Start with the end in mind: Three tips to drive your next training intake meeting.

Have you ever been in a training intake meeting where the business partner had a 150-slide deck that absolutely must be covered in the training curriculum for their audience before you had a chance to say good morning, nice to meet you? I've been there a time or two, so I'm sharing some tips that I've used in the past to help business partners uncover their actual needs and focus on translating that into a learning solution that can drive meaningful performance results. 

Start with Performance, Not Content

Don’t let them dump a PowerPoint deck on you and say, "We need training on this." As they say in Star Wars, "It’s a trap."

• Instead, steer the conversation toward performance outcomes. Ask: “What do people need to do differently after this training?”  “How will we know the training worked?”
• This shifts the focus from content delivery to behavioral change, which is the heart of instructional design. You’re not just building a course or video, you’re solving a business problem.
• Use models like Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation to guide your thinking, focusing on how you can help the business measure the impact of training.

Listen for Constraints and Opportunities

It’s not just about gathering requirements, but also helping them to read between the lines and understand the bigger picture.

• Ask about the audience: “What’s their experience level?”   “Are they remote, in-office, or frontline?”  
• Ask about delivery constraints: “Do they have time for a 60-minute instructor-led training?” “Do we need to integrate with existing platforms like LMS or CRM?”
• And don’t forget organizational context: “Is this part of a larger initiative?”   “Are there compliance requirements or deadlines?”
• These questions help you design with empathy and precision. You’ll know whether to recommend a microlearning series, a job aid, a video, or a blended learning program.

Don’t Jump to Conclusions

While it's tempting to go in with ideas of how to dice up that 150-slide deck, we also shouldn't jump to a solution. Take some time after the intake meeting to stop and consider the learner experience to create a roadmap and determine the appropriate learning solution. 

• Think in terms of learning journey design. Ask: “Where are learners starting from?” “What support do they need before, during, and after the training?”  
• This helps you build a solution that’s embedded in their reality, not just dropped in from above. Maybe it’s a quick-hit video before a sales call, a checklist they use in the field, or a coaching conversation after a workshop.
• Use tools like learner personas, journey maps, or even a simple timeline sketch to visualize how learning fits into their day-to-day. It’ll help you spot gaps, friction points, and opportunities for reinforcement.

When you design with the whole journey in mind, you’re not just creating content, you’re crafting a learning experience that sticks.

Follow David Stafford for more L&D tips.