What You Should Be Demanding from E-Learning
I’ve taken a lot of e-learning over the years.
Some of it by choice.
Some of it because it was mandatory.
And quite a lot of it because… annual code of conduct, anyone?
And if I’m honest, it hasn’t always been a great experience.
The most recent example?
Designed purely for laptop delivery.
Painful to navigate.
Hard work to follow.
Loads of purple and green. (No offence, but it was very colourful….exhausting…too much)
I gave up halfway through module two of seven and went back to books and online searching instead.
It did what it needed to do, just about, but it cost me time, focus, and motivation.
And that’s not good enough.
If you’re investing in e-learning for your team, you should expect more than something people endure just to get a certificate.
You should be demanding an experience that actually helps people do their job better.
E-learning should earn its place
Every learning intervention competes with real work.
Deadlines. Clients. Emails. Decisions that need to be made now.
So if learning is going to take people away from that, it needs to justify itself.
Not with flashy graphics or clever interactions but with impact.
Here’s what you should reasonably expect from any e-learning you invest in.
1. Practical, actionable learning
E-learning should go beyond theory.
Every module should help someone:
think differently
make a better decision
or do something more confidently
That means:
real-world scenarios
realistic examples
opportunities to practise judgement, not just recall
If learning doesn’t connect clearly to day-to-day work, it won’t change behaviour.
2. Measurable impact, not just completion rates
Completion doesn’t equal success.
You should be able to answer:
What’s improved as a result of this learning?
What’s faster, clearer, or more consistent?
That might show up as:
fewer errors
reduced rework
better conversations
smoother onboarding
increased confidence
Learning should link to performance, not just participation.
3. Respect for people’s time
Your team’s time matters.
Good e-learning:
is concise
fits into busy days
works on mobile as well as desktop
That doesn’t mean everything has to be “fun” or ultra-short, but it does need to be designed with reality in mind.
Long, bloated courses don’t build capability. They build resentment.
4. Simple, accessible technology
Nothing kills motivation faster than clunky systems.
E-learning should be:
easy to access
intuitive to navigate
usable by everyone
People shouldn’t need an IT manual or a quiet afternoon just to get started.
If the platform becomes the barrier, the learning has already failed.
5. Alignment with your actual goals
Generic, one-size-fits-all training rarely solves specific problems.
Good e-learning aligns with:
your business priorities
your culture
the reality of how work gets done
It should help you solve your problems, not someone else’s.
6. Support beyond the course
Learning doesn’t stop when the module ends.
Strong e-learning is supported by:
follow-up resources
prompts for reflection or application
opportunities to revisit and reinforce
This is where learning turns into habit and habit turns into capability.
The bigger point
These aren’t “nice-to-haves”.
They’re the minimum standard.
And if a provider can’t talk confidently about:
how learning will change behaviour
how it links to performance
or how it respects your team’s time
then it’s worth asking more questions before you invest.
Sometimes the most valuable thing isn’t more learning, it’s clarity on what good should look like in the first place.
That’s exactly the conversation I help SMEs have before they commit time, money, or energy in the wrong place.
Because learning should never be something people just get through.
It should make work feel clearer, easier, and more effective for everyone involved.
If you’re investing in e-learning, it’s worth getting clear before you commit.
I offer free, no-obligation discovery calls for SMEs who want to sense-check whether learning is the right answer, what “good” should look like, and where effort is currently being lost.
It’s simply a conversation to help you make a more confident decision, whether that leads to training or not.