Winning an eLearning development contract is a big deal, it means your skills, creativity, and expertise stood out. But just as quickly as you can land a project, you can lose it if you fall into the common traps that frustrate clients.
Being a great eLearning developer isn’t just about technical and artistic skills, it’s about professionalism, communication, and keeping the learner (and client) at the center of your work.
Here are 10 mistakes that can cost you a contract and what to do instead.
1. Missing Deadlines (or Underestimating Timelines)
Few things damage trust faster than missed deadlines. Sometimes eLearning developers are overly optimistic about how long it will take to storyboard, build, and review a course. Other times, life happens, an SME goes silent for two weeks or a technical snag derails progress, but either way, the client is left scrambling to update stakeholders and explain why training isn’t ready.
Imagine a client preparing for a product launch where 500 sales reps need to be certified by the first of next month. If your course isn’t ready, it’s not just inconvenient, it could delay revenue, compliance, or customer satisfaction. That’s the kind of scenario that gets contractors crossed off the vendor list.
How to avoid it: Build realistic schedules with buffer time. Share milestones early and communicate if anything threatens the timeline. Clients can forgive delays if you’re transparent.
2. Not Following the Brand or Style Guide
Clients expect every deliverable to look and feel like their brand. When colors, fonts, or tone miss the mark, it looks sloppy and unprofessional. Imagine a global company rolling out your course only to have their CLO notice the wrong shade of blue on the logo, suddenly, your entire project looks careless.
How to avoid it: Ask for brand guidelines at kickoff and follow them religiously. Double-check every asset against those standards before delivery.
3. Overpromising and Underdelivering
It’s tempting to agree to everything in the kickoff call: extra modules, advanced interactivity, mobile optimization, and a lightning-fast turnaround. But when you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, reality eventually catches up. Deadlines slip, promised features quietly disappear, and the client feels misled.
Picture telling a client their new onboarding course will be ready in three weeks, only to realize halfway through that the branching scenarios alone will take that long to build. Instead of delighting your client, you’re left sending apologetic emails and scrambling to explain the delays.
How to avoid it: Be realistic about what you can deliver within the agreed scope and timeline. If a request stretches your capacity, suggest a phased approach or an alternative. Clients prefer honesty at the start over disappointment at the end.
4. Ignoring the Review Process
Holding back until you have a polished “final” version is risky. If the client doesn’t like the direction, you’ll face expensive rework and missed deadlines. Skipping structured reviews also leaves room for misalignment. Maybe the content is solid, but the functionality doesn’t work as expected, or the visuals miss the mark.
How to avoid it: Set up a review schedule from the start and make sure the client understands what’s expected at each stage. For example, the first review might focus only on content accuracy in the storyboard. The second might cover functionality in a working prototype. The final review ensures the polished course meets brand, accessibility, and LMS requirements. Breaking feedback into layers keeps things manageable and prevents major surprises late in the process. Share prototypes, screenshots, or partial builds along the way, early feedback saves time and shows clients you’re collaborative.
5. Poor Communication
Even great work can be overshadowed if you “go dark.” Clients worry when weeks pass with no updates. One week of silence might go unnoticed by you, but to the client it raises questions: Did they get our email? Are they still on the project? Should we start looking for a backup developer?
Picture this: a project sponsor asks for a quick progress report during a leadership meeting, but the client has nothing to share because you haven’t checked in. Suddenly, it’s not just your reputation on the line, it’s theirs too.
How to avoid it: Check in regularly. A short weekly email stating something simple like “still on track, no blockers” will go a long way in building trust and reassurance.
6. Scope Creep Without Boundaries
Small requests (“just one more quiz” or “add this branching path”) can snowball. Without boundaries, you’ll either blow the budget or frustrate the client. What feels like “just one more tweak” to them might mean 10 extra hours of work for you.
Imagine wrapping up what you thought was the final module, only to get an email with 20 “tiny edits” that add up to another full week. If you say nothing, resentment builds and the cost of the course increases. If you push back too late, the client feels blindsided. Either way, the contract takes a hit.
How to avoid it: Use a clear Statement of Work (SOW). Document any new requests as change orders with adjusted fees and timelines. Clients respect professionalism when it comes to scope.
7. Not Designing for the Learner
Some eLearning developers fall into the trap of chasing “bells and whistles.” Flashy animations, complicated click paths, and overstuffed menus may look impressive, but they can actually distract from learning. Clients don’t want a shiny package that fails to solve the performance problem.
Think of a compliance course filled with dramatic animations and sound effects, but no clear guidance on how employees actually apply the policy at work. Learners get frustrated, leaders see no change in behavior, and suddenly the client questions why they hired you in the first place.
How to avoid it: Keep the learner at the center. Ask: “What behavior needs to change?” Build interactions that support that goal, not just flashy features.
8. Ignoring Accessibility Standards
Accessibility is not optional. Overlooking WCAG or Section 508 compliance can create legal and ethical issues, and it signals to clients that you’re behind the curve. Many organizations face penalties if their training isn’t accessible, so when an eLearning developer delivers a course that excludes learners with disabilities, it’s more than just an inconvenience, it’s a business risk.
How to avoid it: Build accessibility into your process from the start, not as a last-minute fix. Set up a review specifically for accessibility, just like you would for content or functionality. Check for alt text on images, keyboard-only navigation, screen reader compatibility, and color contrast ratios that work for all learners. Even small changes, like using meaningful link text instead of “click here” show clients that you understand the importance of inclusive design. Demonstrating accessibility awareness not only protects your contract, it sets you apart as a forward-thinking eLearning developer.
9. Unprofessional Behavior
Missing meetings, showing up unprepared, or being defensive with feedback may seem small, but they erode client confidence quickly. Clients notice these things, even if they don’t say anything in the moment.
Imagine a kickoff meeting where the client has arranged stakeholders from three different departments to make time in their busy schedules to attend, but you arrive late and fumble through the meeting. It sets the tone for the whole project and not in your favor. One bad impression can make a client think twice about ever requesting your services again.
How to avoid it: Treat every client touchpoint like a job interview. Be on time, prepared, and open to feedback. Professionalism builds long-term trust.
10. Not Keeping Skills (and Styles) Current
The eLearning world moves fast. Delivering courses that feel dated signals you’re not keeping up. Nothing frustrates a client more than investing in a new training program that looks like something from ten years ago. Learners disengage, leaders question the value, and suddenly the client starts shopping for a different eLearning developer.
How to avoid it: Make continuous learning part of your routine. Stay sharp on tools like Articulate Storyline, Rise, Synthesia, and Vyond, and experiment with their new features as they roll out. Pay attention to industry trends like microlearning, adaptive learning, and scenario-based design, and weave those into your projects when appropriate. Even subtle shifts such as cleaner layouts, learner-focused storytelling, or mobile-friendly design signal to clients that you’re current, creative, and committed to delivering modern learning experiences.
Wrapping It Up
eLearning development contracts are built on trust. Clients want to know you’ll deliver quality work on time, communicate clearly, and design with both the learner and the business in mind.
By avoiding these 10 mistakes, you’ll protect your reputation and open the door to repeat projects and referrals.
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