Stop Fixing Typos and Start Fixing Your Course: The First-Review Checklist

The Review Trap

Most eLearning review cycles fail because they start at the wrong end of the priority list. Stakeholders get bogged down in comma placement and brand colors while the underlying instructional logic is fundamentally broken. When you reach the end of a project and realize a branching scenario doesn't actually align with the learning objectives, a typo is the least of your problems.

To build better courses with fewer disasters, you must separate the 'First Review'—often called the Alpha or Internal Review—from the final polish. The goal here is to validate structure, intent, and correctness. If you don't fix the plumbing now, the wallpaper won't matter later.

Use this checklist during your initial walkthrough to ensure the course stands on a solid foundation before you invite a crowd to comment on it.

1. Alignment and Instructional Integrity

In practice, 'content bloat' is the primary killer of engagement. Every screen must earn its place. If a piece of content doesn't directly support a measurable learning objective, it is an 'orphan' and should be removed.

• Do the learning objectives exist and are they measurable?
• Does the tone and voice match the learner's actual work environment?
• Are knowledge checks testing decision-making or just trivia?
• Is the feedback instructional? (Does it explain why a choice was wrong?)

2. Structural Flow and Cognitive Load

Many teams find that they overwhelm learners by dumping too much information at once. Check for reasonable chunking. A course should feel like a guided path, not a random collection of data points.

• Is the lesson sequencing logical?
• Are transitions between modules clear, or do they feel like abrupt jumps?
• Is the layout consistent? (A learner shouldn't have to re-learn the UI on every slide.)

3. Content Accuracy (The SME Pass)

Validation at this stage prevents expensive rework later. This is the time to catch outdated screenshots, obsolete policies, or incorrect terminology. Ensure examples are realistic; if a scenario feels 'fake,' the learner will check out immediately.

4. Technical Stability and Navigation

A course that won't finish is a course that won't be taken. Technical QA should be rigorous even in early builds. Don't assume the 'Next' button works—test every possible path.

• Does the course resume properly after closing the window?
• Are all buttons, hotspots, and links functional?
• Is the completion logic (scoring or slide views) set correctly for the LMS?

5. Early Accessibility Check

Accessibility is not a 'last minute' checkbox. If you wait until the final review to check keyboard navigation or focus order, you may find that your entire interaction design is fundamentally inaccessible, requiring a complete rebuild.

• Can the course be navigated via keyboard alone?
• Is the color contrast sufficient for readability?
• Do meaningful images have alt text?

6. Identifying Gaps and Red Flags

Look for 'placeholder' debt. It is common to see 'temp' assets or 'unfinished' sections that accidentally make it to the final build. If a section feels unfinished to you, it will feel broken to the stakeholder.

Establishing Review Discipline

A common pattern we see is the 'Alpha' review morphing into a free-for-all. You must guide your reviewers. Tell them: "In this round, we are looking for technical errors and content accuracy. We will handle visual finessing in the next stage."

By enforcing this discipline, you prevent the feedback loop from collapsing under the weight of conflicting, low-priority opinions. Validate the structure first. The polish comes later.

Managing these complex feedback cycles is significantly easier with a structured environment. Tools like ReviewMyElearning help keep these categorized checks organized, ensuring that structural issues are addressed before they become permanent fixtures in your course.