Full Answer Section

1. Desired Outcomes: What should learners be able to do or know differently after completing this learning asset? What organizational or business impact is expected?
2. Target Audience: Who are the learners, what are their current skill levels, and what are their specific needs and challenges?
3. Scope and Content: What specific topics or skills should be covered? What content is essential, and what might be nice-to-have?
4. Why now? What is the urgency or strategic importance of this learning asset at this particular time?

Essentially, I need to go beyond simply “creating a new course” and delve into the measurable objectives and expected return on investment (ROI) for the organization.

How much time is being allocated for the design process?

This is a critical question that I need to ask the SME (and potentially other stakeholders, like the learning manager) in this first meeting. I would phrase it as: “Considering the scope of what we’ve discussed for this new learning asset, what is the projected timeline for its design and development? Are there any key deadlines or launch dates we need to be aware of, perhaps tied to a new initiative, product launch, or training cycle?” Understanding the time allocation is crucial for determining the complexity and depth of the learning asset we can realistically create, and for planning my own workload and resource allocation.

What is the budget for the project (time, resources needed, etc.)?

Similar to the timeline, this is another crucial piece of information to gather. I would explicitly ask: “Regarding the project, what is the allocated budget for its development? This would include not just financial resources, but also the time commitment from subject matter experts, availability of existing content, access to software/tools, and the capacity of the media team to support asset creation (e.g., video, graphics).” Understanding these constraints upfront is vital for managing expectations, scoping the project appropriately, and ensuring we can deliver a high-quality asset within the given parameters. Without a clear budget for time and resources, the project risks scope creep and eventual failure.

Are there any identified potential obstacles?

Yes, even before this first meeting, I can identify several potential obstacles given the scenario:

1. Conflicting Stakeholder Priorities: With a department chair, learning manager, trainer/instructor, and media team involved, there’s a risk that each stakeholder might have different ideas about the learning asset’s goals, content, format, or timeline. Reconciling these diverse perspectives will be a challenge.
2. SME Time Availability: SMEs are often busy individuals. Securing their consistent availability for content review, feedback, and collaboration throughout the design process can be a significant hurdle.
3. Resistance to Change (from trainers/instructors): If this new learning asset impacts existing training programs or instructor roles, there might be resistance from trainers or instructors who are comfortable with current methods.
4. Media Team Capacity/Limitations: The media team’s availability, current workload, or specific technical capabilities might limit the format or interactivity options for the learning asset.
5. Unclear Scope or Moving Targets: In early discussions, the exact scope of the learning asset might be vague or prone to change, leading to scope creep and project delays if not tightly managed.
6. Legacy System/Content Integration: If the new asset needs to integrate with existing learning management systems (LMS) or repurpose old content, there could be technical or quality obstacles.

My strategy in the meeting will be to gently probe for these potential obstacles, framing questions around “what might make this challenging?” or “what should we be mindful of as we move forward?” This proactive approach helps to identify and mitigate risks early on.