4 tips to Design an effective eLearning strategy
It doesn't matter whether you are a looking to produce a single module or a complex course; developing an eLearning strategy is a big commitment that requires expertise, planning, and time.
It takes a significant level of expertise to develop a eLearning course that Learners will truly engage with and appreciate. This means that having a thorough understanding of what you want your eLearning course to bring your Learners, although a vital element of strategy planning, is not enough on its own.
elearning platform
TheLearning LAB is an eLearning agency specialised in offering a 360° approach to eLearning development, working with clients from a basic concept or whiff of an idea all the way through to a final solution that takes them and their company on a successful learning journey made to last for the future.
That said, although most people know that planning is always important, there are plenty of organisations who want to dip their toes into eLearning but simply aren't ready to invest their time in doing it right. This attitude results in a flawed strategy and comes with an array of problems, the least of which is the digital training program's failure and the worst being the potential for damaging their reputation.
At TheLearning Lab, we don’t rush into designing the digital training program.
Instead, we initially enter into a workshop and brainstorming phase where we define and determine your goals and strategy, ensuring that your vision is upheld throughout the eLearning program.
You should spend time and effort on the development of your digital training strategy, as it is the foundation the rest of your eLearning development rests on; and you wouldn’t build a skyscraper on unstable ground, would you?
Our TheLearning LAB agency specialists, based at our Content Lab in Geneva, have compiled this shortlist of 4 vital factors to consider when strategising, to help your eLearning programme become a success.
Interested? Keep reading and find out more!
TheLearning LAB - eLearning Development Agency
There’s little that is more damning than getting halfway through a project and realising that even those working on it don’t understand the core aims of the effort they’re putting in. Without strategy, even the best team will come up short. So have a read through this shortlist and find out what it takes to design an effective eLearning course!
Strategy:
4 factors to consider
1) The target audience
Often, learning practitioners make the mistake of designing a course without truly understanding their audience. For example, they may be unaware of the expectations people have of the course, the audience demographics, the audience’s familiarity with technology such as interactive games, Learning Management Systems and mLearning applications. This is a big mistake, as it is through knowing your audience that you can design a UX-optimised course.
Before you start working on your digital training program, ask yourself the following questions:
Who is this course for?
What do people want from such an eLearning course?
Which technology should be used to build it?
You need to thoroughly research the background of your target audience. Not only that, but you also need to be aware of the current skill set of the employees so that the eLearning course can be designed accordingly. Do all of the audience members start from approximately the same place, or will some need to be able to test their skills and start at a higher level? Take into account every aspect of your audience’s needs to build a truly Learner-oriented experience.
2) Presentation of information
Your strategy needs to take into account how information will be presented to the Learner, and why it should be done in that specific way. How does your course design reflect your intentions? Your strategy should be clear on this, to guide the project as it unfolds.
One major problem faced by those taking eLearning courses is boredom; probably due to a lack of motivation to continue pursuing the course, resulting in an unwillingness to engage. Have you ever wondered why this is such a major issue?
The reason is simple; the way information is presented in many eLearning courses is uninspiring. Slides upon slides of lifeless text with little to no interactive elements make the whole course a chore to go through. You should always aim to design in a UX-optimised way which eliminates the risk of Learners either becoming bored through lack of inspiring and engaging content, or being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of add-ons!
One way to do this is to conduct a brief survey to determine what medium your specific audience prefers: images, podcasts, or videos? Slides or interactive infographics?
Gamification, assessments, optional extras and progress checks? Alternatively, you can consult a specialised agency which, through benefit of their experience, will be able to guide you.
Once you know the medium, design your course around that medium in a way that is simultaneously rich in information, authentic, and engaging. As a general rule of thumb, variety is an excellent idea, and offering Learners choice will also go a long, long way towards Learner satisfaction. Your strategy, when incorporating the basic tenets of your properly developed presentation style, will ensure consistency and Learner engagement throughout the modules.
At TheLearning LAB, we present course content in a strategically curated combination of visual, auditory, written and interactive ways. With a wide variety of resources available to support the learning process, it is engaging for everyone.
elearning agency platform
Innovation is the keystone of Strategy, achieved through collaboration and experience.
3) Content distribution
Merely focusing on the aesthetics of the course is not going to work. A lot is riding on how you distribute the content of your course throughout the digital training program. Rather than delaying distribution until the end, think of it as one of the initial steps. Structuring a course requires a lot of careful planning. Therefore, it is not something you want to hold off on until the end, even if that may seem like an acceptable option to you.
Some of the content strategy tenets are obvious: e.g. you don’t want any advanced topic to precede a basic one. Others are more subtle, and if you are creating Learning Paths make sure they are arranged in the right order, flow smoothly, and link Learners to their next course in an intuitive way. Not sure what Learning Paths are all about?
Answering the question of what content should go where will assist you in designing the flow of the course and structuring everything in the right, varied format from the start, preventing any hiccups along the way.
All of this might seem difficult and time-consuming at first glance; and it can be. This is where you can seek the assistance of an eLearning agency, like TheLearning LAB, to figure out the right content distribution for your eLearning course.
elearning agency platform
4) Developing KPIs
Last but not least, before finalising the strategy of your eLearning program, you need to decide on what criteria you want to use to judge the success of your course. In other words, the KPIs.
Deciding whether your course has failed or succeeded in reaching its goal depends on what targets you set. For example, if your aim is to increase revenue, then you need to keep a close eye on the financial situation of your organisation throughout the process of rolling out your digital training program.
Similarly, if you aim to enhance customer service by deploying an eLearning program, you could run surveys amongst customers to find out whether it is having the right impact. If you aim to e.g. reduce employee turnover, then retention rates will be a better determination of the success of your program.
In short, it is very important to spend ample time developing detailed KPIs, because the content of your course will depend on what you plan to achieve. You need to know how to determine success; after all, no eLearning course is created without some kind of progress in mind.
Ready to get started?
Designing an eLearning course is a significant step to take. It requires careful planning, market research, and in-depth knowledge about the technology stack. The above points should have given you an idea of the significance of a well-developed digital training program strategy.
If you are still confused about how to develop a strategy that truly aligns with your organisation’s goals, or think it would be best to call in the experts, worry not; we are here to help.
Our team of experts at TheLearning Lab has over 15 years of experience of working in the eLearning industry. Over the years, we have worked with global clients spread across more than a dozen industries.