How to choose e-learning tools

In the March e-learning blog post, “Preparing for the e-Learning Consultant’s Arrival”, we took at look at how you can prepare your organization for the e-learning consultant’s arrival. A part of that process involves choosing the e-learning software tools to use for your project, a decision we’re going to look at this month.

The Consultant’s e-Learning Tool Box
The first thing to realize is that you want to choose the software tools that will be the best fit for your organization and your learners, and then worry about which consultant you’ll contract with for your project later.

e-Learning consultants generally fall into two camps:

• Specialists in a specific software tool.
• Generalists dedicated to proficiency in several tools.

Now, you’re free to focus on software choices for your organization’s purposes. Once you’ve purchased the tools you need, you’ll be able to partner with Escoe-Bliss to find a consultant proficient in the software.

The Most Common e-Learning Software Tools
We have no bias towards a specific software tool, and you can find many tools by searching for them on the Internet. We suggest the keywords “elearning software” or “e-learning software”. The alphabetical list below is by no means comprehensive, however, it reflects the most common tools used by corporations, academia, and government agencies:

• Adobe e-Learning Suite (Adobe)
• Articulate (Articulate)
• Camtasia (TechSmith)
• Captivate (Adobe)
• Flash (Adobe)
• Lectora (Trivantis)
• Raptivity (Harbinger Knowledge Products)
• ToolBook Instructor (SumTotal Systems)

The majority of these companies provide significant purchase discounts for non-profit and academic entities.

Choosing the Tool that’s Right for You
Most people tend to look at their organization’s budget first. I’d like to encourage you to think about money last. Instead, begin by analyzing your organization’s and your learners’ needs. When you place business and learning needs first, you’ll purchase the best tool with confidence, and avoid being stuck with a quick, cheap purchase that you could regret later.

One partner you’ll want to include at the very beginning of your analysis is your Information Technology (IT) department. Your IT folks know the ins-and-outs of your organization’s networks and other systems. Show them the above list, and any other tools you’ve found on your own. You’ll need your IT people to tell you what constraints you may need to consider not only for when the consultant is using the software on your systems at your location, but also when you deploy, or launch, the finished course to all of your learners.

And, think about your learners. You want to choose a tool that creates courses with flexible and easy-to-use navigation. You also want to make sure an interrupted learner can bookmark the course and return to the place where they left off at a later time, if needed. Most of the tools listed do provide that helpful feature.

Converting PowerPoint Presentations to e-Learning
Several of the tools listed above allow you to work with your existing PowerPoint slide decks, a bonus for learning organizations that have years of valuable content residing in PPT files.

Jenise Cook, M.A., is our featured guest blogger for 2010. Her posts will appear monthly on Blogging with Bliss. Her professionalism and passion for her work in documentation design, e-learning development, and media production radiate from her writing and we consider ourselves extremely fortunate to count her among our guest bloggers. Check out Jenise's previous e-learning series blogs, such as, Why Use an e-Learning Consultant? and What to Look for in an e-Learning Consultant in our archives.

Taking Performance Issues Beyond the Training Quick Fix - Part II

When we last spoke, our topic was performance improvement. In that discussion we were building an action plan by asking strategic questions to fully understand performance issues. In asking those questions we reflected on training as a way to lead a horse to water. Thirst is one motivating factor that moves the horse. Communication and trust are other important factors influencing the process.

Improving performance demands that we not only look at people but also at the environment in which they work. Our current economy affects business in different ways and talent management is something we must tie directly into performance plans.

Have you considered how the recession is affecting employee motivation, communication and trust? Recent survey results published in Training and Development magazine indicate that 54% of the workforce is likely to look for new jobs once the economy turns around (ASTD, Jan. 2010, p. 27). This includes the employees you believe to be your high performers. You may be thinking -- if these individuals are doing well, why would they consider leaving?

There may be many contributing factors. The recession is taking a toll on everyone. Employees are feeling overworked, under-appreciated and/or poorly compensated. Your high performers are burning out. Some high performing employees have been unsatisfied prior to the recession and are quietly waiting for job opportunities to open up again. These individuals have adapted to challenges introduced by economic conditions and have the skills that will make them competitive in a growing job market.

My uncle told me, "A cowboy ain't nothin' without his horse." That is not to say that people are horses. The horse however represents an important set of skills and tools necessary for improved performance. Your employees influence and drive the leadership of your organizational performance success. Looking at the collective data influencing performance is much like the cowboy driving cattle. The goal is to influence the leaders of the herd; the rest will follow. Moreover, the horse is the tool to influence that performance. A cowboy needs to take care of that horse just as employers need to take care of their employee skills.

Reflecting on this discussion allows us to think about how we equip our employees during this recession. My grandfather also believed that the best preparation for tomorrow is the proper use of today. This is the best advice I can share as we strive to survive and thrive in this economy. With the attrition challenge eminently upon us, it is important to start planning today. Keep your high performers engaged and moving the organization forward. Re-evaluate motivational issues by adding strategic questions to your 5-W list (in my last blog). By including this aspect of talent management in your performance improvement initiatives, your employees will be more motivated to stay with your organization as the economy begins to recover.

Our guest blogger, Peggy Rang, M.Ed., is a Training and Performance Improvement Consultant.