How to Ensure Quality Courses? Outsource eLearning Development for Optimal Results

The demand for effective training solutions has never been higher. As businesses strive to stay competitive and upskill their workforce, eLearning has emerged as a powerful tool for delivering comprehensive and engaging training programs. However, developing high-quality eLearning courses requires expertise, time, and resources that not all organizations possess in-house. This is where outsourcing eLearning development becomes invaluable. In this blog, we'll delve into the benefits of outsourcing eLearning development, what aspects can be outsourced, and when it's the right time to consider outsourcing for optimal results.

Why Outsource eLearning Development?

In-house or outsource? Is this your biggest dilemma? Well, here’s why you should consider outsourcing eLearning development:

1.Access to Experience and Expertise

Outsourcing eLearning development gives you access to a pool of skilled professionals, including instructional designers, multimedia experts, and eLearning developers. These experts bring diverse perspectives and specialized knowledge, ensuring that your courses are designed and developed to the highest standards.

2.Cost-Effectiveness

If you are doing it for the first time, it’s going to be an expensive affair. Building an in-house eLearning team can be costly, involving expenses such as salaries, training, and investment in eLearning development software/tools. Outsourcing allows you to pay for specific services only when needed, reducing overhead costs and providing a more cost-effective solution.

3.Faster Turnaround

Your in-house team is always busy with multiple projects that focus on your core business activities. This might result in delays in the design and development of eLearning courses and disrupt training. With dedicated eLearning development teams, projects can be completed more efficiently and within deadlines. Outsourcing companies often have streamlined processes and workflows in place, ensuring timely delivery without compromising quality.

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4.Improved Scalability

Outsourcing eLearning development offers scalability, allowing you to ramp up or downsize projects based on your training needs. Whether you need a single course or a complete eLearning curriculum, outsourcing provides flexibility without the constraints of maintaining a full-time team.

5.Allows Focus on Core Activities

By entrusting eLearning development to external experts, you can ease the burden off your in-house team and subject matter experts. Your internal teams can focus on core business activities and strategic initiatives. This helps in maximizing productivity and achieving business goals effectively.

What Can You Outsource in eLearning Design and Development?

When it comes to outsourcing eLearning design and development, several aspects can be effectively handled by external partners. The choice is yours. Either you can opt for end-to-end outsourcing wherein the eLearning course is designed and developed by the outsourcing partner or you may outsource it in parts. Here’s what you can outsource:

Instructional Design

This aspect of eLearning development is crucial as it forms the foundation of effective training. Outsourcing instructional design involves collaborating with professionals who specialize in creating learning experiences that align with your training objectives. They work on tasks such as developing a structured curriculum, defining clear learning outcomes, designing engaging learning activities, and devising assessment strategies. Outsourcing instructional design ensures that your courses are not only informative but also interactive and conducive to learning retention.

Content Creation

Engaging content is at the heart of successful eLearning courses. Outsourcing content development allows you to work with experts in writing, graphic design, animation, and multimedia production. These professionals can transform complex information into visually appealing and easy-to-understand formats, including videos, infographics, interactive modules, and simulations. By outsourcing content creation, you ensure that your courses are not only informative but also visually stimulating, enhancing learner engagement and knowledge retention.

Technology and Development

The technical aspects of eLearning, including software development, learning management system (LMS) integration, and mobile optimization, can be outsourced to specialized teams. Outsourcing technology and development ensures that your courses are technologically robust, compatible with various devices and platforms, and seamlessly integrated with your existing LMS or learning infrastructure. This includes tasks such as programming interactive elements, ensuring responsive design for mobile devices, and implementing analytics for tracking learner progress and performance.

Digital Assets for Performance Support

Performance support tools facilitate just-in-time learning. Creating digital assets that can support employee performance requires strategic thinking. Several key aspects need detailed consideration such as aligning the assets with the company’s performance goals and training objectives, understanding the specific skills or knowledge gaps, and reinforcing “need to know” content for better learning outcomes. You can outsource the development of digital assets to external eLearning partners as they have the desired experience and expertise to develop learning modules in a variety of formats such as quick videos, interesting knowledge graphics, interactive PDFs, digital flashcards, and engaging eBooks.

Localization and Accessibility

For organizations with a global reach or diverse workforce, outsourcing localization, and accessibility services is crucial. Localization involves adapting eLearning content to different languages, cultures, and regions, ensuring that learners across the globe can access and comprehend the training materials effectively. Accessibility focuses on making eLearning courses inclusive and accessible to individuals with disabilities, adhering to accessibility standards such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Outsourcing these services ensures that your eLearning initiatives are inclusive, culturally relevant, and compliant with accessibility regulations.

When Should You Outsource eLearning Development?

Lack of In-House Expertise

If your organization lacks the expertise or resources required for eLearning development, outsourcing becomes a strategic choice. This could be due to a shortage of instructional designers, multimedia specialists, or technical developers within your team. Outsourcing allows you to tap into a diverse talent pool with the right skills and experience to create high-quality eLearning solutions tailored to your needs.

Tight Project Deadlines

In scenarios where you have tight project deadlines or a sudden increase in training requirements, outsourcing can expedite the development process. External eLearning development teams are equipped to handle quick turnarounds without compromising on quality. They can allocate dedicated resources to meet your deadlines and ensure timely delivery of training materials to support your organizational goals.

Budget Constraints

Outsourcing eLearning development can be a cost-effective strategy compared to building and maintaining an in-house team, especially when you have budget constraints. It eliminates the need for hiring full-time employees, investing in training and development programs, and purchasing expensive software or tools. Outsourcing allows you to pay for specific services as needed, optimizing costs while accessing high-quality eLearning solutions.

Watch this video for five essential tips for outsourcing eLearning.

Summing it Up!

Outsourcing eLearning development is a strategic choice for organizations seeking to deliver quality training solutions efficiently and cost-effectively. By tapping into external expertise, leveraging scalable solutions, and focusing on core business activities, companies can elevate their training programs and drive employee performance and engagement. Whether it's instructional design, content development, or technology integration, outsourcing offers a tailored approach to meet diverse eLearning needs and achieve optimal results in the corporate training landscape.

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