Timing Your L&D Project: When “Good Enough” Means Time to Execute

Oct 21, 2024 | Articles, Course Design, Instructional Design

 L&D professionals often face immense pressure to design and deliver programs quickly, especially in today’s fast-paced work environments. Business needs, technological advancements, and changes in organizational strategic goals can require rapid upskilling or reskilling, leaving little time for meticulous planning and development of training content. Instead of spending months fine-tuning materials, instructional designers are often tasked with creating “good enough” solutions that meet immediate learning objectives. This rush can stem from the need to onboard new employees, introduce new technologies or roll out organizational changes on tight deadlines. In these situations, L&D professionals must balance speed and quality, ensuring that learners still gain the necessary skills while working within constrained timelines.

L&D professionals are constantly seeking ways to optimize learning while scaling programs to meet the demands of growing organizations. Taking a “good enough” approach that balances quality with efficiency can help those who face this common challenge. The notion of “good enough” is not about compromising on excellence but recognizing when certain training elements are sufficient to meet learning objectives without overcomplicating the process. This mindset allows for the rapid deployment of training across large groups, saving time and resources, while still achieving key outcomes.

Meeting Urgent L&D Needs

The lack of time also means L&D professionals must often rely on pre-existing tools, templates, and content, adapting them to fit the specific needs of their audience. They may need to repurpose materials, use generic training modules, or employ scalable, off-the-shelf solutions to expedite the process. While this approach may not allow for the customization and interactivity of a fully developed program, it’s often sufficient to meet the immediate goals. With the ever-present challenge of designing under time pressure, L&D professionals must develop a keen sense of prioritization focusing on delivering the most critical content quickly while planning for future iterations that enhance and refine the training.

Here are 5 tips to support “good enough” design when time is of the essence:

1. Prioritize core learning objectives

When time is limited, it’s essential to identify the “must-have” knowledge and skills that learners need to be effective in their roles. By honing in on these objectives, you avoid overwhelming learners with extraneous information that could dilute the impact of the training. Focusing on core objectives allows for faster development and a clear, direct approach. This helps to ensure learners are equipped with practical, actionable skills right away.

2. Leverage existing resources

Pre-existing templates, eLearning modules, and even industry-standard materials can significantly cut down on development time. Rather than reinventing the wheel, adapt these resources to fit your specific context, applying only the necessary adjustments. This approach not only speeds up the design process but also helps maintain consistency in training across the organization, ensuring that all learners receive a similar learning experience. 

3. Use rapid prototyping tools

Scaling instructional design to meet time demands requires a strategic approach that leverages existing resources and streamlines processes. One of the most effective ways to do this is by utilizing reusable templates and pre-built modules. Rather than designing each course or training program from scratch, L&D professionals can create a catalog of templates that cover the common training needs of their learning audience. These templates can be easily customized to suit specific content or industry requirements without starting from scratch. By building a repository of adaptable materials, L&D professionals can significantly cut down on design time while still delivering high-quality training solutions.

4. Focus on usability over perfection

A clear, functional interface is often more valuable to learners than intricate animations or highly polished aesthetics. Learners should be able to quickly find and understand the information they need, which means prioritizing ease of navigation and content clarity. Simplicity in design reduces cognitive load, allowing learners to focus on absorbing content rather than figuring out how to use the training platform.

5. Iterate after implementation

Releasing a “good enough” version of your training allows learners to start benefiting from the content while providing you with real-world feedback for improvements. Gathering input from early users helps identify areas that need refinement, ensuring that subsequent versions are more tailored and effective. Iteration also means you can continuously improve the program without delaying its initial launch.

In today’s fast-paced world, L&D professionals must embrace the concept of “good enough” to meet the growing demands of scalable, efficient instructional design. By focusing on core learning objectives, leveraging existing resources, and using rapid eLearning tools, designers can create effective training programs even when time is tight. Prioritizing usability over perfection ensures learners can easily navigate and absorb the material, while iteration allows for continuous improvement. L&D professionals can balance quality and speed, delivering valuable learning experiences without sacrificing effectiveness by adopting these strategies.