The start of a new year is when many teams reassess what’s working, what isn’t, and where to focus their energy next. In learning, that often means pressure to act quickly – to build, launch, and deliver another solution. But just like any meaningful reset, progress is rarely about moving faster. It’s about choosing the right approach from the outset.

Before you build an eLearning course, taking time to pause and ask the right questions can make a measurable difference to both the quality of the learning and its long-term impact.

After more than two decades working alongside L&D teams across government, higher education, healthcare and corporate environments, we’ve seen that the strongest learning outcomes come from thoughtful decisions made early, not from rushing into development.

Before you commit to your next build, here are five key questions every L&D team should ask in 2026.

1. What problem are we actually trying to solve?

This question sounds simple but it’s often skipped. Many learning projects begin with statements like:

• “We need a refresher.”
• “We need this online.”
• “Everyone needs to complete this by June.”

These describe outputs, not problems.  A more useful starting point is asking:

• What isn’t working as well as it should right now?
• What behaviour, decision, or capability needs to change?
• What would success look like six months after launch?

In practice, the real issue is not always a lack of knowledge. It might be:

• Inconsistent application of processes
• Confusion caused by outdated documentation
• Competing priorities and cognitive overload
• A lack of reinforcement after training

When L&D teams clearly articulate the underlying problem, the learning solution becomes more focused and often simpler. And sometimes, the right solution isn’t a course at all.

2. Who is this really for and what do they need to do differently?

“Everyone” is not an audience. Most organisations are made up of people with very different:

• Roles
• Responsibilities
• Contexts
• Levels of experience
• Time pressures

Trying to design a single learning experience that works equally well for frontline staff, managers, specialists and executives often results in something that feels too generic for all of them.

Instead, ask:

• Who needs to change behaviour as a result of this learning?
• What decisions do they make in their role?
• What does good performance look like in practice?

In 2026, learners have clear expectations. They want learning that:

• Respects their time
• Reflects real work scenarios
• Feels directly relevant to what they do

Designing for a clearly defined audience doesn’t mean building more content. It means building more targeted, meaningful content and removing what doesn’t matter.

3. What app or approach should we use?

This is where many teams instinctively jump too early.

Rather than starting with a tool, strong L&D teams in 2026 are starting with the learning experience.

Before deciding whether something should be built in Storyline, Rise, video, or another format altogether, it’s worth stepping back and asking:

How complex is this learning?

• What level of interaction is genuinely required?
• Do learners need to practise judgement and decision-making?
• Is animation or video adding value or simply visual noise?
• Would this be better as blended learning, or as on-demand eLearning?

Different needs call for different approaches. In many cases:

• Straightforward, informational learning works best as clean, structured on-demand eLearning that’s easy to update.
• Behavioural or judgement-based learning benefits from scenarios, interaction, and feedback that allow learners to explore consequences.
• High-risk or complex topics are often best supported by a blended approach, combining digital learning with facilitated sessions or follow-up activities.
• Capability building and change is rarely effective as a one-off event and works better when learning is spaced and reinforced over time.

More interaction does not automatically equal better learning. More animation does not guarantee engagement. And not every topic needs a highly produced video or complex build.

In 2026, effective learning design is about choosing:

• The right level of interaction
• The right use of media
• The right delivery approach for the problem being solved

4. What already exists and how can we reuse it properly?

Most organisations are sitting on a large volume of existing learning material:

• Legacy eLearning
• PowerPoint presentations
• PDFs, policies and reference guides
• Subject matter knowledge embedded in teams

The temptation is often to start again.

But a more strategic question is:

• What still holds up?
• What is outdated and why?
• What could be reshaped rather than rebuilt?

Reusing content well is not about copy-and-paste development. It’s about:

• Curating what actually matters
• Removing duplication
• Updating language, tone and examples
• Redesigning content for how people learn now

In 2026, modernisation is less about creating something brand new and more about intentional design choices.

Done well, reuse reduces cost, saves time, and lowers cognitive load while still delivering a contemporary learning experience.

5. How will this be maintained after launch?

This is one of the most important and most overlooked questions. Every learning solution should be designed with its second year in mind, not just its launch date.

Ask:

• Who will own the content?
• How often is it likely to change?
• What happens when systems, policies or legislation are updated?
• Can internal teams make simple changes themselves?

Too many learning programs become outdated not because they were poorly designed but because no one planned for what happens next.

Sustainable learning design in 2026 means:

• Clear ownership
• Update-friendly design
• Modular structures
• Thoughtful handover and capability building

A learning solution that can evolve is far more valuable than one that is “perfect” on day one.

Bringing it all together

These five questions are not designed to slow learning down. They do the opposite by reducing rework and improving relevance, leading to better outcomes for learners and organisations alike.

At B Online Learning, we often find that the most valuable part of a project happens before development begins. Helping teams clarify purpose, audience, approach and sustainability ensures that what gets built is worth the time and investment.

As you plan your learning initiatives for 2026, consider this your permission to pause, just long enough to ask the right questions. Your learners and your future self will thank you.