E-Learning Creation Guide
E-Learning has become a reliable and effective way for companies to train their employees and has gained popularity over the years. The success of e-learning is formed by the combination of many different factors.
E-learning design should be able to attract the user's attention, motivate them, improve them, and encourage them to stay with the company. While these items may seem easy on paper, they are actually a long and arduous task. Therefore, in this guide, we will highlight the critical steps in e-learning design, so you can start building effective e-learning from the ground up and avoid the mistakes that most designers often make.
1. Conduct comprehensive research before creating the training
If your client has given you the subject of the training, the first step is to consult a subject matter expert on the subject of the training. You can analyze the training topics and sections with the subject matter expert and benefit from their experience. At this point, you need to learn critical information such as whether the training is based on an existing training, and if so, the structure of the existing training. Try to keep things similar and uniform while improving the process. Also, do preliminary research and brainstorming so that you can make the subject of the training and the training attractive to users. Determine the points where the content should be highlighted interactively.
Then, determine whether the client has technical resources that may be useful during the training. Ask which options they have the possibility and need to implement, such as computer-based or web-based training. Finally, determine whether the client has a learning management system, i.e. an LMS, and if so, which infrastructure they are using. This way, you can develop the training infrastructure from the very beginning in accordance with the client's infrastructure.
2. Determine instructional requirements
In this step, you should examine and analyze your target audience to determine instructional requirements. This way, you can design a training that truly impacts users' skills and productivity. Many designers ignore this step to complete the training quickly. However, skipping this step can harm the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the training.
Start by asking the question, "What is the purpose of this training?"
3. Create a sample design for the training
By this stage, you should have done your research and know your client's expectations. Now it's time to determine the prerequisites that your audience needs specifically for the training you will design.
Basically, in this step, you determine what your target audience already knows and which skill gaps the training will fill, as well as the goals and evaluation parameters based on the recommendations of the subject matter expert. After these, you can create a draft of the training, divide it into sections, and present it to both the client and the subject matter expert for approval.
4. Develop a prototype for the training
Most clients want to be involved in the design and development process of their content. Creating a prototype helps you give clients an idea of your plans and what the final version of the training will look like. For the prototype, you can write a partial scenario, record the images and voices of the actors and voice actors who will take part in the training, and produce visuals, audio, and video for the partial scenario you wrote.
5. Test the prototype with a few sample users
Usually, no instructional designer can create perfect content in one go. That's why prototype testing is important. It may be tempting to skip testing the prototype and jump straight into creating the training, but the most useful way to identify both technical and content-related issues early on is to create and test a prototype.
Collect feedback by conducting the testing process with a few users and the client. By making integrations based on this feedback, you will have solved the problems from the start.
6. Complete the training scenario
Complete your scenario by blending the interviews you conducted with subject matter experts, your research, and the feedback you received from the prototype.
7. Produce content for the scenario
You should produce multiple types of media in e-learning design. Although limiting yourself to certain media formats may seem like a way to save time and money, you may end up being more harmed when it negatively affects the user experience. Be sure to enrich the training by adding many types of content such as video, images, audio recordings, tables, and graphics.
8. Put the training elements together
Bring together the scenario, content, and materials. Create the training in your preferred formats such as jpg, wmv, mp3. We recommend that you create your training software in basic file formats, taking into account the computer literacy level of the users.
9. Deliver the training
Deliver the training to the client after finalizing it. The feedback you receive will show you what you need to do to complete the training design process.
