Backwards Design Expanded: The Online Learning Minute

 

I mentioned last episode that businesses have defined goals and deliverable that need to be addressed and backwards design can help in achieving those goals. Where backwards design fits in is in the order of how the courses are created.

When a business says they want to increase profitability in the sales department, for example, we’d determine the KPIs and assessments first, and then teach to those items. After developing the assessments and curriculum, we’d then examine how much if any improvement was made and make improvements to the content and assessments.

Backwards design isn’t necessarily a complete replacement for current methodologies, just rather focusing the design process to teach for the test. Some people believe that learning should be just for self-improvement, and backwards design leads to just teaching for the test. But when your business has a specific set of skills that need to be learned, backwards design can help to achieve those goals and keep the development focused.

That was your Online Learning Minute at Marketscale. Tune in next episode where we talk about preventing poor online education videos.

For the latest thought leadership, careers, news, and event coverage across B2B, be sure to check out our industry pages.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

military
Just Thinking… About Applying Military Discipline and Decision-Making to Entrepreneurial Growth with Kris Groves
December 17, 2025

Career transitions rarely follow a straight line—especially for people coming out of the military. For many veterans, the challenge isn’t discipline or work ethic, but figuring out how deeply technical, high-stakes experience translates into civilian industries that speak a very different language. As more service members step into entrepreneurship, the real question becomes less about…

Read More
Hiring
Hiring Rewired: Human Intelligence in the AI-Driven Job Market
December 16, 2025

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape recruiting—from resume screening and job descriptions to candidate sourcing and interview workflows—the hiring process has become faster, more automated, and increasingly complex. According to the World Economic Forum, approximately 88% of companies now use some form of AI to filter or rank job applications, signaling how deeply embedded automation…

Read More
Expanding Monitoring in Acute Care and Beyond
Expanding Monitoring in Acute Care and Beyond
December 16, 2025

As hospitals look beyond the ICU to improve outcomes across the entire continuum of care, a key question emerges: how do you expand patient monitoring without overwhelming clinicians with more alarms, more noise, and more work? This episode—part three of a five-part Health and Life Sciences at the Edge series exploring The Future of…

Read More
mindset
Rob Paylor’s Mindset Masterclass After a Life-Changing Rugby Injury: Rise, Recover, and Redefine What’s Possible
December 16, 2025

Every year, an estimated 17,000 Americans suffer spinal cord injuries, many of which permanently alter the course of their lives.. For former collegiate rugby player Rob Paylor, a devastating injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Doctors told him he would never walk or move his hands again. But instead of accepting that fate,…

Read More