Build better content by asking better questions
Creating effective e-learning is not about having the fastest animations and stuffing in every detail you can find. It starts by asking the right questions before opening the authoring tool. In this article, we will explain 25 smart questions across five key areas of e-learning design. Each of them explains, so you can understand why it is important and how it shapes learner success and business value.
1. Define the purpose
Before you create anything, ask yourself:
What are the problems you are trying to solve in this course?
All e-learning courses need to be created to solve problems and not to share information for that purpose. You need to be clear about what’s broken before you fix it, such as filling the skills gap, reducing customer complaints, improving compliance behavior. Otherwise you risk designing something no one really needs. Is training the right solution or is this a performance issue disguised as learning needs?
What often seems like a training problem is actually a management, process, or motivational problem. If people already know what to do, but haven’t done it, more training won’t help. Asking this question will help you avoid wasting time and money creating courses that don’t solve real problems. What can learners do differently after completing this course?
This is your study results in plain English. Forget vague purposes such as “understanding” or “be careful.” I want to define a particular behavior or behavior that a learner should adopt. This clarity will guide content, structure and measurement later. How do you measure success? What does “good” look like?
Without the success metric, we don’t know if the course worked or not. Looking for faster onboarding? Declining customer complaints? Will there be fewer safety accidents? Define the meaning of success early and ensure it is measurable. This is a business case for learning about life. Who is looking for this course and what outcomes do they expect?
Understanding the expectations of the requester is essential. Are they looking for a tickbox of consciousness, behavioral change, or just compliance? You can also discover hidden motivations (for example, you are trying to fix a team culture issue in your training course). Asking this question ensures that you not only fill in content gaps, but also design appropriate stakeholder outcomes.
2. Know your learners
Designed for real people, not for ordinary users.
Who are the learners and what are their daily reality?
Context is everything. What exactly does their job look like? Are they for customers? Deskless? Shift base? Knowing this will allow you to adjust the format, language, tone, and even how and how you complete your training. What do they already know about this topic?
You don’t want to patronize or overload. If the learner already has a foundation, you can skip the basics. If they are new to the topic, you need to stack them. This helps avoid “death by content” traps and creates more respectful and relevant experiences. What are the most likely to make them irritated or boring during this course?
If the course feels like a box-like tick exercise, they’re mentally or literally off. Identify what bothers them about previous training experiences. Is it repeated? Is the pace slow? An unrelated example? Use this insight to improve engagement. How much time can they give realistic learning?
I love imagining learners with free time and quiet focus. But in reality, most are closing, distractions and juggling meetings. Knowing how much time you can actually give can help you decide the right format, such as short videos, microlearning bursts, or learning work flows. Compliance, career growth, solving real problems: what are their motivations?
Different learners are motivated by different things. In the case of compliance, they just want to pass. If that’s a career advancement, they’re more open to deeper content. If it resolves work frustration, they will pay attention. Taking advantage of the reasons behind the attention range will make your course instantly more relevant.
3. Shape the content
Once you have clarified your purpose and audience, it’s time to create your message. But not all content deserves to be cut.
What kind of content is really essential to achieving your learning goals?
This question prevents you from creating a course of bloated overload. We focus only on information that directly supports previously identified behavioral changes or knowledge gaps. Strip away anything that you “good to know” unless you absolutely need to achieve the desired result. What can I trim, link, or convert to an optional resource?
You don’t have to put everything in the main flow of the course. Add support information, deeper reading, policies, or case studies as downloadable extras or links. This makes the core learning journey clean, focused and easy to digest, especially for learners who don’t have time. What should the top 3 takeaway learners remember?
All courses have either main points or three points. It should be able to make it clear that learners remember or have to do something different. These important takeaways will become the backbone of your course. Everything else needs to support them or get out of the way. Are we saying something to them or asking them to do something?
Information will not be stuck unless it is applied. It focuses on actions as well as explaining the process and sharing knowledge. What do you want them to practice, try, or use? Action-oriented content encourages learning as well as reading and watching. Can each module stand on its own, or do they force them in a rigid order?
