5 Ways to Leverage Stakeholders in the Instructional Design Process
When it comes to stakeholders in the instructional design process, many learning professionals consider the needs of only two groups: subject matter experts and themselves. There are many others involved in the learning project development process whose input is equally vital. Clearly it makes sense to focus intensely on the subject matter experts (SMEs) since these individuals […]
3 Secrets to Successful Instructional Design
With so many variables in a learning project, can there truly be a secret to success? Today’s beleaguered instructional designer should have a single goal in mind: success. Whenever a project seems derailed, or stale, or too complex, focusing on what matters and creating a sense of clarity among the team go a long way. […]
Tips on How to Ramp SMEs in the Instructional Design Process
Subject matter experts (SMEs) and instructional designers can often misunderstand each other’s intentions when working together on learning projects. Find common ground and create a process that works for everyone. One of biggest challenges we hear from learning and development leaders is working with SMEs to build courses. As organizations’ learning needs proliferate and technical and […]
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Instructional Designers
Today’s instructional designer is more than simply a course creator. As today’s corporations seek to implement a culture of learning, instructional designers need to bring a range of skills to the table. While designing, building, and delivering courses are still their focus, today’s learning and development leaders must be able to manage in complex and uncertain […]
CLO Series: Dr. Martha Soehren of Comcast
Cognota® CLO Series features interviews with current and former Chief Learning Officers and senior learning professionals. We are pleased to share the results here in our blog. We recently were fortunate enough to catch up with Dr. Martha Soehren, Chief Talent Development Officer and Senior Vice President of Comcast. This blogpost incorporates her responses to questions related […]
Align Subject Matter Experts with Business Needs for Better Learning
This blog has previously covered the importance of aligning learning with the needs of the business. Here’s how to work with subject matter experts (SMEs) for maximum effect. The word learning, which has largely replaced training in the corporate lexicon, suggests “knowledge for its own sake.” However, to justify its existence, corporate learning needs to […]
Don’t Just Engage Subject Matter Experts — Win Them Over
Instructional designers and subject matter experts (SMEs) are increasingly finding themselves working together for learning projects. Each side has its own agenda, and for the under-resourced instructional designer trying to manage multiple projects at once, a deeper understanding of the SME’s perspectives can ensure that any project will be completed with success. Create a sense of ownership. […]
5 Tips for Instructional Designers When Working with Subject Matter Experts
A learning project’s success often depends on the valuable content provided by subject matter experts (SMEs). Here are a few tips to help the process run more smoothly when working with subject matter experts. Involve SMEs heavily from the beginning, and create a sense of ownership. Too often, a SME is asked to step in once […]
Can a Learning Experience Design System Address the Skills Gap?
Chicken or the egg: are organizations not able to hire because they cannot find qualified workers, or can job seekers not obtain quality jobs because they lack the right skills? Who is to blame, and what should be fixed first? Th skills gap has been a hot topic of discussion for several years now, as economists, labor experts, recruiters, […]
Overcoming the Challenges of Working with Subject Matter Experts
Subject matter experts (SMEs) drive the content for the courses your organization needs. Since their job requirements usually don’t include teaching others, how can you encourage them to commit to your projects so everyone can be successful? SMEs are busy people. They may be heads of engineering, technology, sales, marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, operations, […]
