I am currently working on a project where we
are creating learning activities to help representatives gain practice for
certain topics. In the original project meeting it was decided that we would
make them generic (since we had four target audiences that could benefit from
this activity) and no customization at all. As we started to meet with the
subject matter experts, they wanted us to target the activities to the audience
group they represented. They were getting very specific even though we were
told by the business to keep it generic.
We tried to keep the SMEs on track however it
was hard for them to imagine a generic piece. We eventually just developed a
prototype for them to review. We also talked to the business to eliminate other
audiences and focus on one main group for the topics that could not be generic.
The Project Manager decided to create a phase
two of the project to customize to specific roles. We informed the SMEs of this
and it certainly helped to keep them on track for us to finish phase 1 of the
project. I think this was a good idea and it helped us with phase 1.
If I were the project manager or was able to
do things differently, I would definitely do the phase 2 of the project as
well. I think I would also have a better description of the phase 1 project
(since the instructional designers, including myself, were unsure of the need
of the original request).
That's great that team decided on a solution that worked. I wonder if this challenge could have been foreseen during the define phase or if it were considered, "what if the generic learning activities just don't work?" and what plans would have derived from that discussion to avoid the challenge or solve it before it arised. The phase 2 idea was quick thinking. I also wonder if a better description of phase 1 would have elimanted the doubt that originally occurred.
ReplyDeleteI have a great deal of difficulty working on a project or even learning new material if I do not know what the need is as well as what the end result is supposed to look like. I am one who reads a couple of chapters in a book and then I read the end, I then keep reading to find out how the end came about or quit reading because I do not care.
ReplyDeleteBy doing a prototype you were able to show them what you thought was what they wanted. It appears to have turned out well. Congratulations.