I’ve been thinking about how much positive working relationships shape the success of the course design process. After all, instructional design isn’t just about tools, templates, or deliverables. It involves working with — and for — people.
We collaborate with:
- Subject Matter Experts
- Stakeholders
- Reviewers
- Facilitators
- And ultimately, learners
You Can’t Design in Isolation
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to build a learning solution that truly meets organizational goals without:
✔️ Clear communication with SMEs and stakeholders
✔️ Alignment on what success looks like
✔️ A shared understanding of performance gaps
✔️ A clear picture of the target audience and their needs
Even the most visually polished course will fall short if it isn’t grounded in collaboration and clarity.
What Collaboration Looks Like in Practice
For me, a teamwork mindset means:
- Listening carefully before proposing solutions
- Asking thoughtful, clarifying questions
- Translating SME expertise into learner-friendly language
- Creating space for feedback and iteration
- Ensuring expectations are aligned early, not corrected late
- Keeping the audience in MIND: who they are, how they will have access to the training session, how to ensure the content is implemented once they go through the course.
Alignment Drives Better Outcomes
Positive results are ultimately a product of positive relationships and clear communication before and during the course design process. Alignment of goals, information and expectations is key for learning success. Alignment:
- Solves the right problem
- Reflects stakeholder priorities
- Serves the learner’s context
- Supports measurable outcomes
Instructional design is both strategic and relational. When we approach the work with curiosity, empathy, and a spirit of collaboration, we create learning experiences that are not only well-designed, but truly meaningful.
