Custom Corporate eLearning Development – Is It The Right Choice?

Custom eLearning Course Development vs Pre-built eLearning Courses

When organizations need to train their employees and choose to pick an e-learning course, they have either the option to purchase a pre-built course (off-the-shelf courses) or create a custom one. Cost becomes a motivating factor in selecting a pre-built course often. The buyer does not have to think about content development, and the costs are lower. However, thanks to custom rapid e-learning course development, there are various solid reasons why an organization should opt for custom courses:

1. Unlimited Options:

You are limited to the already available options when you opt for pre-built courses. With custom e-learning development, you have the chance to create a course based on your needs. In addition, the content can be unique and specifically designed just for your organization.

2. Meeting Needs:

Even if you do find a pre-built course that you require, several contexts may not be relevant to your organization. With custom courses, you have the chance to curate a course that meets the needs that are specific to your organization’s employees. There will be no content that confuses the reader and does not make sense.

3. Customization:

Pre-built courses might contain the essence but not the complete picture you require. In custom courses, you have complete control over what you wish the course to contain and present the content. For example, you can include names of people in your organization, instances about the organization and cases based on the organization’s policies and values. It will also contain your organization’s logo, custom font and colour scheme, which will make the course unique. You can even add instances that suit your organization’s policies or requirements that you wish to convey.

4. Employee Morale:

Taking e-learning courses is said to boost employee morale. A survey done by ILX Group on HRs of various organizations showed that 51% said that taking e-learning courses boosts the morale and satisfaction of an employee. If the organization carefully curates the content by keeping the aptitude of its employees in mind, the employees will feel further acknowledged. They will understand that the organization is prioritizing their development.

Whether you wish to gamify the course, have micro-learning modules, include knowledge checks and quizzes, teach with scenarios, or have any other innovative idea in mind, custom corporate e-learning development can turn all your ideas into reality.

Why Pay for Custom eLearning Course Development?

In the short run, you may feel that spending on custom e-learning development is expensive. You will be paying a professional e-learning service to curate a course based on your requirements. The need to hire subject matter experts, the level of interactivity you choose, and the platform on which the course will be published will each have their own charge. Why should you still opt for custom e-learning course development if it is pricey?

If you look at the long run, then paying for custom corporate e-learning development proves to be cost-effective. Here are the reasons why:

1. You won’t have to pay repeatedly:

Using pre-built courses (off-the-shelf courses) means buying the course available or making a contract. Either way, you will have to pay multiple times to keep the contract functioning. This reduces the overall profits the organization will make from using e-learning courses.

2. Increases employee retention:

When employees take courses that are curated to meet their organizations’ and their needs, it reflects well on their organization’s dedication. This also allows the employers to create courses based on the knowledge, exact skills required, and how they can train the employee.

3. Using it anytime and anywhere:

When you focus on custom e-learning course development, the course will belong to your organization. Any number of employees who require training can take up this course. There will be no limit on the number of users. There will also be no restrictions on where the person taking the course is located. As a result, you can train multiple teams at multiple locations for the same price.

4. You can make changes:

If any updates are required in the training, you can make them to your course. Your learners will not have to receive wrong information. In pre-built courses, you will not have this option. For example, if there are updates in technology, you can update your course to reflect this. However, you will have to purchase an updated course to reflect this change for pre-built courses. This increases the shelf-life of the courses.

How Can You Calculate the Gains on Custom eLearning Content Development?

Once you have calculated the cost of your course based on interactivity, levels, and the learning system used, you can look at how you will gain from custom e-learning content development. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Why is the course being developed?

This will answer why it is important for your organization to make the expenditure. For example, if the learners can increase the organization’s revenues by gaining a particular professional skill, then the course will be beneficial for the organization.

2. Who will be using the course?

The more the number of employees using the course, the higher is the return on investment for creating the course.

3. Where can the course be used?

When you need to train employees across multiple teams and locations, you can even use the same course.

4. When can the courses be used?

Training programs like those for onboarding can be used time and again for new employees. There’s an added benefit that learners can take them at their convenience. You can also use these courses for upskilling employees.

5. How long will the course be used?

For as long as you want! The best part about custom e-learning course development is that your organization will own the course based on your specific requirement. When necessary, you can make changes to the course, but you won’t have to buy a completely new course time and again!

Considering these parameters, you can then look at how they are providing gains in the long term to your organization. For example, are the employees benefitting from the training they receive? How is the training increasing the revenues of your organization? Answering these questions will help you make an accurate cost-benefit analysis of why you should opt for custom rapid e-learning course development over using pre-built courses.

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