The course development process has been integral to HR-Organizational Development's (HR-OD) success in creating a comprehensive and robust course calendar year over year.
By following the steps outlined below and detailed in the upcoming 2025 Learning Partner (LP) Course Planning Deck, we will efficiently and effectively design and build courses tailored to our workforce and learners.
2026 LP Course Planning
There are some minor adjustments to the Course Development Process as we head into 2026. Review the program expectations and standards below.
View the 2026 LP Program Deadlines webpage to make sure you have all your course information and materials to HR-OD on time!
Start by selecting the dates, times, duration, and number of sessions for your course. Even if all course details aren't finalized yet, securing your time(s) early helps ensure availability.
Once you send your information, we'll make sure the date is still available and send you a calendar hold from the HR-OD calendar if it is.
Deadlines:
Please send your 2026 dates to the HR-OD inbox by Wednesday, November 19th.
Step 2: Plan
General Information:
Gather and submit all required course details – via the Course Planning Form and Checklist – so your course is operationally ready for registration. This is where you define course scope, audience, format, learning objectives, and prep items.
Your Tasks:
Gather your course information using the tools below.
Course Planning Form - you only need to submit this one!
Course Planning Checklist - use this as a guide for gathering your info.
Communications to Expect:
You will receive a confirmation email once we receive your course items. This will include a request for any missing items.
Deadlines:
Please send your Course Planning Form(s) to the HR-OD inbox by Wednesday, November 19th (before Thanksgiving break!)
Step 3: Build
Bring your course to life in two parallel steps: 3a and 3b.
Step 3a - Operational Build
HR-OD builds your course webpage, registration page, and adds the event to calendars. You'll review proofs to ensure everything is correct.
Your Tasks:
Receive Course Proofing Email.
Review your Course Webpage.
Review your Course Eventbrite Registration Page.
Send feedback or change requests.
Communications to Expect:
You will receive a proofing email once we have built your Course Webpage and Eventbrite Registration page.
Deadlines:
You have 3 business days to review once you receive a proofing email.
Step 3b - Curriculum Build
As facilitator/SME, you develop content to increase skills, apply adult-learning best practices, design engaging materials, and finalize slide decks, workbooks, pre-work, etc. HR-OD is here to support you through it all.
Your Tasks:
Design your course and supporting content for your course webpage.
Slide Decks
Learner Workbooks
Pre-Work if any
Any other resource(s) you want to share with your learners (i.e. One-Sheeters, external resources and links, etc.)
You will receive a completed course quality review form from the L+D Specialist with an overall score, recognition, and suggestions for enhancing effectiveness.
Deadlines:
Send course curriculum & materials to HR-OD inbox at least 4 weeks prior to your course date so there's ample time to review, adjust, and post.
Posting these items on the course page is a standard practice when working with HR-OD. This allows for folks with access needs to have adequate time to review materials, arrange accommodations, and engage equitably from the day they register!
Absolute Deadline: Final versions of materials need to be posted at least 1 week prior to your course date.
Step 4: Market
General Information:
Once your course is live, promote it broadly and strategically. HR-OD provides support via weekly e-Blasts, calendar print-outs, webpage banners, and supervisor monthly email nudges.
Learning Partners contribute by spreading the word, forwarding highlight emails, and leveraging their network. The goal is to reach target audiences to achieve strong registration.
Your Tasks:
Promote your course!
Forward e-Blasts
Request course highlight emails, course banners, and additional marketing materials
6 weeks prior to your course date, your course will begin to be marketed in HR-OD's weekly Upcoming Courses e-blast
You'll also receive regular communications 3-weeks, 1-week, and 2-days prior to your course date(s) checking in on registration numbers, access needs requests, and marketing ideas.
Deadlines:
Please send your Course Planning Forms to the HR-OD inbox by Wednesday, November 19th (before Thanksgiving break!).
Step 5: Deliver
General Information:
On the day of the course (and in the lead-up), make sure everything runs smoothly. That includes doing prep, logging in early, taking attendance, using best facilitation practices, collecting feedback, and following up with the learner and their supervisor. HR-OD provides tools and resources to help you succeed.
Your Tasks:
Practice!
Log into the meeting link early, and ensure tech is ready to roll.
