The purpose of the qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore factors that influence online learning designs while maintaining quality and promoting innovation in online learning design practices. Subject matter experts (SMEs) and instructional designers (IDs) were asked to participate in a one-to-one semi-structured interview facilitated by a list of open-ended questions to explore their experiences designing online learning. Everett Roger's (1962) diffusion of innovation theory and Abraham Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs supported the conceptual framework for this study. Four research questions guided this study: (1) How does a nonprofit private higher education organization inhibit or support SMEs and IDs to meet the increasing demand for online course development? (2) What do SMEs and IDs identify as necessary to support productivity in the instructional design process while aligning with quality, innovation, and regulations? (3) What do SMEs and IDs identify as barriers and motivators to support productivity in the instructional design process while aligning with quality, innovation, and regulations? (4) How do SMEs and IDs support reliable design practices for online learning? Themes emerged through the participants' lived experiences and the analysis of thick, rich data. Findings from this study explained how nonprofit organizations could (a) provide resources for online learning designs, (b) gain awareness of factors that support online learning design productivity, (c) interpret course development dynamics in terms of barriers and motivators in online learning designs, (d) understand success criteria for online learning designs, and (e) discover attributes of online learning to enhance the quality of their courses while improving the student's online learning experience. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]