…and what successful consultants do instead
Consulting is a craft. It takes strategy, communication, judgment, and more patience than most people realize. But if you’re ever in the mood to watch a perfectly good instructional design project go straight off the rails? There are some truly reliable ways to make that happen.
Of course, we’d never actually recommend doing any of these. In fact, consider this your friendly TrainingPros guide to the habits that separate seasoned consultants from the ones who struggle. Think of it as a humorous checklist of what not to do and a reminder of the professional behaviors that keep clients coming back.
Let’s get into it.
1. Jump In Without Understanding Anything
One of the best ways to derail a project is to begin designing or developing long before you understand the business problem, the learners, the workflow, or the success criteria. Why clarify goals when you can just start building and hope for the best? It’s a guaranteed way to create a solution no one asked for.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They kick off with discovery. They ask thoughtful questions. They confirm the performance gap. They understand the “why” before touching the “how.” They don’t assume; they align.
2. Say “Yes” to Everything and Make Unrealistic Promises
Nothing accelerates failure like agreeing to every new request without adjusting scope or timeline. And if you really want a dramatic ending? Promise delivery dates that require superhuman speed.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They honor the client’s needs and the project structure. They clarify impacts, offer options, negotiate timelines, and set expectations realistically. They build trust through transparency not heroics.
3. Avoid SMEs Until It’s Too Late
If you want maximum rework, keep subject matter experts out of the loop. Build the course, send it at the last minute, and wait for the shocked email that says, “This isn’t accurate.”
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They bring SMEs into the process early and maintain consistent touchpoints. They verify details in before development instead of gambling with the final product.
Download Your Copy of Streamline Your SME Review Process
4. Skip Documentation and Status Reporting
Silence is a powerful failure strategy. No recaps. No decision logs. No status updates. Just a slow, creeping fog of misalignment.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They capture decisions, share short meeting notes, highlight risks early, and send calm, predictable weekly updates. These small actions create smooth projects and confident clients.
5. Rush Through Design (or Skip It Entirely)
If you prefer chaos, jump straight into building slides or eLearning. Who needs a storyboard or prototype? Just cross your fingers and hope you guessed correctly.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They measure twice and build once. They use outlines, scripts, or prototypes to confirm direction before investing hours in development. It saves time, saves relationships, and saves projects.
Download Your Copy of How Building an eLearning Prototype Saves Time and Money
6. Ignore Company Culture, Tone, and Brand Standards
A quick way to eliminate credibility is to create learning that looks and sounds like it was meant for a completely different organization. Misaligned visuals, off-brand tone, incorrect terminology… it all adds up.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They learn the brand. They absorb the culture. They tailor their writing, examples, graphics, and interactions so the final product feels native to the client’s world.
7. Deliver Work Without Testing or Organizing Files
Few things tank a project faster than sending drafts full of broken links, inconsistent audio, typo-heavy screens, or confusing file packages. Letting the client be your QA team is a sure fire way to tank your project!
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They test thoroughly and deliver clean, organized files the client can actually use later. It’s a quiet mark of professionalism and it gets noticed.
8. Treat Feedback as an Attack, not a Collaboration
If you’d like to strain a client relationship, respond defensively to every piece of feedback. Debate comments. Get emotional. Push back quickly and often.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They stay grounded. They embrace feedback as part of the process. They ask clarifying questions, reflect, adjust, and collaborate with confidence rather than ego. They understand that the client has more riding on the outcome of the project than they do and respect that.
9. Miss Deadlines Without Warning
If something changes, definitely don’t mention it ahead of time. Let the deadline arrive quietly, then follow up with an apology and a promise to send something “soon.” In fact, a great way to tank the project is to ignore deadlines altogether.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They flag delays early, explain the impact, and offer alternatives. Clients appreciate honesty far more than surprise.
10. End the Project Abruptly
When the last file is sent, just disappear. No handoff. No documentation. No explanations. No guidance on updating the course. No guidance about the source files. Just vanish into the digital sunset.
What Successful Instructional Design Consultants Do Instead
They close projects with intention. They provide source files, instructions, version notes, and a clear wrap-up. They leave clients feeling supported rather than stranded and that feeling leads to referrals and repeat work.
Why This All Matters
Instructional design consulting isn’t just about designing great learning. It’s about managing relationships, communicating clearly, and building trust through predictable behaviors. When consultants show up prepared, ask great questions, and deliver reliably, clients notice and they request your services again.
At TrainingPros, we work with consultants who bring this level of professionalism to every engagement. That’s how we continue to deliver high-quality experiences for our clients year after year.
Download Your Copy of Getting Started as a Contract Instructional Designer: An 8 Step Guide to Launching Your Freelance Career
Ready to Work with Us?
Does your L&D team have more projects than people? TrainingPros has been named a Top 20 Staffing Company internationally by Training Industry, and recognized as a Smartchoice® Preferred Provider by Brandon Hall Group for 2025. We’re also proud to be named a Champion of Learning by the Association for Talent Development (ATD)—an international honor that reflects our dedication to excellence in corporate learning. These accolades underscore TrainingPros’ unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, tailored training solutions.
If your sales enablement projects need instructional designers, virtual classroom producers, facilitators, or other L&D consultants for your leadership development design projects, reach out to one of our industry-expert relationship managers today.
When you have more projects than people™, let TrainingPros find the right consultant to start your project with confidence. Schedule a consultation today.
