions like whether the course should beself-paced, narrated, simulation, or demonstration.
What kinds of metrics does the course require?
Some customers are satisfied that learners have completed a course if they have viewed an entire video; others want a detailed assessment and item analysis. Starting a conversation about metrics can lead to information about the customer’s goals for the course, the content analysis and the gap analysis.
Where can you find other resources to help you sort through the content?
Most subject matter experts are pressedfor time. They probably don’t have time to write the script, andthey may have a limited amount of time to meet with team members topoint you in the right direction. It makes sense for the team to beas familiar with the content as possible before talking with theexpert, if only for the sake of good time management.
Why do students need the course?
Like asking about metrics, asking whythe students need the course can lead to good information about thecustomer’s goals for the course and the gap analysis.
When does the course need to be completed?
As a rule of thumb, the more media-richthe course, the more hours it will take to produce. Althoughe-Learning professionals understand this rule well, customers can besurprised by the extra time and constraints building media-richmaterial adds to a project. Putting a time boundary on when learnerswill need to be able to take the course can help customers decide howmuch media to add to the course.
Next step: start writing!
After getting the answers to so manyquestions, you may believe that everyone has the same set ofexpectations about the upcoming project and the resources that willbe available to you. Just because you sat at the same table, however,doesn’t mean you attended the same meeting. Write down everythingyou believe you and your customer agreed to, and ask the customer torespond with questions about anything that doesn’t match his or herrecollection of the events. It’s a step that can save youfrustration later.
With that part finished, you’ll havestarted creating a common understanding with your customer. Thesecond part, working from the same process, will be covered in nextmonth’s column.
Next Month: Make Your ProcessTransparent
