SME Training Blog: Real-World Learning, Onboarding and Performance That Actually Works
You have questions and I love to write- goes with the job. But even more, I love to share. So welcome to a source of articles, where you’ll discover answers to your questions, insightful articles and tips on getting the most out of learning in business.
Standard disclaimer here: These articles are my own work and my own opinions. I don’t represent any official position of my clients, former employers, or any other company.
Why Preparation Really is 90%
Most training projects don’t fail because of poor content, they fail because the thinking didn’t happen early enough. Preparation is what determines whether learning delivers real results or quietly unravels.
It works until it doesn’t.
Most learning programmes don’t fail outright, they almost work. But when results are uneven, performance quietly slips. This is why planning for learner struggle is essential, not an afterthought.
Review and Test: the stage that really matters
Most e-learning doesn’t fail during design, it fails after launch. Review and testing is the stage that protects quality, usability, and trust, ensuring learning works in the real world, not just on paper.
How to Successfully Deploy E-Learning
Most e-learning doesn’t fail because of the content, it fails at deployment. Without clear purpose, communication, and support, even well-designed learning gets ignored. This is how to make it stick.
Backward Design: Why Starting at the End Changes Everything
Most training starts with content and only later asks what people need to do differently. Backward design flips that, helping you start with outcomes and build learning that actually improves performance.
Personas and Why We Need Them.
Most training isn’t ineffective because the content is poor, it’s because it’s designed for “everyone” and lands with no one. Personas help you focus on who learning is really for, making it more relevant, practical, and easier to apply.
5 Tips for Agile influenced Change Management in e-Learning Projects.
E-learning projects don’t struggle because change happens, they struggle because it isn’t managed clearly. These five practical tips help you handle change in a structured way, protecting time, budget, and outcomes.
Why we all need Action Mapping
Most training doesn’t fail because it’s badly built, it fails because it’s solving the wrong problem. Action Mapping shifts the focus from content to behaviour, helping you design learning that actually changes what people do.
The Power of Scenarios (and Why Content Alone Isn’t Enough)
Action speaks louder than words.

