The invisible work behind a great Storyline or Rise course

Hi everyone,

Something I’ve noticed over the years is that most people only see the final course: the polished screen, the clean interaction, the tidy flow from start to finish.

But designers see everything underneath it.

We see the messy first drafts, the unclear SME notes, the rewrites, the “wait… does this actually make sense?” moments. We see the small decisions that quietly hold the whole experience together.

And honestly, that invisible work is where so much of the quality lives.

For me, great learning design isn’t just about content or visuals. It’s the structure behind them: the clarity of the flow, the way ideas build, how we reduce friction for learners, and how we make sure nothing feels confusing or overwhelming.

Every time I work with a team, one pattern stands out:
when clarity improves, everything else follows.

Learners feel more confident.
Modules feel smoother.
And the review process becomes so much easier for everyone involved.

I’d love to hear from the group:
What small practices help you strengthen clarity or flow in your Storyline or Rise courses?

Always curious to learn from others’ approaches.