How can you design an E-Learning platform that users will love?

Start by designing with the brutal truth about e-learning that your users won't tell you - they don't want to be here. For most users - learning is friction in their workflow - but don't take this personally! Design for this right up front - turn off anything (features/buttons) that gets in the way. Once the platform is accepted by users, you can strategically enable new features.

I like an approach that offers consistency, personalization, clear instructions and use of universal design and accessibility. I've observed brands/products like Tesla, BMW, Chick-fil-A or Apple. The products adhere to a design standard that users don't have to ask is applied. It's the standard. I know that when I go to Chick-fil-A, no matter the location or franchise, I get a consistent order experience and level of service. We need to learn how to do the same; focus on the learner and helping learning occur. I believe that happy learners are so because the customer service experience with the LMS is top notch. Getting an answer to that question brings happiness. Having menu options in a consistent location brings happiness.

create a user-friendly, engaging, and effective learning experience is one of the most important factors. If a user doesn't connect to the aesthetics for whatever reason, the game is already lost!

Designing an E-Learning platform that users will love involves a combination of technical proficiency, an understanding of educational principles, and a keen awareness of user experience. 1. Understand Your Audience 2. Focus on User Experience (UX) ? Intuitive Design, Accessibility, Mobile Compatibility 3. High-Quality Content ? Engaging Material, Relevance 4. Interactive Learning Experience ? Gamification, Collaboration Tools, Feedback 5. Technical Considerations ? Robust Technology, Scalability, Integration Capabilities 6. Continuous Improvement 7. Personalization & Adaptability ? Customizable Learning Paths, Adaptive Learning Technologies 8. Pilot Testing and Feedback 9. Continuous Learning Culture

Before the design of any artifact, course, platform, etc., it is crucial to know your audience. Gather all the information you can through direct and indirect channels - partner with Talent Acquisition (if possible), observe learners in both their learning and working environments, engage in surveys and roundtables. The better you know the audience, the more engaging you can design the learning ecosystem.

In my opinion, the learning objective is essential for learners. When learning objectives are engaging, they motivate learners to delve deeper into the concepts and explore topics further. Therefore, it's crucial to create compelling learning objectives. Using the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—is key to crafting effective learning outcomes.

Use learning objectives as trail markers: if you deviate too much, the final outcome will be confusing for the learners and the client! You can put these objectives in a dashboard were you can access them daily.

What do they need to be able to DO when they FINISH? On the job, in the field... Etc. That is what the task should align to. Then, what will get them there? That is the objectives. Remember, the more psychomotor and DOING that they get to do, the more it will stick. Avoid tons of cognitive overload.

Frame learning objectives as tasks to be accomplished, rather than concepts to be understood: "At the end of this course, you will ..." Don't write: "... Understand our new expense report policy; ... Communicate the value of our product to customers; ... Learn how to protect employee data." Do write: "... Upload your expense reports to the new Payroll portal; ... Demo our product to customers; ... Audit employee data." Add value in subordinate clauses: "... to the new Payroll portal to ensure your prompt reimbursement; ... to our customers with confidence; ... data in compliance with your region's law."

I’m surprised that this isn’t listed as number 1! While it is certainly important to consider who the learners are in the context of an e-learning course, learning objectives are perhaps the most important part of the e-learning design puzzle.

Effective e-learning is about delivering content that fits into our learners' busy lives. They're juggling work and personal commitments, so our platform needs to offer more than just information – it should provide a simple, usable, and relevant experience. Think quality over quantity. If you're relying on timers to force learners to engage, you're off track. The key is simplicity and familiarity. Survey your audience ask what format they prefer, and deliver concise, essential content that respects and values the learner's time. This approach doesn't just make your platform user-friendly; it positions you as an ally in their growth, creating an E-Learning experience they'll love and trust.

In my opinion, the most relevant question for each course on the platform is "How do your users learn?" It is important to make the difference between children and adult learning, for example, or between the different types of courses that comprise different types of content. A blend of different e-learning methods could be the answer... or not. However, if you find the answer to this question for each particular course on the platform, the platform will be a success.

Imagine going to a dinner for an event and everyone has the exact same meal. Regardless of their interests, food allergies, adversions, and more. How would that dinner be different if it were a buffet that everyone could pick what they wanted? Would more people be happy and "full"? E-Learning is no different. Learners learn in different ways and as designers, it is our job to provide a "buffet" in courses. Reflections, simulations, case studies, practice, debriefs, videos, reading... have some of everything to best meet each learner's needs.

In my view, the essence of great e-learning lies in its simplicity and the warmth of support it offers. It's all about that 'click-and-you're-there' ease, vital for engaging every employee, especially those new to online learning. Imagine a 'help' button ?? that feels like a reassuring hand on your shoulder in this often solitary digital journey. And let's not forget our blue-collar workers – they too deserve e-learning that's clear and straightforward. By embracing both white-collar and blue-collar employees in our learning culture within organizations, you can truly enrich the learning culture for everyone.

Keep it simple to use, add cool videos and incorporate engaging multimedia elements, implement interactive assessments,make quizzes fun, and let users learn at their own pace. Regularly ask them what they think to refine and enhance the platform based on user preferences and needs.?

The key principle of UX design is predictability. As Steve Krug pleads, "Don't make me think!" Don't make me think about where the Back button is if I make a mistake. Don't make me think about how to mute the volume if I'm in a public area. Don't make me think about how to turn on captions or find the transcript if I've got a napping baby. Don't make me wonder if I got a question right or completed a task correctly. Let me think only about the content. Let me reach the learning objective, and then get back to work.

