The secret to almost any successful project is preparation. E-learning web development is no different. Creating a space on your website for online learning requires careful planning and preparation, along with the partnership of an experienced web development company.
While that web development partner will create the features you need for your website, you are responsible for providing them with the information they need to build the right project for your business. As a result, there are a few preparatory steps you should take before starting an e-learning web development project.
Identify your target audience for your e-learning web development project.
No one online learning course will appeal to everybody. Instead, e-learning web development needs to target a specific audience (or audiences) who will most benefit from the online learning you offer. Knowing who that audience is can help to focus your e-learning web development project.
For example, say you want to offer an online driver’s ed course, like Online Driving Professor, to help students prepare for the written portion of the driving test. You need to know if your e-learning web development project will target adults or teens, students with special needs, students who have failed repeatedly and need extra tutoring, and so forth.
The audience you target will help determine what your e-learning web development project looks like. For example, students who are having trouble passing the written portion of the driving exam may need a chat portal that allows them to receive direct support from a staff member. On the other hand, teenagers looking to prep for the test for the first time may want to be able to access the course at their own pace at any time of the day or night. Knowing your audience allows you to create a project that caters to their needs.
Define the goals for your e-learning project.
Once you know who your target audience is for your e-learning web development project, you can focus on defining what you want to accomplish for those audiences.
For example, if you are offering an online course focused on the written part of the driving exam, your goal will obviously be to give students the knowledge they need to pass the exam. However, how do you plan to give them this knowledge? Your goal may be to provide them with one-on-one tutoring, to offer practice exams, to provide in-depth lectures, to offer learning alternatives for special needs, and so forth.
These goals will narrow down the specific functionality you want from the project. For example, if your goal is to offer one-on-one tutoring, your e-learning web development project may consist of building a chat or video portal for communication with your tutors. However, if your goal is to offer lectures and practice exams, your project may consist of building access to these lectures and exams on your website.
Specifying your exact goals for your e-learning project can give your web developer a clearer idea of what you need from your project. And that can start your project off on the right foot.
Know the basic logistics for your e-learning web development project.
Every project needs to be defined by two things: Timeline and budget. Without those two pieces of information, the project lacks the parameters necessary to succeed. As a result, part of your preparation for an e-learning web development project is to know both the timeline and the budget for the undertaking.
For example, do you only have a month to create the driver’s ed portion of your website? Then your developer needs to know that speed is as important as efficiency. However, if you have six months to complete the project, you may have more time to create a customized project.
If you have a tight budget, your developer will know to scale back the project to stay within your financial constraints. If your budget is larger, you can focus on adding functionality without worrying too much about the cost.
Once you have the basic logistics of timeline and budget in place, you and your developer can focus on creating an e-learning web development project that is both effective and within the constraints of your time and budget.
Define the scope of your e-learning web development project.
Every project has a certain scope to it. This scope defines all of the functionality, tools, and goals that should be implemented by the undertaking. When preparing for your e-learning web development project, you need to lay out the scope of the project. Understanding exactly what you need will ensure that you receive an accurate quote and sufficient support from your web development partner.
For example, if you are building an online driver’s ed course, you may want to determine how many lessons to upload, how many videos you will need, whether you need a chat functionality, how much traffic the course should be able to handle, and so forth. Once you have the scope of the project defined, you can more easily discuss an accurate timeline and pricing with your web developer.
Preparing for an e-learning web development project is a matter of thinking carefully beforehand about your needs, your wants, and your audience. When you can identify your target audience, along with their needs that your project can meet, define your goals, determine your timeline and budget, and define the scope of the project, you will be ready to create a project that works for your website. Here at WEBii, we have years of experience assisting clients with building online learning courses and can help you both prepare for and implement a project that enhances your website and goals.
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