Where to start

First decision: where should you start?

You do not always need to start at Step 1 — but skipping it without evidence is risky.

Quick check:

Do you have real, recent evidence about your disadvantaged learners?

  • Do you understand their barriers (time, confidence, digital skills, access)?
  • Do you know what motivates them to engage and complete?
  • Have you successfully designed for this exact group before?
  • Are engagement and completion already strong?

If you are unsure about ANY of these → start with Step 1

If you skip this step without evidence, your course may struggle — even if the content is good

Choose your pathway

Select the approach that fits your situation:

Use this if:

  • You are designing a new course
  • Your learners are not fully understood
  • You want a strong, inclusive design

Follow all steps:

Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3 → Step 4

Use this if:

  • You already have a course
  • You want to improve engagement, clarity, or completion

Start with:

Step 2 (Design) → Step 3 (Build) → Step 4 (Run & Improve)

Return to Step 1 if:

  • You are making assumptions about learners
  • Learners are disengaging
  • Completion is low

Use this if:

  • You need a fast, practical course
  • You have strong, recent learner insight (clear evidence)

Focus on:

  • Course Blueprint (Step 2)
  • Storyboard (Step 2)
  • Key Activities (Step 3)

Risks:

  • Designing based on assumptions
  • Overloading learners
  • Missing critical barriers

If problems appear during delivery → return to Step 1 immediately

Previous Topic
Back to Chapter
Next Topic