New Year, new start, new eLearning provider?
The beginning of the year is known far and wide as a time to consider personal progress for the future; you might resolve to join the gym, clean up your diet, stop telling that same joke that no one finds funny anymore... So why not apply this motivation to the workplace?
The new year is the perfect time to take a more objective view of things at work. Ask yourself - are you truly happy with the service you receive from your current eLearning provider? Do you feel under pressure to offer more to your clients, but with even less of a budget?
Check out our pointers below – by picking out potential issues you might be having, the following information will help you to sail through the decision-making process in no time. By the end, you’ll know exactly when it's time to change things up and say, "Bye Felicia!"
1. The cost to develop or update your current modules is too high
If you’ve been in the eLearning game for a while, you know it’s not always easy to find a good provider. It is imperative to keep your modules innovative and fresh. However, you may have found yourself in a situation where the work you receive from your provider is no better than what you could do in-house, leaving you feeling frustrated. Perhaps you even feel as if you're paying too high a price for content that just does not have that ‘wow’ factor you’re looking for.
The cost of learning should never be a barrier between you and your learners - if your training content doesn’t lead to increased productivity and improved results, then there is simply no point in paying for it. If you’ve found yourself nodding along to this, then it's time to find a new partner who can help you keep costs low while still providing top-quality content.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
2. Your current provider is not responsive enough
When you're dealing with an eLearning development partner, there's going to be a lot of back-and-forth. While this is expected, the contact shouldn't be so overwhelming that it makes your job even harder – no one enjoys being locked into an endless series of Zoom review calls that don’t seem to result in anything progressive.
At the same time, efficient communication is key - your provider should be ready and willing to answer questions and respond quickly, having a good understanding of your needs. If they're unresponsive, or just don’t quite get where you’re coming from, then it could be time for you to reconsider the relationship and find a provider who is a better fit for you.
3. Why not do it in-house?
Developing eLearning is not as complex as it used to be. Thanks to the huge leaps forward in development software, it’s not hard to choose to invest in in-house skills in Instructional Design, Graphics, Animation, and of course eLearning development.
If you are developing a significant amount of digital learning courses across the year, in-house development could be the best approach for your business. With in-house development, you’re more able to maintain control, taking an internal lead on many of your projects. But when specialist skills are needed, outsourcing some of your work is always a great option – contracting talented people for certain parts of your courses is what will really make you stand out.
Outsourcing can also be helpful in resolving capacity hindrances. If you need a few extra hands, outsourcing to a learning provider who is communicative and produces high quality content at a competitive price could be the best thing for you. Finding a provider who suits not just your partner, but also your team and your business, is absolutely key.
4. Your learners are not engaging with the content
If learners aren't engaging with the course content, this is often because the material comes across as uninteresting or unexciting. Maybe they’re just slogging through the course, going through the motions: perhaps they don't read all the text or fail to complete tasks in a timely manner. Try to make sure your content is as captivating as possible – learning should be an engaging experience, not a chore! A learning provider who produces courses that are interactive and innovative is the key to increasing engagement levels.
Personalising factors such as race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality/beliefs, etc., also have an impact on engagement levels – ensure inclusivity and take these into account in all relevant areas!
So, what can we take from these pointers?
The most important thing to remember is that identifying with any of these issues is not a sign of failure. Improvement is a continuous process, and any of these problems should be looked on as a learning experience, which will eventually lead you to your perfect provider.
If any of the issues discussed above particularly resonate with you, then it might be time to revaluate your current situation. Trust your instincts – if something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t right. The new year is a time for change and forward thinking, and if this comes in the form of a new learning provider, then let the search begin!