Engaging Stakeholders In The Design Feedback Process

Back in 2017, my team had a simple but powerful ritual. We held "I have a design challenge" meetings, where someone would bring a project they were working on, and we’d workshop it together. These sessions weren’t just about fixing problems. They helped us grow our skills as a team and learn from each other’s perspectives. In 2024, I wanted to bring that same energy to learning designers looking to level up their skills in a fun and engaging way. This time, I turned to Tim Slade’s eLearning Challenges but took a different approach. Instead of just participating, we started doing live reviews of the challenge winners. How It Works One person drives the meeting, screensharing the challenge winner’s eLearning project while recording the session. We pause at each screen and ask two simple but high-impact questions: ✅ What worked well and why? ✅ What would you do differently and why? This sparks rich discussions on everything from instructional design and accessibility to visual design and interactivity. Everyone brings their unique expertise, turning the meeting into a collaborative learning experience. Want to Try It? Here’s What You Need ✔️ A web conferencing tool with recording capabilities ✔️ Adobe Premiere Pro or a transcript tool (optional, but helpful) ✔️ A generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude (optional for extracting themes from discussions) After the session, we take the recording and import it into Adobe Premiere, which generates a transcript in seconds. Then, using GenAI, we pull key themes, quotes, and takeaways, turning raw discussions into actionable insights. Why This Works This approach takes learning from passive to interactive. You’re not just seeing best practices. You’re critically analyzing them with peers, learning through feedback, and refining your own instructional design instincts. Would you try this with your team? Have you tried something similar? What worked well? #InstructionalDesign #GenAI #LearningDesign #eLearning #AIinLearning #CourseDevelopment #DigitalLearning #IDStrategy #EdTech #eLearningDesign #LearningTechnology #InnovationInLearning #CustomerEducation

Raise your hand 🙋🏻♀️ if this has ever happened to you ⤵ You put a piece of content in front of someone for approval. They say, “You should show this to Sally. She’d have thoughts on this.” So you show it to Sally. She not only has thoughts, but she also recommends you share the draft with Doug. Doug also has feedback, some of which aligns with Sally’s and some of which does not. Now you’re two days behind schedule, have conflicting feedback to parse through, and are wondering how you could have avoided this mess. Try this next time 👇 In the planning phase of a project, put a doc together that outlines 3 levels of stakeholders: 1) Your SMEs 🧠 → Apply as much of their feedback as possible — they are as close a proxy to your audience as you can get. 2) Your key approver(s) ✅ → Keep this group small, 1–2 people if possible. → Weigh their feedback knowing that they are not necessarily an SME 𝘣𝘶𝘵 they do control whether or not the project moves forward. 3) Your informed partners 🤝 → Typically, those who will repurpose or promote your content in some way. (e.g. field marketing, comms, growth, etc.) → Make revisions based on their feedback at your discretion. → You may even want to frame the delivery of your draft as, "Here’s an update on how this is progressing. No action needed at this time." Share this doc with all listed stakeholders. Make sure they understand the level of feedback you’re expecting from them, and by when. Then use the doc to track feedback and approvals throughout the life of the project. Preventing your circle of approvers from becoming concentric: 👍 keeps you on track 👍 keeps your content from pleasing your stakeholders more than your audience

Getting stakeholders to show up and stay engaged during Sprint Reviews can be a real challenge. But the Sprint Review is more than just a demo; it's your chance to gather feedback, validate direction, and build trust. If your reviews feel more like a monologue than a collaboration, Here are 8 practical ways to change that: Choose the Right Time & Day ↳ Avoid Monday mornings and peak meeting times. ↳ A time change alone can boost attendance and energy. Keep It Engaging ↳ Focus on high-impact features, not every minor bug fix. ↳ Only show low-priority items if stakeholders ask. Control the Discussion Flow ↳ Keep conversations focused and on-topic. ↳ Redirect deep dives to follow-up discussions outside the review. Let Stakeholders Participate Actively ↳ Invite them to test new features live during the review. ↳ This boosts ownership, engagement, and trust. Communicate the Purpose Clearly ↳ Share an agenda a day before the review. ↳ Outline Sprint goals, key demos, and decisions needed. Respect Stakeholders’ Time ↳ Not all stakeholders need to attend every review. ↳ Let them know when their input is optional. Encourage Conversations, Not Just Presentations ↳ Ask for feedback right after showcasing a feature. ↳ Engage senior stakeholders first to encourage others to speak up. Show That Feedback Matters ↳ Implement valuable suggestions quickly. ↳ Highlight changes based on past stakeholder feedback. When Sprint Reviews become interactive, focused, and valuable, stakeholders stop skipping them and start looking forward to them. What’s one thing you’ve done that actually got your stakeholders more involved in Sprint Reviews? Drop your experience or tip in the comments. ♻️ Repost to help others standout in their agile journey. ➕ Follow Dr. Francis Mbunya for more.