The web is filled to the brim with articles talking about the benefits of outsourcing the development of training content.
While there is no denying that the instructional design expertise offered by such companies can be very beneficial for any training initiative, this doesn’t automatically make them the most viable solution to all training content development needs.
Outsourcing any business function should be preceded by thorough research and due diligence to ensure it is the best course of action to address the needs of your organisation.
Similarly, outsourcing training content development to corporate training companies can have immense advantages for your business, but only when due diligence is involved.
If you have been tasked with the responsibility of developing the elearning content for your organisation, make sure you consider the following points before making a decision regarding outsourcing:
Table of Contents
Conduct A Needs Analysis
A needs analysis is nothing but understanding why you are providing training to your employees and what kind of training is needed. For instance, if you are looking for a basic compliance training program, you may not even need custom content.
Similarly, if you need only a few simple modules about safety guidelines, then perhaps developing the training material in house would be cheaper.
On the contrary, if you want your employees to develop a new skill, or even sharpen their existing skills, like performing more fruitful sales calles, you should consider handing over the development to a pro.
Similarly, if you are offering an online course as a product, you will need to ensure it is designed to promote retention and produce results. Hence, a PPT will not cut it, you will need detailed videos and walkthroughs. If you think you have the skill set and time required to produce such training content, you can keep the control of the development process. Otherwise it is better to outsource.
Consider Your Budget
Once the purpose of your training is clear, it is time to consider the budget you can practically allocate to the development process. If you have already spoken to a few potential outsourcing partners, knowing your budget will automatically help you understand whether or not you can afford to outsource.
Typically, if your training material needs are limited, outsourcing may turn out to be the more pricey option. However, if you require a lot of specialised training content, or expect your needs to grow in the future, outsourcing may turn out to be the cheaper option in the long run.
Do You Have The Time?
Studies show, developing one hour of elearning training content, when you are working with templates, can take up to 118 hours. Of course, this time is divided between various resources such as designers, developers, subject matter experts, and instructional designers.
However, it still makes up for a significant chunk of time that your team will not be engaged in their core activities. Do you think you can pull your resources from their daily tasks for that long?
Moreover, ask yourself if the monetary savings of not outsourcing are worth spending precious paid hours of your in house resources on the development process.
Conclusion
Considering the above points, it should become much easier to decide if outsourcing is the right choice for your training material needs. If you still find yourself confused, know that it is a perfectly viable solution to outsource only certain parts of your training course and develop the rest in house.
Have you outsourced training content development in the past? How was your experience? Share with us and everyone else in the comment section below.
