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Shared understanding. Clear reviews. Better learning.
This guide outlines who does what, how our development process works, what you’ll review and when, and how to give feedback that helps us create the best learning experiences possible.
Specific expectations may vary from project to project. When needed, you’ll receive additional information tailored to your project.
Quick Start
Questions about the development process? Check here first!
How to Use This Guide
- Review it together during the kickoff.
- Confirm roles, deliverables, timelines, and reviews.
- Reference it throughout the project.
- Reach out any time with questions!
Meet Your Project Team
It takes a team to build meaningful learning experiences. Here are the key players
Project Manager
- Keeps the project on track.
- Coordinates schedules, milestones, communication, and budget.
- Serves as primary point of contact.
Learning Experience Designer
- Analyzes learning needs and designs the solution.
- Develops or coordinates all course materials.
- Ensures learning is clear, engaging, and effective.
Subject Matter Expert
- Reviews and approves deliverables.
- Provides timely, actionable feedback.
- Helps us create something learners will love.
Development Team
- Brings the course to life behind the scenes.
- May include graphic artists, developers, QA specialists, accessibility specialists, voiceover artists, and more.
Target Audience
- Represents the learner perspective.
- Provides input or data to inform the design.
- Provides feedback to ensure the course meets learner needs.
Other Stakeholders
- Provide approval authority or important perspectives.
- May include executive leadership, HR, marketing, and more.
Everyone’s role is important. When we work together, learners win.
Our Development Process
An iterative process. Built for flexibility. Focused on results.
We analyze needs, define goals, and plan for success.
We design the solution and set expectations.
We build, QA, and refine the materials.
We deliver final materials and support rollout.
What You'll Review
You’ll have opportunities to review at key milestones throughout the project.
| Milestone | Purpose of Review | What to Look For | Est. Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Plan | Confirm we're solving the right problem the right way. | Goals, learning objectives, content outline, strategies, and approach. | 2–3 hours |
| Prototype | Ensure the look, feel, and functionality meet expectations. | Navigation, interactions, visuals, and overall experience. | 30 minutes |
| Storyboards | Review the content and flow. | Content accuracy, clarity, examples, sequence, and tone. | 2–4 hours |
| Alpha (Draft) | Confirm the course is complete and correct and that prototype review changes were made. | All content, interactions, assessments, and functionality. | 4 hours (or ~2 minutes/screen) |
| Beta (Interim) | Verification of changes. Testing with the target audience to gather feedback. | Confirmation of Alpha changes. | 2 hours |
| Gold (Final) | Approve final version for rollout. | Confirmation of Beta changes. | 1 hour |
Review times are estimates. Actual time may vary for individual reviewers and by project.
How to Give Helpful Feedback
Careful, thorough reviews help us create the best learning experience possible. Here are some tips for providing feedback that gets results.
- Block time on your calendar for reviews based on the project schedule.
- Submit your reviews on time, allowing time for your project lead to consolidate feedback. Every delay has ripple effects.
- Be thorough early. Making changes gets more complex—and more expensive—the further we get into the development process.
- Share examples, stories, and context when you can.
- After we make changes, verify that we made them correctly.
Feedback Examples
Not Helpful
Slide 12 is wrong.
Helpful
On slide 12, the example isn’t quite right for our policy. Change it to reflect that exceptions require manager approval.
Not Helpful
Here’s a photo you can use.
Helpful
Here’s a photo you can use on slide 15 that shows a trip hazard at the bottom left (the power cord).
TIP: Clear feedback = fewer mistakes and better learning experiences.
