Forum Discussion
How are you handling SME revisions for larger content changes?
Curious how others handle content updates from SMEs after an eLearning has already been built.
Right now, my process is:
- SME gives me a PowerPoint deck with the content
- I use that as the source to design/build the learning
This works create for the initial build, but the challenge comes later when they want to make changes.
For small edits, Review 360 comments work fine. But for larger changes, it gets harder if they want to add a new image, add a new section, shift content around, make changes that are easier to show in a source file than in comments, etc.
I could ask them to send me an updated slide deck, but then I’m stuck comparing versions to figure out what changed so I don’t have to rebuild more than necessary.
How are others managing this?
- Do you have SMEs update the original source deck?
- Do you rely mostly on Review 360 comments?
- Do you use some kind of change log / revision tracker?
Would love to hear what workflows have worked best for you!
6 Replies
Revisions can be so tough to keep track of, I hear you about not wanting to have copy after copy of updated slide decks! mgregermgregermgregerLaraMcK BrianWaters-6b8 or JoanneBentley-b might have processes or advice to share.
Managing SME feedback can be tricky -- but I never go back to the source PPT, if I can avoid it. FYI: We archive all SME feedback in Review 360 as our change log. So, I rely 100% on Review 360 comments with a little SME coaching. 😉 (Once you show them how to use all their feedback options, they tend to handle most edits very well.) For example....
- Adding or changing images in a course is easy if the SME will attach new/replacement images with the paper clip option in their comment when looking at the section of the course needing the visual update as I can see what they see when they enter that comment.
- Moving sections around is a little more tricky for the developer rather than the SME (e.g. They request that I move from this heading to this heading to beginning/end of the lesson.) As the developer instead of moving one block at a time, I simply create a new block of the content I'm moving, then add it to the desired section of the course. Finally, I remove it from the old location and then republish -- nothing lost or accidently deleted that way.
- For new SME's when all else fails or their directions are too vague, then a quick 15 minute zoom meeting where I'm sharing my screen and making changes live usually does the job.
- Plus I love the screen annotation option too!
That's a great idea. I hadn't thought of those other options besides actual written comments in Review360. I'll have to do some SME education but hopefully they'll catch on 😀
For me, it all comes down to process. I wouldn’t take an SME to a place where they can start moving things around at that stage. I own the design, the SME owns the information. I’m very deliberate about getting early sign‑off on the script, layout, and overall design using an ADDIE-style approach, specifically so we don’t end up reopening those decisions later on.
If they do want to change something small, like an image, that’s usually straightforward. They can attach the replacement image directly in Review 360 feedback, which keeps everything clear and contained.
For anything more substantial, if we really had to go there despite earlier sign‑off, I’d switch to a walkthrough. At that point I’d get very specific with them about exactly what they want to change and why. I’d also use Review 360 myself to capture clear notes, so there’s a shared, unambiguous record of what’s been agreed.
I once worked on a project where the client wanted to update their eLearning onboarding course. The original course had been in use for a few years, and they decided to make significant changes after the organization underwent some updates as well. They wanted to remove and add sections, along with making smaller changes to text, images and videos.
Here was my process:
- I exported the original Storyline project into Word format with layers, so the client could add their comments and change requests directly on the relevant slides. This made it easy for both of us to track what needed to be updated.
- I implemented all the requested changes, including designing new sections, directly in Storyline and then published the updated version to Review.
- Finally, we used Review to check and confirm the changes.
Also, if you're working with a tactile SME on a massive course redesign, you could export your Rise course as a PDF for them to print out and write on.
