Part A: SME Clarification & Gap Analysis

The Audit:
The provided input, whilst outlining a clear target audience, format, and duration, presents a significant deficit in the critical details required for a robust, challenge-based curriculum design. The stated goal, “be able to edit images,” is excessively broad and lacks the specificity necessary to construct meaningful learning pathways aligned with UK Higher Education standards for professional development. The complete absence of supporting materials or detailed notes further compounds this issue, rendering comprehensive instructional design impossible at this stage.

What’s Missing:
The primary gaps revolve around the core tenets of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and the initial ‘Analysis’ phase of ADDIE. Specifically, the ‘Investigate’ and ‘Act’ stages of the CBL loop cannot be effectively designed without a defined challenge context. We lack:

1. Specific Challenge Context for Corporate Learners: The ‘Engage’ phase is missing a compelling, real-world business problem or scenario that Photoshop skills would directly address. Without this, the ‘Investigate’ (research/guiding questions) and ‘Act’ (solution/implementation) phases remain undefined.
2. Detailed Scope of “Image Editing”: The specific types of image manipulation, design tasks, or industry-relevant projects these corporate learners are expected to undertake are not articulated. This prevents the identification of key concepts, tools, and techniques critical for an “intermediate” level programme.
3. Learner Pain Points & Desired Outcomes (Beyond Basic Editing): What are the current limitations or inefficiencies these learners experience due to insufficient Photoshop skills? Understanding these specific skill gaps and the desired impact on their professional output is crucial for tailoring content and designing relevant challenges.

3 Clarifying Questions:

1. Could you elaborate on the specific business challenges or scenarios that necessitate these corporate learners acquiring Photoshop skills? For instance, are they frequently tasked with preparing assets for digital marketing campaigns, refining product images for e-commerce, or designing internal communications and presentations?
2. Given the “intermediate” level, what types of image manipulation or graphic design tasks are these learners currently struggling with, or what advanced capabilities do they need to acquire to significantly enhance their professional output and efficiency within their corporate roles?
3. Are there any existing company brand guidelines, specific image formats (e.g., web optimisation, print-ready, social media dimensions), or common project types that this Photoshop programme should explicitly address to ensure immediate applicability and return on investment within their organisational context?