Choosing the right type of training Generic e-learning

Introduction Generic vs bespoke e-learning – what’s the difference? Is generic e-learning right for you? Identifying your requirements What about customisation? Finding potential suppliers Comparing suppliers

Generic v bespoke – what’s the difference Generic e-learning ‘Off the shelf’ pre-made and ready to go… Stereotyped as cheap and poor quality. …cheap and poor quality Bespoke e-learning ‘Made to measure’ created specifically for you... …high quality but expensive Are these stereotypes true?

Generic v bespoke – what’s the difference Generic e-learning features Bespoke e-learning features Ready to go – available ‘off the shelf’ Needs to be designed and built – often an 8-12 week delivery timescale Requires no input from customers Created in collaboration with the commissioning organisation Licensing model (ongoing cost) – customers don’t own IP One-off cost – customer owns IP Very popular topics covered All topics covered

Is generic e-learning right for you? Highly specialist courses are less likely to be available ‘off the shelf’ Some courses – eg inductions – are too organisation-specific Common generic topics: Health and safety Data protection Computing/IT skills ‘Soft’ skills Make sure any models or processes fit with your organisation

Is generic e-learning right for you? Bespoke doesn’t always mean better! Ask yourself: Is this topic unique to my organisation, or is it common across many workplaces? How many learners do I need to train? How long should the training be and what is my budget? Do I have the subject matter I need to create content or would I need to pay for outside help? Do I have the time to commission a bespoke project?

What are your requirements Money, money, money – pure cost vs value for money? How will the course be accessed – LMS? How much management information (MI) do you need? What about technical standards (SCORM 1.2, 2004, xAPI… or none? Branding? Accessibility considerations – some courses don’t follow accessibility guidelines Target devices/technical infrastructure – mobile, desktop, old browsers? Duration – short and sweet, long and detailed? Assessment – formative or summative, or none at all? Customisation…

Generic v bespoke – a continuum Additional one-off cost Pure generic Pure bespoke Branding (logo) Branding (logo and colours) Branding and some changes to text Branding and some changes to text and graphics Branding and some changes to text, graphics and audio Branding and some changes to text, graphics and audio, plus new pages Branding and some changes to text, graphics and audio, plus new pages and new quiz Mostly bespoke with generic process models Bespoke with additional generic documents Unique

How much customisation? Simple Addition of logo Brand colours Minor text changes Mid-level Some text and images Re-recorded audio New pages Complex Additional assessment Bespoke but with generic models Should you just go for fully bespoke at this point?

Identifying potential suppliers An internet search might yield far too many results… so how to find potential suppliers? Think about content quality and instructional design quality – who can provide both of these? Content Specialist organisations or regulatory bodies will have high quality content – do they have any recommended suppliers? Accredited courses provide quality assurance for customers – the right information is covered Content specialists might provide their own courses What about soft skills? Check out different behavioural models Instructional design Learning designers who offer both bespoke and generic courses Industry awards Client list Testimonials Remember to consider who has provided the content and who has provided the instructional design!

Comparing suppliers Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Cost Creativity   Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Cost Creativity Technical performance Experience Quality Flexibility  TOTAL

Summary Both bespoke and generic courses have their uses – generic doesn’t always mean ‘cheap and low quality’! Think about your topic and your training needs before looking for a supplier What works for one organisation might not work for another – what’s important to you? Conduct due diligence when choosing a supplier – where’s the content from and what’s the instructional design methodology?

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