At Skillcast, we’ve spent decades designing and developing award‑winning training. That experience has given us deep insight into what keeps a bespoke project on track – and what can derail it.
Below are the top five pitfalls that can blow a project off course, along with clear guidance on how we can avoid them together.
“Is this what I asked for?”
When clients feel surprised or disappointed by the Alpha version, it’s almost always because early discussions were rushed or lacked detail. We can only deliver your vision when it’s fully shared with us.
Do | Don’t |
Give space at project kick‑off to share everything you want – from tone of voice to image style | Rush ahead before content is finalised |
Ask if you’re not sure – your Skillcast contacts will be full of ideas | Wait until the course is built to get key stakeholder input |
Involve all stakeholders upfront so there are no surprises | Go with a less‑is‑more approach when sharing your course vision – we’re not mind readers |
Feel confident that learners don’t need SME‑level detail – sometimes less is more |
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“This course is huge!”
A bite‑sized course can quickly become an hour‑long commitment if mandatory content grows or stakeholders add extra information mid‑project. Managing scope early is essential.
Do | Don’t |
Start with learning objectives and action points – define the five things learners should know or do differently | Let different SMEs dictate their own topic length – give them a word count |
Remember that a short course is a good course | Plan to cut content later – it must happen at the start |
Stick to the numbers: 3,000 words ≈ 20 minutes of learning | Be tempted to add more content once the course is built – trust your signed‑off storyboard |
“This is going to be the best course EVER!”
Ambition is great – but too much focus on perfection can distract from the goal: engaging training that supports behaviour change and ensures compliance.
Do | Don’t |
Think in terms of robust training and memorable takeaways | Get bogged down in fine details most learners will never notice |
Trust in Skillcast’s ability to deliver memorable training | Think of your course as a game or a movie – too much can overwhelm the learning |
Prioritise deadlines over perfection – improvements can always follow next year | Give in to late‑stage creative whims that cause scope creep |
Focus on overall learner experience | Obsess over design at the expense of the learning journey |
“My boss will want to have a look later…”
If senior stakeholders or specialist teams are only brought in at the end, they may request major changes that disrupt timelines and design.
Do | Don’t |
Share key points for sign‑off with all relevant parties | Let too many cooks into the kitchen during review cycles |
Ensure any department that must sign off content does so before the project begins | Wait until a course is perfect before sharing it |
Agree on a single point of sign‑off who has authority | Rely only on reviewers who have seen the course many times – senior review earlier helps |
Ask Skillcast for support in getting buy‑in from senior or specialist stakeholders |
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“We’ll miss the roll‑out date!”
Skipping steps to meet deadlines often leads to more delays. Our project process is designed from thousands of successful rollouts and ensures the right checks happen at the right times.
Do | Don’t |
Keep review turnarounds tight by booking review time in advance | Give feedback at every stage just because you can – if it’s fine, let it be |
Provide feedback in a single Word document as agreed | Feel the need for meetings at every stage – written feedback is often faster |
Send consolidated feedback without waiting for every reviewer to finish | Provide feedback in a different format from Word |
Know when to stop – remember the overall objectives to avoid endless tweaks |
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Conclusion
By being clear, collaborative and structured from the start, we can avoid these common pitfalls and deliver a smooth, impactful project together. If you need extra support or want help aligning your stakeholders, contact your Customer Success Manager by selecting Send us a message via the help icon on your portal, or by emailing [email protected].