Frequently Asked Questions
7. How important is it to create one's own customized content?
Content creation is probably the most difficult challenge in creating an effective e-learning system, especially in the field of soft-skill development, and can be extremely expensive. While it's relatively easy to find or create good content -- every organization usually feels that it has a huge amount of great raw material for this purpose -- the difficult part is making it come alive online in a way that will bring real value for the learner. It is possible to license use of a content creation system to create one's own content. But most of these are based on 'first-generation' e-learning principles. While they may produce content that looks great on-line -- often with sophisticated visuals and animated sequences -- they do not necessarily result in great learning except for the simplest instructional applications.
For most organizations, especially those with tight resources or that run the risk of being pulled off core mission through extensive investments in content production activity, the content creation should be approached with great caution. NewMindsets urges its customers to follow what it calls the "95 - 5" principle, or some variation thereof. Try to serve 95% of your content needs off the shelf and focus your attention and resources on developing the 5% of content that relates to your special needs. Within this customized 5% we also urge caution and "to keep it simple" because the content creation can easily run out of control. Our experience is that it is often possible to meet a lot of special content needs by linking to established resources and adding a simple performance-learning dimension that will encourage users to approach them with specific competence development, problem solving or organizational needs in mind. We have created a self authoring system that allows clients to do this themselves with a minimum of support, allowing rapid creation of content needed to support specific job requirements and blended learning programs that are unique to the client in terms of look, feel and impact. More sophisticated content needs, e.g. for complex simulations or company-specific sales development or training programs, are best satisfied by contracting with companies specializing in this kind of product development.
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