Designer-SME Collaboration

As a workplace learning professional (WLP)—you are a trainer, e-learning developer, coach, or training manager—you will likely create instructional content and temporarily adopt the role of an instructional designer at some point. Many WLPs, including those tasked with instructional design, will experience their initial occupational rite of passage in their first interaction with a subject matter expert (SME).

Traditionally, this interaction is a recurring process involving the critique and correction of the SME’s training materials by the instructional designer (or another WLP), which the SME in turn reviews for technical accuracy, and the designer then finalizes. Often because of conflicting values and standards, deadlines, departmental animosities, ...