Use case: Don't skip the project setup meeting

This case study is about assumptions: the assumptions I made about a key stakeholder’s knowledge of the instructional design process – and the steps I didn’t take.

The client, a large multinational company, has several divisions. I had previously worked under contract with another division of this company with success, due in part to the key stakeholder’s effective communication and collaboration efforts. In my previous project, this stakeholder was responsible for launching several learning initiatives to specific target audiences. They reviewed the context of each initiative and target learner audience with me and scheduled a regular cadence of meetings throughout the project.

As my contract with this client came to a close, they referred me to another division that was looking for an ID. I met with the new stakeholder and submitted a detailed proposal that was accepted within a few weeks. I was...