Name: Design Training When You're Not The Subject Matter
Price: 99 CAD

What You'll Learn

check_circleDistinguish between the role of content creator and context creator, and apply a context-first approach when working with subject matter experts.

check_circleIdentify common challenges in SME relationships — including information hoarding, time constraints, and misaligned expectations — and select appropriate strategies to address them.

check_circleApply relationship-building techniques to establish trust and rapport with SMEs from the outset of a project, including in remote or virtual settings.

check_circleConduct a structured SME interview, including preparing relevant questions, requesting documentation in advance, and documenting agreed-upon next steps.

check_circleUse collaborative planning and clear role definition to align with SMEs on shared goals, review processes, and what successful learning outcomes look like.

About This Course

Design Training When You're Not the Subject Matter Expert

Subject matter experts hold the knowledge — but turning that knowledge into effective learning takes a different kind of expertise entirely. This course explores the practical skills needed to build productive working relationships with SMEs, whether you are a learning designer, facilitator, trainer, or anyone responsible for developing or delivering content you did not create yourself.

Drawing on real-world experience across organizations of varying sizes and industries, this session covers how to establish credibility with SMEs from the first conversation, how to structure interviews that surface the right information, and how to navigate the common friction points that slow projects down. Participants will also explore how virtual and remote work environments add complexity to SME relationships — and what to do about it.

If you have ever struggled to get timely input from a SME, felt like an obstacle rather than a partner, or found yourself drowning in content with no clear path to a learning outcome, this course offers concrete, immediately applicable strategies.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Distinguish between the role of content creator and context creator, and apply a context-first approach when working with subject matter experts.
Identify common challenges in SME relationships — including information hoarding, time constraints, and misaligned expectations — and select appropriate strategies to address them.
Apply relationship-building techniques to establish trust and rapport with SMEs from the outset of a project, including in remote or virtual settings.
Conduct a structured SME interview, including preparing relevant questions, requesting documentation in advance, and documenting agreed-upon next steps.
Use collaborative planning and clear role definition to align with SMEs on shared goals, review processes, and what successful learning outcomes look like

Your Instructor

I4PL Billing

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star1,641 reviews

As a Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP) with years of experience working with associations, I am currently the Executive Director of the Institute for Performance and Learning or I4PL. Our purpose is to elevate the performance of the Canadian workforce.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.