Why Your eLearning Partner Doesn’t Need to Be a Subject Matter Expert
- Joanna Smith
- Nov 18
- 2 min read
…and why that might actually be their biggest strength.
When organisations go out to market for an eLearning partner, there’s often an unspoken assumption: the provider should already know the subject matter. Especially if the topic is highly technical, safety-critical, or unique to your industry, it can feel risky to hand it over to someone who isn't already in the know.
But here’s the truth, and something we’ve found ourselves gently explaining many times over: you don’t need an expert in your content. You need an expert in learning.
We’re Not the Experts, You Are!
Our job is to work with your subject matter experts (SMEs) to understand the content deeply, quickly, and respectfully and then translate that into engaging, accessible learning for your audience. In fact, not being an SME gives us a valuable kind of naivety:
We ask the questions your learners are too afraid to ask.
We challenge jargon and assumptions.
We get to the heart of what really matters, without bringing prior bias or tunnel vision.
Learning Designers Are Professional Learners
One of the things we love most about our work is how much we get to learn - constantly. We’ve helped create training on topics like:
Reading heart rhythms in an ICU ward
Safe knife use in warehouse environments
Grocery picking logistics for online orders
Sales conversations in the gaming industry
De-escalation tactics for frontline staff
Responding to active shooter scenarios in hospital settings
…plus many more that couldn’t be more different from each other. The variety keeps us sharp. It also means we’ve built robust processes to work with SMEs, no matter the subject.
Co-Design Is the Key
Because we don’t claim to be the expert in your topic, we never try to go it alone. Our process is built around co-design:
Structured SME interviews
Rapid prototyping and concept reviews
Collaborative script development
Clear review rounds with approval at each stage
In some ways, this makes our work more rigorous than if we were “already familiar” with the content, because we rely on your checks and balances to ensure what we build is accurate, relevant, and trusted.
Give Us a Chance. You Might Be Surprised!
If you’ve been holding off from engaging an eLearning partner because they’re “not an expert in our subject,” we encourage you to rethink what you actually need. You don’t need someone who already knows the answers. You need someone who knows how to turn your expertise into learning that sticks.
Download our free guide: How to Brief an eLearning Partner (Even If They’re Not a SME)
It includes the key questions we’ll probably ask you at the start of a project anyway, plus tips to help you prepare a clear, focused brief that sets your training up for success.
