7 Things to Consider while Choosing an eLearning Vendor

1. 7ThingstoConsiderwhileChoosinganeLearningVendor • Need toupdate or createnew corporatetraining solutions? • Lookingforavendorpartnerthatcanunderstandandmeetyour needs? • eLearning in New York is commonly used across corporates and educational institutes. Thus the demand for such courses is ever-increasing. Here are a few things you need to keepin mind while looking for an eLearning service provider. • KnowyourRequirements • Before reaching outto eLearning vendors, list your requirement clearly. Be ready to answer some commonquestionslike: • What is the total number of eLearning hours thatyou need to develop? • Whatlevel of eLearning courseareyou looking atdeveloping? (Fordetails on differentlevels of eLearning, refer: • https://www.stylusolutions.com/us/custom-e-learning-development.h tml) • Do youhave the sourcecontentready? • What is theTATyou are lookingat?

2. List the major elementsthatyou thinkareaMUSTHAVEin your • courses,forexample, scenarios,gamification,simulations,etc. • Get a clear idea about the goals that your business aims to achieve in the long run and what role will the e-learning courses play in achieving these goals. Unless you have the requirements clearly listed, eLearning vendors will not be able to assist you with the development. Onceyouhavetherequirementsclear,you needtostartshortlisting vendors whocanunderstandyourrequirements andprovidevaluable suggestions. Connectwith vendors who areproactive and can add value. • InterviewMultipleeLearningVendors • Itisessentialto lookintopastprojects assamplesthatyourshortlisted eLearning providers have worked on. Takereferences from past projects that the vendors have created to frame a better picture of their quality of work, the complexity of the projects, and the initiatives taken to finish the project. You need to look into the company, its experience with the e-learning industry, and so on. Look for companies that also have subject matter experts on board to ensure that the course is factually correct. Lastly, also take a look into the reviews provided by their former clients, this can help you visualize their professionalism. • DiscussCostsandHiddenCosts

3. WhileselectingthelevelofeLearningcourses,keepinmindthebudgetyouhave.TheWhileselectingthelevelofeLearningcourses,keepinmindthebudgetyouhave.The higher the level you select, the higher will be the cost. If your budget is minimal, select vendors whoarecreative enoughtovisualizeyourcontent andmakeitinteresting without using higher-level features, such as gamification and simulations. If you have a higherbudget andneedhigh-end quality courses, ensure that the eLearning service provider hasthetechnicalexpertiserequiredtodevelop suchcustomcourseswith custom coding. While each vendor may havea differentcost foreach level of eLearning, the features they may offer for each level may also vary. Since there is no one standard definition of the eLearning levels, ask for what the eLearning vendors have to offer for each level before deciding on your vendor partner. Also check with them if there is a limit to the number of each feature, for example, only 1 scenario in one hour of learning. What are thevariable/hiddencosts?Forexample, isthereany additionalcostfor feedback implementation or is it included within the costquoted? DiscussTimelines Developing corporate e learning solutions is a time-consuming process and cannot be accomplished within aweek or two. If your shortlisted vendors guarantee a shorter timeline, you may want to check what part of the process they are skipping and its implicationsonquality.OnaverageonehourofLevel2e-learningshouldtake

4. approximately3-4weekstodevelop.BasedonyourtimelinescheckiftheeLearningapproximately3-4weekstodevelop.BasedonyourtimelinescheckiftheeLearning vendorshavethecapabilitytoscaletheirteamstomeetyour timelines. AskforSamplesandProcesses Once you identify the features required, ask vendors to share relevant samples to view the quality of output offered at the quoted cost. The type of visualization, quality of animations, voice quality, and customized elements included, are some of the factors to be considered while analyzing the quality. Also, request the vendors to share their development process to ensure you are involved intheapproval ofthestoryboarding,voice scriptinganddevelopment phaseof development. Check for the number of review rounds included at different stages of development within the cost. Post-deliverySupport Whetheryouarelooking at developing courses for e learning in New York, London, Dubai, or anywhere else in the world, post-delivery support is important. Most courses receive feedback once they are published and completed by learners. Check with your vendoriftheywillprovidepost-deliverysupport,thetypeofeditsthatwillbeincluded in the support period, what is the duration of this period, and what will be the cost for post-delivery support, etc.

5. Communications and Ethics Finally,oneofthemostimportantthingstoconsiderwhileselectingeLearningvendors is the clarity of communication and commitmenttowardsthe work. Ensure that there is a single point of contact assigned for the project to take ownership and that you are comfortable communicating with the person via calls, e-mails and video calls. Select a vendor whoprovides timelyupdatesand isquick torespondtoyourqueries andemails. Itisalsoimportantto partner with vendors who follow fair trade practices and are ethically sound.Thiswill not only ensure timely delivery but will also ensure that the team will take responsibility and ownership of work. And of course, it is always nice to haveateamthat is friendly,cooperative and flexibletoaccommodateyourneeds.