There are four key “land mines” that trainers might encounter when developing e-learning modules, but careful planning can help trainers sidestep those problems, says Jennifer DeVries, president and chief solutions architect of BlueStreak Learning (www.bluestreaklearning.com).
The first problem deals with delivery. Even the most innovative, cutting-edge e-learning module won’t be effective if it is designed in such a way that your target audience can’t view it. DeVries recommends creating a small module, loading it into your delivery platform (often a learning management system (LMS)), and making sure learners can view the prototype before producing the entire course. This will also help you identify any technical issues upfront. For example, if you are publishing the course to Adobe® Flash®, the users must use a device that supports Flash (i.e., not an iPad®) and must have the Flash plug-in installed in their browser.
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The second potential problem is getting enough time from subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop and review course content. DeVries says it is important to be upfront with SMEs and their supervisors about the SMEs’ specific role in the project and how much time they must commit to it each week.
The third problem is extensive revisions. SMEs and other stakeholders should thoroughly review course content during the storyboard phase. Revisions are significantly more expensive to make once the course is in production, she says. “Revisions after the course is produced may blow the budget and, possibly, the schedule.”
The fourth and final potential problem is “scope creep” (i.e., when the scope of the planned project ends up growing significantly). This situation can impact your training budget and the time it takes to develop the course, as well as the course’s effectiveness if too much information is crammed into each module.
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The best way to combat scope creep is to set very specific parameters for the e-learning course, says DeVries. For example, you might decide in advance to develop six modules—each having no more than 50 slides, 15 quiz questions, and 6 interactive activities. It is also important to make sure every piece of content in the course meets one of the learning objectives.
Addressing those four potential problems upfront will help ensure the effectiveness of the e-learning course and help you maintain your credibility and professional reputation, she concludes.