7 Unspoken Rules Of Developing Mobile-Friendly Compliance Online Training

Mobile-friendly online training programs are a must in today’s hectic learning environment. Remote employees are busy with work obligations, and some may find it hard to attend online training sessions on their office PCs. But if your online training courses are mobile-friendly, employees can expand their knowledge quickly and conveniently. Which makes it easy for them to get the information they need to perform their duties. Mobile learning is not limited by geography and the online learners can access critical learning information from anywhere in the world, as long as they have a stable internet connection. But how do eLearning developers go about creating mobile-friendly online training programs? This article takes a look at 7 unspoken rules for creating on-the-go compliance online training courses.

1. Simple Is Best

Simplicity is the way to go if you want to develop the mobile-friendliest online training courses. The fact that online learners can’t access your online training content from their office computers usually indicates that they’re pressed for time. As such, they won’t appreciate bulky and cluttered online training content on their mobile devices either. Cluttered online content means that online learners will have to navigate through heaps of information to get what they need. When creating online training content for your mobile learners you should, therefore, strive to keep things simple and precise. Keep in mind that employees are also contending with external distractions. But easily consumable online training content allows them to quickly locate the necessary information, remember it, and then apply it on-the-job, instead of letting distractions stand between them and their professional development.

2. Optimize The Platform For Slow Internet Connection

Most mobile users rely on Wi-Fi hotspots to access online training content and the download speed may not be that fast. As such, they may have trouble accessing bulky content and are likely to click away before absorbing the takeaways. To deal with this issue, you should optimize the content of your online training program to account for slower internet speeds. For example, compress larger files such as videos, images, and infographics. Mobile users also have a short attention span and if takes more than 3 seconds to load a page, most will abandon that site. You can also add external links for bulkier multimedia so that online learners have the option to revisit them at a later date.

3. Make It Easy For Online Learners To Navigate The Platform

Poor navigation is one of the mistakes that eLearning developers make when creating mobile learning platforms. Mobile devices have a smaller screen, and this makes it difficult to display the online training content without the use of navigation tools. Mobile learners don’t want to spend a lot of time looking for online training materials via a complicated menu or eLearning course map. However, you can use a drop-down list that allows online learners to get to a specific session of your online training program in a short period of time. Icons within the drop-down menu should be visible and clickable. Avoid attaching links to the icons that can slow down the speed.

4. Use A Responsive Tool

When developing online training courses for your mobile learners, you should use a responsive tool that deploys multiplatform-friendly online training content. You can create a master version of your compliance course that features breakpoints, instead of developing different versions to accommodate the most popular devices. The LMS platform that you pick should have an in-built previewer that will allow you to view the final output before the actual roll out. The tool should also support downloadable online training content so as to make it easy for the learners to download material for later use. Some systems even allow them to complete online training activities offline and still receive credit when they resync.

5. Incorporate Microlearning Videos

Mobile users are more likely to click on a video than an interactive online exercise. That’s primarily because they can simply watch the video to get the necessary information. It’s quick, convenient, and easy to consume. The caveat is that you need to provide bite-sized online training videos that focus on specific topics or tasks. Such as a 3-minute demonstration on how to wear the proper safety gear. Once again, don’t automatically assume that mobile learners are able to view the video anytime, anywhere, as they may be in noisy or crowded environments. Instead, incorporate subtitles or captions, which also makes it easier for online learners with special needs to get the information they require.

6. Make The Most Of Geolocation Features

The thing about compliance training is that different regions have different rules and regulation to follow, for the most part. Of course, there is always some overlap. Such as laws that apply to the entire industry. However, you can use geolocation features to provide relevant compliance online training resources to every member of your team regardless of their location. For example, the LMS automatically detects their employee’s location and displays online training modules or activities that pertain to their region or country.

7. Steer Clear Of Flash

Most modern devices are unable to display Flash components. Which means that your employees are missing out on valuable information if you include Flash games, videos, or activities. Thus, it’s best to avoid Flash entirely and opt for HTML5 to ensure that everyone enjoys the same online training experience.

People are increasingly using their mobile devices to access information. This is something that you must consider when deploying your online training course. These 7 rules can help you create online courses that are ideal for modern learners who are rarely tied to a PC. They have the power to take the online training resources wherever they go and refresh their compliance knowledge at a moment’s notice.

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About the Author

Christopher Pappas, Founder of the eLearning Industry

Christopher Pappas is founder of The eLearning Industry’s Network, which is the largest online community of professionals involved in the eLearning Industry. Christopher holds an MBA, and an MEd (Learning Design) from BGSU. eLearning Blogger | EduTechpreneur | eLearning Analyst | Speaker | Social Media Addict