Authoring Software Considerations Before Creating Any eLearning Project
The software you use to author eLearning affects the experiences you will be able to create and how easy they are to update and manage moving forward.
Ideally, a great authoring platform will:
- make it easy for you to manage eLearning production.
- meet the needs of your learners (is respectful of their time, personalized, and accessible).
- deliver measurable impact (in terms of ROI for the business and your learning goals).
7 Questions To Ask Before You Choose A Content Authoring Tool
1. What’s Included?
Your authoring tool must have everything you need to make your eLearning creation process as smooth as possible. It’s also worth finding out whether all features come as standard to avoid any surprises on your bill.
2. Is Collaboration Facilitated?
eLearning projects often require input from various authors, SMEs, and reviewers. If your tool enables you to invite people to work together on your project, you can avoid version control issues and also save time in the review process.
3. Will Your Design Be Supported?
Ensure that your tool gives you the flexibility to create bespoke designs so you can adhere to your own brand.
4. Will You Be Able To Create Mobile-Friendly Content?
Make sure you’re able to author eLearning that will work seamlessly across various devices, including mobile.
5. Are Translation And Localization Supported?
If you’re looking to scale your eLearning for a global audience, translation and localization are vital to ensure that all of your learners get the most from your content. Automated translation features can also be a lifesaver in terms of reducing the manual work you have to do.
6. What Are The Publishing Options?
Make sure you fully understand the publishing options available within the tool. For example, does it facilitate standalone, SCORM, and xAPI?
7. Can You See Engagement Data?
This last question is arguably the most important because if you’re going through the effort of building an eLearning project, you want to know that it works for your learners. Choose an authoring tool with advanced analytics and data streams, then use the insight you gain into your learner’s behavior to refine your existing eLearning and inform future projects. Here are 5 reasons your authoring software might be holding you back.
eLearning Deployment Considerations
Once you’ve used your authoring tool to produce your project, it’s time to roll it out to your learners. You need to have a structured deployment method in place to ensure your content meets its objective.
You’ve done all the hard work, so planning your deployment method should be a no-brainer. You’ve got the means to create awesome learning experiences, but that’s no good if no one’s going to see it!
Start by thinking about how you want to publish your content:
- Will you share a unique URL?
- Are you going to host it on a third party?
- Are you looking to publish it directly?
If your content is shorter, perhaps look to publish it on an intranet or shared knowledge portal. If you’ve developed a longer project and need a separate platform to host it on, consider using a Learning Management System (LMS) or Learning Content Management System (LCMS). If you’re confused about the difference between an LCMS and an LMS, help can be found here.
Take Note Of The Big Two
Technology is a great enabler. Choosing the right software should streamline processes and eliminate your headaches. And, most importantly, it should help you meet those critical goals and deliver ROI for your organization. Get your eLearning software right, and you should be able to spend more time on the things that matter most.
Create, manage, and measure eLearning that works: Start a free trial of Elucidat today.