For in-person courses, arrive at least an hour early to set up the room, ensure materials and tech are ready.
Be done with tasks so that you can greet each student personally and welcome them to the class.
Take Attendance & send back to HR-OD.
Tools & Tips:
Gender-Inclusive Language for Facilitators - link coming soon.
Tips to Make Virtual Training Engaging (Facilitator Tip-Sheet) - link coming soon.
Effective Facilitator course resources - link coming soon.
Meet with L+D Specialist to help prep and/or ask them to attend to complete an observation form.
Reinforce the importance of the learner providing feedback on course and facilitator effectiveness.
Let learners know that in addition to this evaluation, their leaders will receive a reminder to ask about how training went.
Communications to Expect:
You'll receive a list of registrants 2 days prior to your course date from OrganizationalDevelopment@cityofmadison.com. Use this to log attendance. Also in this email are reminders for survey link, and request for anything you want us to send out to attendees after your course ends.
Deadlines:
Please send completed attendance sheets back to HR-OD as soon as your course wraps up so we can get follow-up emails out to folks!
Step 6: Enhance
General Information:
Continuous improvement is the foundation here. Use evaluation surveys, collect learner feedback, review what worked (and what didn't), and incorporate those insights into future iterations of the course. HR-OD sends summaries, and offers consults and opportunities for update and refinement annually.
And, this isn’t solely for the course. It can be for you and your professional goals and growth as well!
Your Tasks:
Review your emailed evaluation reports.
Review your course quality forms.
Review your observation forms.
Tools & Tips:
Course Quality Form - link coming soon.
Course Observation Form - link coming soon.
Individual Development Plan - link coming soon.
Communications to Expect:
You'll receive course evaluation summary from L+D Specialist the Friday following your course.
Deadlines:
At least once every year and/or per your Individual Development Plan (IDP), schedule a 30-minute consultation to review your progress on facilitation and course effectiveness.
How do I know when or how often to offer the class?
Great question! You should have an idea of who the audience is, what skills you're trying to help them build, whether or not they've taken the course before, how many people might need it, and a time of year that meets seasonal peaks and valleys for peoples' work volume and breaks/vacations.
I want to offer the same course that I offered last year, but my registration and attendance were low. Should I continue offering?
Should I schedule dates if I don’t have all my course details planned yet?
YES!
Will I get my preferred dates?
First come, first served! We will do our best to get your preferred date(s) and timeslot(s), but keep in mind there are 30+ learning partners we’re coordinating with!
Plan FAQs
What if I am not done designing materials yet and don’t have all the information on the Course Planning Form (CPF)?
We highlyrecommend having a completed CPF when reserving dates/times, we understand that sometimes life gets busy. Keep us in the loop with transparent communication. Send us placeholders for information on the CPF till you have official information. Items on the CPF will be used to build the front-facing course webpage and Eventbrite registration page. These operational details are essential sooner rather than later to have all the back-end in place. You can and should take longer on content, slide decks, lesson plans!
Is there someone I can consult with before I start designing?
Our L+D Specialist is here to help with curriculum, adult-learning best practices, and organizational alignment of your content.
Our HR-OD Coordinator is here to help with accessibility, design, and any zhuzhing needs.
Build FAQs
How soon can somebody register for the course?
Learners can start registering for a course after you proof your course and once you receive a "Your Course is Live" email from HR-OD. Note that you'll see more folks registering once your course is included in HR-OD's weekly e-Blasts, which starts 6 weeks before your course session date.
What if I need to change a date?
Email HR-OD at OrganizationalDevelopment@cityofmadison.com ASAP once you know you need to reschedule. We take care of all the notifying and back-end steps, you just need to let us know when you want to reschedule for. Be sure to refer to the 2026 Calendar Availability before asking for a new date.
I’ve never designed a course before. Where do I start?
I’m an experienced course designer. Do I still need to send the materials for review?
Yes! We recommend still sending in your materials to OrganizationalDevelopment@cityofmadison.com so our team can ensure accessibility, organizational alignment, and a second-glance is always helpful!
Market FAQs
May I use quotes or testimonials (with permission) from previous learners and/or their supervisors who have seen an improvement in skills?
