If you remember from our last post, the Learning Technology market is made up of 3 main categories:

• Category 1: Learning design and development tools
• Category 2: e-Learning production tools
• Category 3: Learning delivery tools

In this blog, we will look into Category 1.

Category 1: Getting started with Learning Design

When you set out to build a training program or a course, you first need to understand the audience or role of the learner, and then design the flow of tasks that the learner needs to know.

You accomplish this through a job task analysis exercise done with input from subject matter experts (SMEs). The result of this is typically a learning path if the role requires multiple pieces of content, or the beginning of a course outline if it is a single course.

Once complete, you develop course outline(s), and eventually build the content (text, graphics, scripts, test questions etc.) and then finally publish the learning content to be consumed by the learners. There are likely reviews by SMEs along each step.

As a best practice, your content creation process must come first before deciding on how a course will be delivered so that you have a good blueprint for who the learning is for and what they need to know.

Many organizations that are starting to build a learning program jump right to selecting a Learning Management System (LMS). However, selecting and using an LMS to deliver training to your learners online, should come after you know who your audience is, what tasks they need to learn and designing and building the content.

As a best practice, your content creation process must come first before deciding on how a course will be delivered so that you have a good blueprint

 

Learning Design and Development Software Tools

Most organizations today follow a traditional, people-based model using word processing tools, like Word, PowerPoint and Google Docs, as their learning content creation tools. We hear all the time that this traditional process is slow, you need the right expertise, and it requires a higher reliance on SMEs. They always feel behind.

In my first job, I was a course developer and I have spent the last 22 years in learning and development programs (my passion). I have lived this slow process along with several LearnExperts staff, so we know the frustrations companies feel. Using word processing tools as your learning design and development software tool is not the way to go and that’s why I built LearnExperts.

We hear all the time that the traditional process of using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Google Docs as your learning content creation tool slows the content creation process, you need the right expertise, and it requires a higher reliance on SMEs.

Our goal is to help companies design and develop their learning content in days, not months. We do this through our AI-enabled learning content creation tool. We call our digital course developer LEAi, which stands for LearnExperts Artificial Intelligence, and it allows businesses to use the content that already exists to create well-structured knowledge-sharing and training programs.

What does this mean? Take existing product documentation, presentations, meeting scripts, etc. developed by product managers, development teams and more and let LEAi transform it into step-by-step learning materials.

Many of our customers take the content they’ve built in LEAi and upload it to eLearning production tools to build eLearning that includes animations, and simulations. Then they will import their eLearning into an LMS to digitally deliver to their learner. This is a best practice process in the industry.

LEAi, our digital course developer, takes existing product documentation, presentations, meeting scripts, etc. and transforms it into step-by-step learning materials that follows best practices.

Many of our customers also have no need to create eLearning with all the bells and whistles and want to export their course content from LEAi in various formats (like a full course, presentation, microlearning course, certifications). In these cases, they may upload their course built in LEAi directly to HR systems, like Bamboo, for onboarding, deliver it virtually using an instructor, use for their sales training, or import into a knowledge base.

Key Takeaways

So remember, if you are thinking about building a new course or learning content, these are the steps to follow when planning your content.

If you need help with this category (a very challenging one), drop us a note and we can walk you through how LEAi can help make this process easier for you. Stay tuned for our next post where we walk you through the e-Learning production phase.

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