What is rapid e-learning?

What is rapid e-learning?

Rapid e-learning development is a streamlined approach to creating online training materials and learning content quickly and efficiently. Rapid learning often involves using simpler authoring tools with fewer advanced options than traditional instructional design software.  

When you design for rapid e-learning, the focus is on performance-based learning objectives that directly link training to desired business goals. Existing training content, like instructor-led materials, older courses, and manuals, is often reused, keeping the process straightforward.  

This simplicity saves time for instructional designers and subject matter experts (SMEs), ultimately reducing costs for the organization. 

Creating e-learning courses faster has many advantages beyond saving time and money. Here are some rapid e learning examples where development can be particularly beneficial:  

• When time-sensitive training needs arise: Rapid e-learning ensures quick employee training on new regulations or compliance requirements, helping organizations meet urgent standards. 
• To educate sales teams and customers: Quickly train sales representatives and customer service teams on new product launches or updates. 
• For critical software or system updates: Employees can be rapidly trained on essential updates, ensuring seamless business operations. 

At Easygenerator, we specialize in empowering employees to create learning content, which offers significant organizational benefits. Our tool is designed for simplicity and speed, making it an ideal solution for rapid e-learning development. Instructional designers and SMEs alike find it easy to use, ensuring quick content creation without compromising quality. 

Let’s explore the benefits of rapid e-learning development in greater detail. 

What are the benefits of rapid e-learning development?

Time to market  

Rapid e-learning development enables organizations to respond promptly to training needs, ensuring information is delivered when it’s most needed. This agility ensures teams stay informed and compliant with minimal delays. Faster course deployment also means quicker adoption of new policies or practices. 

Cost-effective  

Faster content creation reduces costs. By lowering the time and resources needed, organizations can develop courses that may not have been feasible due to high costs or limited ROI.  

This approach broadens the scope of e-learning opportunities, allowing even small-scale training needs to be addressed cost-effectively. The ability to create more courses developed at a lower cost enhances the overall training strategy. 

Scalability  

Rapid e-learning supports creating multiple courses or modules that can be deployed across departments, locations, or even globally. It ensures all learners receive consistent, high-quality training regardless of location or role. This is crucial for multinational organizations aiming to standardize training across diverse teams. 

Flexibility  

Courses can be quickly updated to reflect new information, policy changes, or learner feedback. Additionally, existing content can be repurposed for different audiences or training needs, maximizing its usefulness. For instance, a training module created for one department can be modified to suit another with minimal effort. 

Agility  

Develop elearning programs that allow for continuous improvement based on learner feedback and performance analytics. This ensures training programs remain relevant, effective, and adaptable to evolving business needs or external changes. Organizations can stay ahead of the curve by swiftly addressing training gaps and updating content in real time. 

Rapid e-learning authoring tool features

Next to a straightforward design, the choice of authoring tool is crucial. “Normal” authoring tools that Instructional designers use for eLearning development are feature-rich and complex. For rapid e-learning development, you want a more straightforward tool, often referred to as rapid authoring tools, with just the right amount of features. But the rule of thumb here is less is more”.   

Here are some features of rapid e-learning development tools to look out for.  

Web-based  

Rapid elearning tools that are web-based are ideal because they’re easy to use and accessible from anywhere. They allow seamless collaboration among SMEs, graphic designers, and reviewers, reducing development time significantly.  

Cloud-based solutions also eliminate the need for complex installations, making them more practical. These tools also ensure that updates and changes can be implemented in real time, enhancing the speed of delivery. 

Facilities for micro-learning  

Consider breaking training into microlearning modules instead of creating a single comprehensive course. Look for tools that support formats like how-to guides, checklists, and other concise, actionable resources. Microlearning ensures learners can quickly access and absorb information, making it a perfect fit for rapid e-learning strategies. 

Sufficient features  

Choose rapid elearning authoring tools with essential features for creating interactive and engaging learning experiences. Ensure the tool offers a variety of question types for effective assessments but avoids unnecessary features that add development time without much benefit.  

Simplicity does not mean compromising on quality; the right balance of features ensures impactful content that helps engage learners while maintaining speed. 

Varied publishing options  

It speaks for itself that the output has to support mobile learning and be accessible across devices, from mobile to PC. However, you also want flexibility in where you publish the content. Instead of using your Learning Management System (LMS), you might want to use your Learning Experience platform (LXP).  

Maybe the best place to publish is on Sharepoint, Teams, Slack, or another channel. Keep your options open by choosing an authoring tool that can publish to more than an LMS (using SCORM). Make sure xAPI is supported. It is ideal if the tool can host the courses for you so you can share them anywhere with a link like you would share a YouTube video. 

Best practices for rapid e-learning development 

To effectively implement rapid e-learning development, it’s important to follow best practices that enhance quality, boost efficiency, and foster learner engagement. Here are three key tips to help you on this journey: practices: 

Focus on clear objectives 

Begin every course by outlining clear and meaningful learning objectives. It’s important that these objectives connect with your business goals and really speak to the specific needs of learners. Well-defined objectives not only steer the content creation process but also make sure the training remains engaging and relevant for everyone involved. 

Example: A company introducing new compliance regulations designs a rapid e-learning module with objectives like “Understand key compliance changes” and “Apply updated rules to daily tasks.” 

Keep content concise and actionable 

It’s best to avoid overwhelming learners with too much information at once. Instead, let’s break the content into smaller, more manageable pieces that focus on actionable insights and real-world applications. Formats like short videos, quizzes, or engaging interactive scenarios are wonderful for quick and effective e-learning! 

Example: Instead of a lengthy module on customer service, provide short lessons on “Handling difficult customers” and “Upselling techniques.” 

Involve subject matter experts (SMEs) 

Working together with SMEs is a great way to ensure our content is both accurate and relevant. Their expertise not only helps us craft high-quality materials quickly but also ensures we maintain the depth necessary to truly meet our learning objectives. 

Example: An SME in online security contributes to a rapid e-learning course by providing real-world examples of security breaches and best practices to avoid them. 

Conclusion 

Rapid e-learning development is changing the game for organizations by making training creation and delivery faster, simpler, and more efficient. It allows companies to swiftly meet urgent training needs, save on costs, and enjoy greater flexibility.  

By selecting the right tools and honing in on key features, organizations can craft high-quality and impactful learning experiences that align perfectly with their goals. This approach not only meets immediate training demands but also lays the groundwork for ongoing learning and growth.  

When combined with a focus on continuous improvement, these strategies ensure that training programs stay relevant and effective, meeting the needs of both learners and business objectives.