Warning Signs That Your Rapid eLearning Development Process Needs Improvement
Acknowledging that your rapid eLearning development process needs some work isn’t always easy. We all strive for perfection on some level, but “improvement” shouldn’t be a dirty word. In fact, it just gives organizations the chance to create even more impactful and memorable rapid eLearning experiences; you learn from past mistakes and streamline your strategy to achieve the best results. Below are 7 warning signs that your rapid eLearning design process is missing a key ingredient (or two). But I also share tips to help you remedy the situation straight away.
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Rapid eLearning Roadmap: How To Create Courses That Stand The Test Of Time
This eBook can help you achieve your objectives and stretch your L&D budget, as well as keep employees fully engaged.
1. It’s Anything But Rapid
You started out with the best intentions. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, then it was one missed deadline after another. A major warning sign that your rapid eLearning development needs work is that it’s anything but rapid. There are plenty of culprits to consider. Take a closer look at individual tasks to look for productivity roadblocks. Maybe the job is too big for one person to handle or they don’t have the necessary resources. Another issue might be the overall process. For example, your storyboard or project outline is unclear. So, your team doesn’t know what’s expected of them or even which goals to focus on.
2. Your L&D Team Is Overworked And Overstressed
Your L&D department isn’t bringing their A-game because they’re simply too exhausted or overworked. Stress might also be an issue. And this shows in your rapid eLearning development process. There are three ways to approach this problem. First, you can expand your L&D team to lower stress levels. Secondly, bring in employees from other departments to help. For instance, your top sales manager can give them insider info and identify the key takeaways. The last option is to hire a content provider that offers rapid eLearning services.
3. Employees Aren’t Interested In Online Training
You have a full online training course catalog, but employees are bored and disengaged. This may be the result of low motivation because they can’t find the resources that resonate with them. In this case, you need to focus on diverse content delivery. Include a broad range of materials so they can pick and choose based on personal preferences. Another common issue is limited interactivity. Employees can’t immerse themselves in the online training experience. So, they mentally disengage because they don’t want to be passive observers. The cure for this is more active participation. Add drag-and-drop interactions, thought-provoking questions, and visual stimuli.
4. Frequent On-The-Job Mistakes
Staffers make more and more mistakes in the workplace, which is usually the result of ineffective rapid eLearning design. Is your content fragmented? Does it tie into their job duties and skill requirements? One of the most common rapid eLearning pitfalls is trying to cram too much in or leaving too much out. You have to find a happy medium. For example, include the essential information employees need to complete tasks or improve performance behaviors but make sure it’s within context so they can put all the pieces together.
5. Emotional Disconnect
Rapid eLearning often gets a bad rap because organizations ignore emotional connectivity. They’re so worried about staffers absorbing the policies or developing skills that they forget about their feelings. For information to stick, it must be tied to a positive experience. That’s the way our brains work. The emotional connection also ensures that employees assign meaning and gain the self-confidence they need. So, include more real-world examples, stories, and personas to engage employees on an emotional level. You should also highlight the rapid eLearning benefits so that they know what’s in it for them.
6. Employees Are Left Out Of The Rapid eLearning Design Process
You expect employees to participate in the rapid eLearning experience. However, you don’t include them in any part of the design process. They’re merely at the receiving end. It’s crucial to give staffers a sense of ownership. Their feedback can also help you improve your rapid eLearning design and identify hidden areas for improvement. Think of it this way, they’re internal outsiders, meaning they aren’t part of your L&D team but they are the online training beneficiaries. As such, they can offer unique insights because they aren’t as attached to the content. They didn’t curate the content or develop the storyboard. So, they can look at everything with fresh eyes and give you constructive criticism.
7. Your Rapid eLearning Design Process Costs Are Skyrocketing
Another perk of rapid eLearning is supposed to be cost savings. As such, high expenses are a telltale sign that something’s wrong. Are you spending too much time (payroll) on certain tasks? Is the new software more than you expected? One of the most effective ways to reduce spending is to outsource rapid eLearning. You don’t have to hire an eLearning content provider for every deliverable. In fact, they can just step in for TNA or storyboarding if it’s more cost-effective for your organization. Last but not least, make a point to re-evaluate after each phase of the project. This allows you to allocate more funds or move them around based on your L&D priorities.
Conclusion
Is your rapid eLearning development process showing any of these symptoms? If so, there’s still time to fix the problem and avoid project delays. Maybe it’s simply a matter of clarifying goals and expectations with your team. Or you might consider a rapid eLearning design outsourcing partner who brings their niche expertise. As a matter of fact, some eLearning content providers specialize in rapid eLearning sleuthing. They can help you pinpoint the problem and devise possible solutions.
Download the eBook Rapid eLearning Roadmap: How To Create Courses That Stand The Test Of Time to learn how you can achieve your objectives and stretch your L&D budget, as well as keep employees fully engaged.
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