E-Learning for Small- to Medium-Sized BusinessesDiane Elkins and Desireé WardAlcorn, Ward, & Partners, Inc.

E-Learning for Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses

Key Strategies1. Sell the Business Benefits.2. Find the Right Format.3. Pick Affordable, Easy-to-Use Technology.4. Build a Flexible Development Team.

#1 Sell the Business Benefits

Do you have the right business case for e-learning?A quiz

Do You Need e-Learning?

1. Do you have a geographically dispersed workforce?2. Does your audience work in different time zones or on

different shifts?3. Do you have to train on a subject frequently?4. Do you have people with low productivity or high error

rates because they have to wait for the next training class to be offered?

5. Do you have a large number of people to train?6. Do you have mandated training?

Do You Need e-Learning?

7. Do you need to reach a lot of people very quickly (such as product knowledge for a new launch or a new legal requirement)?

8. Do you need to train on complex information? 9. Would it be useful for people to be able to go back and

study a section over?10. Do you need to train people with a wide variety of pre-

existing knowledge on a subject (some are experienced, some are novices, some in the middle)?

11. Do different portions of your audience need slightly different information?

Do You Need e-Learning?

12. Would you like people to be able to test out?13. Would your information benefit from video or animation

(such as a moving diagram of how a manufacturing process works)?

14. Would you like to provide the same level of training in less time?

15. Would you like to reduce your travel, training facilities, and materials costs?

16. Would you like to free up your training staff for other projects?

#1 Sell the Business Benefits• There is no scoring

– Just one “yes” could justify the cost/effort– All “yes”es might still not justify the cost

• Use as a checklist to quantify the benefits– Generate support– Request funding– Make design and development decisions

#2 Find the Right Format

• Synchronous Training• Off-the-Shelf Content• Custom Development

– By Vendors– By an Internal Team

Synchronous Training

Synchronous Training

Advantages for the S2M Business• Per student pricing• Smaller development effort• Smaller learning curve• Quick deployment with low I.T. integration

Synchronous Training

Disadvantages for the S2M Business• Still need trainers• Trainers need some new skills• Technical difficulties for student

Synchronous Pricing Models

• Per use– About 35¢ per student, per minute– 30 students x 90 minutes x 35¢ = $945

• Monthly per seat– Maximum number of users at any given time, unlimited

sessions and duration.– $375 for 10 seats

Off-the-Shelf Courseware

Positive Market Trends for S2M Businesses• More content to choose from• More competitive (lower prices)• Ability to customize content• Packaging with other tools:

– LMS, authoring, webcast• Ability to post your own content as well

Off-the-Shelf Courseware

Advantages for the S2M Business• Per student licensing• Good interim solution• Easy to deploy – with their help• Designed for low bandwidth, low media

Off-the-Shelf Courseware

Disadvantages for the S2M Business• Not company-specific• Can be more expensive over the long haul• Only have courses as long as you are paying• Lots of bad content out there

Off-the-Shelf Pricing

• Courseware– $2 to $8 per course per student per year– Example: 200 students x 20 courses x $4 = $16,000/yr.

• Learning Management– Free– $2,500 per year for 300 users– $5-$10 per year per user– Full enterprise pricing

• Other Fees

Custom Development - VendorAdvantages for the S2M Business

• Don’t have to invest in technology• Don’t have to re-train your team• Team members can continue current efforts• Not as much long-term commitment

Custom Development - VendorDisadvantages for the S2M Business

• The most expensive-looking price tag• Still need to learn enough to manage the

vendor• If you don’t do it right, lots of nightmares

Vendor Development Pricing• Brandon Hall:

– Prices range from $750 to $600,000– Average price $26,618

• Pricing Variables– Condition of content– Level of interactions and questions– Media usage– Programming requirements

Custom Development - InternalAdvantages for the S2M Business

• Lowest up-front dollar outlay• You may have people but not dollars

Custom Development - InternalDisadvantages for the S2M Business

• Longest learning curve• May overextend your team• Project delays due to other commitments• Many skills needed

Internal Development Estimates• Time Estimates

– One-time tasks: 100 to 300 hours– Per course hour: 40 to 250 hours

• Time Estimate Variables– Condition of content– Level of interactions and questions– Media usage– Programming requirements (authoring tool)

#2 Find the Right Format

When do I need:• Webcasting?• Off-the-shelf courseware?• Custom development – vendor?• Custom development – internal?

Technology Dangers

• Overbuying– Keeping up with the Jones’– Needs not clearly established– Solution: Needs assessment

• Overpaying– Hard to find all the options available– Easy to believe salespeople– Solution: Caveat Emptor

#3 Pick Your Technology

• Learning Management Systems• Course Authoring Tools

Learning Management

Positive Market Trends for S2M Businesses• More small to mid market vendors• LMSs packaged with other systems• Room for more improvement

LMS PricingFrom Brandon Hall: Pricing over 3 years

Types of Solutions

• Hosted• Packaged • Hybrid• Custom

• 2002 LMS Shootout for Small- to Medium-Sized Implemenations http://www.brandonhall.com/public/shootouts/

Course Authoring Tools

Positive Market Trends for S2M Businesses• Tools requiring NO programming knowledge• End-user tools with many features/flexibility• Less proprietary• More and more affordable

Authoring Tool Pricing

• Hosted vs. Packaged• Types of tools

– Rapid development tools ($900 to $3,000)– Web development tools ($200 to $700)– Advanced authoring tools ($700 to $5,000 and up)– Element tools ($100 to $5,000 and up)

Rapid Development Tools• Lectora Publisher

• Tactic! Editor• Elicitus• Captivate (formerly RoboDemo)• Articulāte Presenter

#4 Build a Flexible Team

• Subject-Matter Experts• Vendor Partners• Training Department

Subject-Matter Experts

• Advantages & Disadvantages• Strategies

– Training– Templates– Tools

Vendor Partners• Advantages & Disadvantages• Strategies

– Getting Started– Documentation and Source Code– Non-Reliance– Scaleability

Training Department

• Advantages & Disadvantages• Strategies

– Training– Separation of Labor– Rapid Development

E-Learning for Small- to Medium-Sized BusinessesDiane Elkins (dpelkins@alcorn-ward.com)Desireé Ward (dward@alcorn-ward.com)Alcorn, Ward, & Partners, Inc.

E-Learning for Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses