LMS Implementation Strategy Tip N5: Decide on the Type of eLearning Content You Will Need

Continuing from my previous posts regarding LMS Implementation tips, the next step in formulating your strategy is to decide on the type of eLearning content you will need to meet your training goals.

Choosing the right mix of content will help you achieve your desired results. To do this, you need to understand the strengths and limitations of each type of content. Once you know what works best for your business, implementation will be quick and painless.

If the LMS that you have is SCORM, AICC or xAPI compliant, then the LMS itself will not be worried about where the content has come from (as long as the content itself is SCORM, AICC or xAPI compliant). So, whether you have purchased “off the shelf”, authored the content yourself or outsourced the bespoke development, the content will operate as expected within the LMS. Note, it is always advisable to obtain a sample course from any proposed content vendor to test within your LMS just to ensure the course and LMS play happily together as some vendors may have specific requirements that must be met in order for them to work with your LMS, so it’s always best to test first before purchasing a large quantity of content.!

So, your key decision for content is whether as individual method for delivering courses will meet your training goals or should a mix of different modalities be utilized? Consider the following when making this decision:

• If your goal is to train your employees on the use of an application such as Microsoft Office, the generic “off the shelf” courseware will mostly meet your need. However, you may want to consider creating a custom course if you have very specific needs, such as a sequence of courses that will lead your employees through a process, or if you want to build in assessment or testing functionality. For example, you might want to create a course that will train employees on how to create a PowerPoint presentation.
• If your goal is to train your staff on the use of internal processes, of which there are many, then the use of an authoring tool with content being developed by in-house subject matter experts will be of most use.  If your goal is the sharing of knowledge and information between departments, or unifying the look and feel of your documentation, then the use of an authoring tool with the ability to pull content from existing systems and databases will be most useful. Depending on your company’s goals and the relative importance of each of these, you will be able to choose the right software accordingly.
• Should you want a high profile, rich media, and frequently usable course, then you may consider the services of a bespoke content developer whose skills and expertise in the development of eLearning courses will give the wow factor you will be looking for. You can either approach a content developer directly or select a company that has a team of content developers who work with clients to provide bespoke content. The cost of a bespoke course will depend on the type of course you want to make, the amount of time it will take to make and the experience level of the content developer.

Research tells us that a blended approach using a mixture of all of the above methods delivers the highest utilization with an LMS. Mixing content delivery methods provides variety and keeps your learners from becoming bored. Providing different ways for your learners to interact with the course keeps them engaged. Incorporating visual, auditory, and hands-on activities will keep learners interested and engaged with your course material and keep them coming back for more.

The JZero LMS can accommodate all types of eLearning content, including online courses and instructor-led assets. With a variety of tools, including formative assessment, adaptive learning paths, step-by-step learner guidance, and more, the JZero platform provides distinct advantages over traditional LMSes that are just not possible with other solutions.