I want custom e-learning BUT….
“I don’t know where to start.”
“It feels overwhelming.”
“I don’t have the technology.”
“It’s too expensive.”
“I’m not even sure what we need.”
If any of those sound familiar, you’re not alone.
I’ve heard every one of them many times.
And here’s the reassuring truth:
Custom e-learning isn’t reserved for big organisations with big budgets.
There is an option for every SME, once you understand the building blocks.
What e-learning actually requires
At its core, every e-learning solution — no matter how simple or sophisticated — is made up of three things:
Subject matter expertise + learning design + technology = e-learning
That’s it.
Once you break it down this way, it becomes far less mysterious.
Let’s look at each part.
Subject matter expertise
This is your content.
It might live:
in your head
in documents, manuals, or PowerPoint decks
in shared drives or internal systems
in how experienced staff do things day to day
Most SMEs already have more expertise than they realise, it just hasn’t been shaped into learning yet.
With the right approach, that knowledge can become clear, practical, and genuinely useful for others.
Learning design (this is the part people underestimate)
Learning design is about how information is presented so that it actually changes behaviour.
Good learning design:
encourages people to think, not just read
helps them practise decisions
makes learning easier to apply back at work
makes learning accessible
This doesn’t have to mean hiring a large agency or building something complex.
There are a few realistic options:
doing it yourself with guidance
using templates, frameworks, or short support sessions
working with a specialist who designs it for you
What matters isn’t who does it, it’s whether the learning helps people do something better afterwards.
Technology (less scary than it sounds)
Technology used to be the biggest barrier.
It isn’t anymore.
You need two things:
A way to create learning
This might be:e-learning authoring tools
video or guided activities
interactive scenarios
A way to deliver learning
This could be:an LMS
a company intranet
a learning portal
or even tools like Teams or Slack
There’s no “best” platform, only what fits your learners, your budget, and your goals.
There isn’t one right route, there are three
When SMEs say “we want custom e-learning”, they’re often imagining only one option.
In reality, there are three sensible routes:
1. Do-it-yourself
You create the learning yourself using tools and templates.
This works well if:
you have time
you’re confident experimenting
the learning need is straightforward
2. Do-it-yourself, with support
You create the content, but get help with:
structure
learning design
sense-checking decisions
This is often the sweet spot for SMEs, control without overwhelm.
3. Done-for-you
You work with a specialist who designs and builds the learning for you.
This suits:
complex or high-risk topics
limited internal capacity
situations where performance really matters
None of these routes are better than the others.
The right choice depends on your context.
The mistake to avoid
The biggest mistake isn’t choosing the wrong technology.
It’s jumping into building before you’re clear on the problem.
If you’re not sure:
whether learning is the right response
what needs to change in practice
or what “good” would look like
then even well-built e-learning can miss the mark.
This is where stepping back matters.
Getting clarity before committing
Before investing time or money, many SMEs benefit from getting clarity on:
what’s actually not working
where effort is being lost
whether learning is the right lever at all
That’s exactly what my Define & Align service is designed to support.
It helps you:
understand the real performance issue
decide whether learning is needed
and define what any solution must achieve
So if you do invest in e-learning, it’s intentional, not hopeful.
If you’re still unsure
If all of this feels like a lot to hold in your head, that’s completely normal.
I offer free, no-obligation discovery calls for SMEs who want to talk things through:
what’s going on
what options make sense
and what a sensible next step could be
No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity.
Because custom e-learning doesn’t need to be expensive, complicated, or overwhelming.
It just needs to be thought through properly.