Strategic Planning - Content development best practices
?In my previous article I discussed measuring learner performance. Your takeaway should be an understanding of the performance measurement value and how it fits into the strategic content development plan.
?In this article, I will discuss the importance of having a well-defined content development methodology coupled with best practice standards.
Why have a methodology and best practices?
?Most content development efforts are staffed by multiple people. Without a set of guidelines to create and manage the deliverables it would be difficult to maintain consistency across all of the creators and the learning assets they produce.
?In what I describe over the following paragraphs, there will be some overlap between what I refer to as a content development methodology and best practices standards. You may rearrange the details if it feels like a better fit or you could lump them all together under a single topic area of best practices.
?My attempt here is to demonstrate that there are process related activities that affect the content creators, which I term the methodology, and the best practice standards that address the constructive guidelines focusing on the asset presentation, the messaging standards, and the look and feel of the assets that shapes the learner experience.
Content Development Methodology
?This speaks to the approach we take in content development, and it is intended to serve the people developing the learning assets. It should describe how we plan the work, and at a minimum, it should include most of the following:
?The more we can structure how we operate, the more confident the team will be in their execution of work, and the more consistent the deliverables will be. I would also add that in a remote work environment, enabling each team member to be self-reliant and to have confidence in a well-designed guiding methodology can greatly reduce the dependency on communications which may not be available in the moment needed.
?In a team environment, assets often have multiple people enriching them. One person may record the initial simulation, another may edit the individual slides for proper instructional content and still others may create the derivative documentation. How this is done should be identical across all created contents regardless of who is involved in the process. Furthermore, having a content development methodology adds a level of comfort for all parties when the asset hand-off between creators takes place.
Best Practice Standards
?The details of the learning assets should have the same look and feel, such that they offer a unified and cohesive presentation when viewed in their entirety. Font size, color and the typeface used need to be defined, along with any text modifiers - bolding, italicizing, underlining or adding bullets or numbering schemes. The placement of elements such as logos, taglines and imagery should also be included in the best practice standards.
?Word choice and phrasing for consistency in messaging, the type, frequency and details of instructional text that is used to enrich the learning materials should be defined. On screen guiding text should be positioned and scaled with consistency and where possible, a minimalist approach should be taken.
?An understanding of the audience should be explained within the best practice standards to support the intended messaging. This would help clarify the use of acronyms and other technical jargon.
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?Most of the details can be covered within a style guide. I’ve written an earlier article on the topic and to avoid repeating the same content, I recommend that you read through it. You can find the article by clicking this link - SAP Enable Now – Style Guides.
Summary??????
?The learner is hyper-sensitive to the variations of the learning experience and where possible, each learning asset should have the fit and feel of any other asset within the collection. We want the learner focused on consuming the material and not struggling with the structure and presentation of what we deliver.
?The content developers should also have proper guidance to enable them to work efficiently and confidently in a team environment. To achieve both of these objectives, a strategic content development plan should include a well-defined content development methodology coupled with best practice standards.
?Your key takeaway should be an awareness of how content development methodology and best practice standards fit into the planning and how they drive the desired quality and consistency in the learning deliverables.
What’s next?
?In my next article I will touch on regulatory requirements. These may include government, security, or health and safety driven requirements that play into the strategic planning for content development.
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Mr. Gray is a seasoned business strategist experienced in SAP Enable Now implementation and training, PMO stand up, digital and business transformation, process development, and best practice guidance. He has developed industry-leading methods for SAP Enable Now readiness, staff modeling, project deployment, financial performance, team onboarding, and business readiness. Mr. Gray is a problem solver at heart and a sharer of knowledge by choice. He has authored more than one hundred thought provoking articles which are all available on Linked-In.
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