Hard learning pathways often irritate learners, especially if they already know some of the content. Consider building modular content that allows for flexible access. If the structure forces everyone through the same linear path, then the learning results require it, not because the platform is the default.
4. Design for engagement
Engagement is often misunderstood as entertainment. It’s not about bells and whistles, but about making learning meaningful, interactive and practical.
Which real-world scenarios can you build to make this course more accessible?
Scenarios bridge the gap between theory and application. They show learners how topics work in the real world with all the messiness and nuances. If learners can see themselves in the scenario, they are more likely to pay attention and maintain the lesson. Do you create space for reflection, not just consumption?
Too many courses are designed like conveyor belts. Click, Finish, continue. But reflection turns information into insight. Use short pauses, prompts, or open-ended questions to encourage learners to think about how content will be applied. Not only is it novel, but what interactive elements add value?
The interaction should serve the purpose. Drag and drop, clickable images, quiz: They work, but only if you want to enhance your learning. Avoid including interactions just for that reason. Learners see through this. Question: Does this interaction improve your understanding or will it help the application? Are you using media (video, audio, animation) to enhance your message?
Multimedia should be a tool, not a crutch. Used to simplify complex ideas, add human warmth, or create more memorable experiences. Don’t use it too much just to make your course “look modern.” The best media choice supports clarity and focus. Have you considered accessibility and mobile usability for all learners?
An attractive course is one that everyone can engage with. This means that the text is easy to read, interactions are accessible via the keyboard, colors are contrast-friendly, and the video contains captions. With many learners accessing content on the go, mobile-first design must be the rule, and it’s no exception.
5. Transfer and Impact Planning
Designing a great course is not the ultimate goal. Actual tests take place after the course is finished when the learner returns to work. This final section focuses on ensuring that learning leads to action and that it can prove that it makes a difference.
How do you enhance your key message after the course is over?
People forget most of what they learn within a few days if they are not strengthened. Reinforcement can be simple: follow-up emails, quick refreshes, spaced quizzes, or nudges in your workflow. Whatever the method, make sure that the key message does not die the moment the learner closes the course. Which tools, templates, or follow-ups can support the application of a job?
It’s hard to forget courses that don’t have follow-throughs. Consider providing toolkits, action plans, checklists, conversation guides, and things that allow learners to easily apply what they have learned. These job support bridge the gap between theory and real-world performance. Are managers involved in the learning journey or are they excluded entirely?
Managers are the biggest factor in whether learning is applied or not. However, many e-learning rollouts occur in isolation without management involvement. Ask yourself: Are we equipped managers to support learning? Do they have follow-up conversations, coaching sessions, or tracking results? How do you collect not only smiley’s face but important feedback?
The happy sheet is fine, but I don’t know if the course worked or not. Get important feedback, such as whether learners have used their skills, whether they are confident or if they have improved their performance. Post-course research, interviews, or even a short manager check-in can help you gain richer insights. What business results have you heard this course make a real difference?
I started this process by identifying the problem. Now it’s time to define how you can prove that you solved it. Is the complaint down? Is sales going up? Is the error reduced? Select one or two business metrics that act as impact indicators. This helps to close the loop and show that learning is worth investing.
Final Thoughts: Think like a performance consultant, not just a course creator
Most average courses are created by jumping directly to a storyboard or script. The best course? They are built by taking a step back and asking the right questions first. These 25 questions are not just a checklist, they are a way of thinking. They challenge assumptions. They help you avoid wasting time, budget, and learner goodwill. They will encourage you to stop creating content and start solving the problem.
Run these prompts with your stakeholders, teams, and yourself before diving into development. It sharpens your thinking, improves the quality of your courses, and most importantly ensures what you actually build. Ultimately, e-learning is not something that the learner has completed. It’s about what they’re moving forward.
Skillshub
SkillShub drives real performance. With an engaging content library, a user-friendly platform and bespoke content options, we help organizations move beyond completion and into measurable impact.
