What eLearning Software Features Can Save You Both Time And Money
Here are some tips to choose eLearning software with features that can help you to save time.
Cloud-Based Authoring Tools
Cloud-based tools are online eLearning software that you access through the internet. Desktop eLearning software is installed on your PC. Since cloud-based authoring tools reside completely online, you don't need to install anything on your PC. Moreover, desktop systems need regular updates and upgrades, which is time-consuming and would be costly at times. Cloud-based tools do not require regular updates. Also, with cloud-based systems, you won't face any storage issues.
In comparison to desktop eLearning software, cloud-based systems are easier to use. Cloud-based software is also more flexible as most of these tools also provide collaboration features, which means multiple authors can collaborate online to create eLearning. If you are serious about saving time creating eLearning, cloud-based eLearning software is more dependable than installed versions.
Importing Content
Most often, SMEs prepare the content and storyboard in a powerpoint or Word document format. To save time in producing eLearning, choose an eLearning software that allows direct document import. This cuts back the time it takes to copy and paste content to the slides.
Also, look for tools that help you store your assets within the system. This will make it easy to reuse your assets like images, charts, and audio video files. Check how much flexibility the tool provides in importing content. What files type are supported? Do the software allows importing images along with text? Can you also import audio?
Responsive eLearning
Nowadays, with a number of devices available in the market, it has become all the more important to create your eLearning courses device-friendly. Gone are the days of flash-based animated pages. Make sure your eLearning software creates responsive HTML5 output automatically.
Most eLearning authoring tools provide an option to download HTML5 responsive output, but the effort and the time it takes to make your courses truly responsive and device-ready vary.
While choosing your authoring software, check if it provides an automated feature to convert slides to responsive HTML5 pages. Does the HTML5 output get adjusted to different screen resolutions automatically or do you have to create separate designs manually for each resolution?
Choose eLearning software that automatically converts your eLearning slides into fully responsive HTML5 eLearning pages as it saves a lot of time.
eLearning Automation
Automation saves time, but this is not the only reason why you should look at automating your eLearning development process. The time saved could be used in creating a foolproof learning strategy, and this helps a great deal in improving the effectiveness of your eLearning.
There are many options to bring automation to your eLearning development process. Many authoring tools provide process automation features. Cross check the possibilities of automating your eLearning development process before you decide to purchase one. Generally, automated course authoring software is more costly, but in long term, it would help you save a lot of both money and time.
Asset Library
One of the main areas where you spend most of your time as regards your eLearning development is creating assets in the form of images and buttons. If you have access to an asset library, it will certainly save some time, but it would be even better if you chose an eLearning software that provided a big asset library.
There are eLearning software tools that come with asset libraries that include stock images, vector characters, button and image assets, animated gif libraries and even audio and stock video libraries. Make an assessment of your requirements, and choose a tool that provides an asset library that caters to your requirements. This would save you a lot of time creating that simple but time-consuming artwork.
APIs To Connect To An LMS
How often do you need to update your courses? It would help you a great deal in saving time if you analyzed the effort it takes to update your courses even before creating the course. Does your eLearning software makes it easy to update your courses or is updating as hard as creating the course? Once the course is updated, how easy is it to publish the courses and upload them back to the LMS?
You may choose eLearning software that allows easy integration with Learning Management Systems. This would not only save time updating your courses, but it would also make it easy to personalize and customize the content if needed.
