Earlier this month I had the pleasure of presenting a webinar with Litmos – my top ten tips to guarantee a successful eLearning program launch. If you’re keen to see the full webinar, please click here. Following some great discussion and plenty of questions from attendees, I wanted to share an overview of those tips in a three-part series. This post covers the first three tips, but stay tuned for parts two and three for the complete Top Ten List. I’ve also created a short video for each so you can dig a little deeper.

I’ve launched several eLearning programs and I’ve learned something new every time. I‘ve probably made every mistake that can be made! But I’m also proud to say that most of the programs were relatively successful. In this article, I want to share some of the things I learnt so that your program is a rip-roaring success. And for a very relevant crash course on avoiding the most common mistakes when launching an eLearning progam, please click here.

So without further ado, let’s get stuck into those tips:

Tip #1:  Don’t underestimate scope

The classic mistake that most organisations make when introducing a new eLearning program or platform is to assume that “if we build it, they will come”.

No, I’m afraid not.

An eLearning program should be long-term initiative. How are you going to guarantee people come back again and again?

To ensure a successful program over the long term, you’ll need a robust strategy that includes a plan for both ongoing content updates and platform improvement and optimisation.

Half-heartedly launching an eLearning program, without thinking about a plan for the long-term is a recipe for failure.

See below for the video for this tip:

Tip #2:  Remember the content and platform are two very different projects

The skills required to implement and manage a platform/LMS are extremely different to those required to design and deliver digital learning content.

So why look at these as a single project when they are so different?

If you don’t separate these as individual projects at the outset, you will create a lot of work for yourself further down the line. It’s much easier to recognise these as two projects at the beginning and then plan accordingly – whether that’s resourcing, budget or logistics.

For a deeper dive into this subject, check out: Why Engaging eLearning and a Fancy LMS is Not Enough.

See below for the video for this tip:

Tip #3:  Start with a pilot

Most of us would assume that launching a new software initiative should begin with a pilot for technical testing (browser compatibility, firewall blocks, internet speeds etc).

Of course – that makes sense.

But your pilot is the perfect opportunity to test the learning experience too.

• Are people engaging with the material?
• Do they understand how the interface works?
• What issues are they having with the platform?

You can begin with a simple survey, send a few questions out to those people on the pilot.

But even better, go out and actually watch these guys using your platform – you will be amazed by what you see. Things that appear so obvious to us will be totally overlooked by our users.

See below for the video for this tip:

Check back soon for Part 2 of Top Tips to Guarantee a Successful eLearning Program Launch or go watch the full webinar now.