To create an e-learning platform that users truly appreciate, simplicity and intuitiveness are key. The more user-friendly and straightforward the platform, the better the experience for learners. Understanding your end users deeply and tailoring both the presentation of learning content and the platform’s features to their needs can significantly enhance user satisfaction. This approach not only makes the platform more appealing but also improves accessibility and increases the likelihood that users will engage with it effectively, ultimately fulfilling the primary goal of any e-learning system: to facilitate learning.

As i mentioned in my comment on "3 Choose your content and format", with a project like teaching tech to a senior audience, the interface was the most important aspect of the experience. We used storyline assets to replicate some actions you can do on your phone before they tested it out on theirs. We added videos of a spokesperson going at a relative slow pace through the activities. And all those interactions were meant to be fun as well! Having a good understanding of the audience and the learning objectives will guide the UX so it feels like an intuitive journey.

L'UX un point très important aussi. A cette étape je préconise encore l'intégration des utilisateurs et dans ma méthode eVaL TooLs, on créé un pilote avec 5 utilisateurs ciblés pour tester les outils ou dispositifs avant de déployer. C'est super efficace car cela permet d'améliorer le livrable final et de satisfaire au mieux les utilisateurs. Des utilisateurs + satisfaits et mieux formés = un ROI plus élevé

You should have already looked at the UI from day 1 point one. Keep it simple At this stage it’s where you flesh it out that initial structure. Remember there’s more than one road that leads to Rome. In the same thought concepts make it as intuitive as possible but having more than one way to access the material helps different users to access the materials.

A great course can be a nightmare for users if deployed on a non-compliant E-learning platform. Various publishing options of modern-day course development tools should be accommodated on the platform. The platform should not only be designed to be accessible, responsive, user-friendly, fast, and engaging, but it should also be able to integrate emerging trends in the fast-paced E-learning world.

Prioritize UX. For your eLearning to be as effective as you want it to be, it must have an intuitive interface. Make navigation easy and clear, build robust search functionalities, and organize menus logically. Also, your eLearning should have a responsive design with excellent accessibility. You also need to consider engagement, personalized learning, and progress tracking.

I always work with my phone by my side. Mostly because I'm addicted to my cell phone. But also because I will periodically check the design on the app or phone browser. Checking as I go is better than realizing something doesn't work as I envisioned after hours of work. When you have a choice, ALWAYS pick the digital content. There is a way to link to instructional content and resources using descriptive link text. In my 8 years of designing decorative header graphics for e-learning, I also learn to use WebAIM Contrast Checker, and get in the habit of adding alt text as I upload images. I use Grammarly to check for spelling and grammar. The course should be free from distracting errors. And of course, use headers and WC3!

Revolutionize your platform's evolution Transforming your E-Learning platform into a user-centric powerhouse requires continuous reinvention. Embrace diverse sources like user reviews, ratings, testimonials, and A/B testing to gather insights. Rather than solely relying on conventional metrics, draw inspiration from real-time examples. For instance, study adaptive learning models in other industries to spark innovative improvements. Foster a culture of perpetual learning, experimentation, and iteration for a dynamic platform that evolves with the ever-changing digital landscape.

Use it as a learner would try to break it. Give it to others - trial it tweak it and try again. Keep going until you can’t break it and it ‘feels’ smooth and simple. Get others involved get feedback - what’s simple for you may not be simple for others. once launched get feedback from your learners and make improvements.

I don’t know that users will ever “love” a learning platform or even consider that. They’ll love the learning experience and that has everything to do with how you make them feel while they engage with the learning. I suppose ease of use and intuitiveness impact that to an extent, but I’d say it’s more about how they feel the learning experience sees them for who they are, allows flexibility and autonomy, honors their authentic lived experiences, contributes to their overall goals and more.

We have to bear in mind that it is a digital product, even when we look at it as a SaaS. So it's important to consider your target audience as consumers/customers, not only as learners. In this context, I'd say that combining a Discovery Research with an agile approach when building an MVP is the best way to go. The research will help you with the big decisions and to find a direction, and building an MVP with an agile methodology will allow you to learn fast from drawbacks and imperfections and iterate continuously towards excellence.

Adding a smart quiz strategy into your E-Learning mix is a game changer. Think of quizzes as more than just a score tally. They're a golden opportunity to make learning stick. By providing personalized feedback on each question, you're essentially giving your learners a one-on-one chat with their virtual tutor. This kind of interaction can really mirror the vibe of a classroom discussion, making the digital learning experience feel more connected and responsive. So, when you're plotting out your content, remember to sprinkle in those quizzes thoughtfully. It's all about making questions that not only challenge but also enlighten your learners, complete with feedback that guides them through their learning journey like a compass.

When designing an E-Learning platform that learners will love, begin with the user experience. How is the navigation? Is it clean and easy to find what they need? In terms of content, is it quality and meaningful, or just fluff? Also, how accessible is it? Do you have elements to keep learners engaged and provide regular updates based on user feedback? Remember, a user-centric approach makes a difference in how well learners engage on your platform.

Build an E-Learning oasis! Dig deep into user dreams, then sculpt razor-sharp goals. Blend bite-sized content, interactive oases, and dynamic paths like Khan Academy. Craft an interface that whispers, not shouts, and fuels learning with gamified sprints. Measure progress like a botanist, tending knowledge blooms. Remember, your haven never stops growing: add VR/AR shoots, sprinkle AI fertilizer, and watch new minds blossom.