Toolkit: What’s the Best eLearning Tool? It Depends

In this month’s column, I analyze many of the factors thatshould be considered before you purchase an eLearning tool or tools. Use thisas a means of determining the needs of your organization. Next month, I’llprovide you with a table of the tools you should actually consider based on theanswers you give to the questions posed here. As a result, the tool or toolsyou should consider may differ from those that are more appropriate for otherdevelopers.

Most people know me as an eLearning developer—I’ve been onefor a long, long time. I love developing learning, and I am always interestedin changes that are occurring in the eLearning tools market. In fact, peopleask me The Question all the time: “Joe, what is the best eLearningtool?”

It happens at conferences where I’m speaking and teaching.Having just returned from another wonderful Learning Solutions Conference &Expo, I can say I was asked the question at least five times. People ask methrough emails or when we’re talking on the phone. Sometimes little old ladiesstop me in the supermarket and ask me the question. (Or do I just imaginethat?)

My standard answer is, of course, that it depends. The nextquestion is, of course, “Depends on what?” Let’s look at the factors that playinto the decision.

Courses are not cookie-cutter productions

Most of the time, organizations are going to createdifferent kinds of courses for the different audiences they have. For instance,they may require:

1. Animated tutorials for their customers on theirproducts or services
2. Soft-skills scenarios that challenge their salespersonnel to counter potential objections from potential customers, using lotsof interactivity
3. Ready-made quick solution lessons for techsupport personnel who are helping customers online or on the phone
4. Orientations to the organization for newemployees
5. New business initiatives training
6. Many other needs

Delivery methods and audiences may differ

How, and to whom, will the learning be delivered?

1. Through the company intranet?
2. To a global audience?
3. To those with slow Internet speeds?
4. To those with disabilities?
5. On tablets, like the iPad?
6. On smartphones?
7. Also by live trainers in a classroom?
8. Also by live trainers online?

Determine how the lessons will be created

Will the lessons be developed:

1. By one developer?
2. By a team of developers working in the samelocation?
3. By a team of developers working in differentlocations?
4. By multiple developers who need to work on thesame lesson at the same time?

And think about these threequestions:

1. Do you need full support for HTML5 delivery?
2. Do you need full responsive design options?
3. Do you need to support older browsers?

What does your instructional design need?

What types of interactions and media do you need tohave?

1. A lot of control over how text looks?
2. Lots of image types?
3. GIF animations?
4. Embedded videos?
5. Links to online videos?
6. 3-D imagery?
7. Videos that allow the learner to stop toindicate a decision point, which you can then evaluate?
8. Embedded live web windows?
9. Software simulations of different types?
10. Wizard-based interactions?
11. Full drag-and-drop interaction support?
12. Hover support?
13. Learner collaboration through social media?
14. What else?

More factors

There are other factors to consider, too, such as:

1. How much is the tool license?
2. What is the reputation of the tool vendor, andwhat is its longevity?
3. Are you comfortable being a first adopter or doyou want a tool that has been around for a while?
4. Is the tool a PowerPoint add-in?
5. Is the tool installed on local computers?
6. Is the tool in the cloud?
7. What level of tech support is provided?
8. Is there a good, free online support community?
9. Does the tool company charge for delivery offinished lessons?
10. Is it easy to find contractors who are expertsin the tool?
11. Is training provided or at least available?

Important points

1. The choice of which tools to use in yourorganization needs to be carefully considered, and while I’ve listed many factorsabove, these lists are not all-inclusive. Consider what other factors maypertain to your organization that may not be listed. Feel free to share some ofthose factors in the comments section below to help others.
2. Organizations often choose one or two tools touse to create their eLearning lessons. Rarely will they have a number of toolsat their disposal. In part, this is because of the cost; in part, it’s becauseemployees require training to learn new tools; and in part, it’s simply becauseof a lack of understanding that different tools are used for different tasks. Oneor two tools may very well be all you need, or you may find yourself needingeven more than two tools.
3. Most tool vendors are slightly guilty ofpromoting the positive aspects of their tools and not stating when their toolsmay not fit your needs. Don’t just take their word for it. Talk to people whoare using the tools you’re considering.
4. Remember, if a tool is easy to use, it almostalways means it has fewer features than one that is considered powerful.
5. Lastly, do not fall into the trap of determiningyour instructional design based on what the tool you already have provides.This is a common mistake. For instance, you may be designing a lesson in which drag-and-dropinteractions will be important, such as heart surgery, where you want thelearner to demonstrate which scalpel to pick up and where to place it on thepatient.

Now, let’s say that you have theZoniscutti tool (don’t Google it, it doesn’t exist!) and it doesn’t havedrag-and-drop interactions. You will be tempted to change your instructionaldesign so that the learner will instead click the scalpel to use and then clickwhere on the body to place it. However, think hard about whether this will beas valid an instructional approach as the drag-and-drop approach. If it isn’t,then consider using a tool that does include drag-and-drop.

The same is true for any otherfactor that you may need in order to give the learner the best learningexperience. That is, after all, the whole point of what we do in this business.Be careful not to shortchange the learner for the sake of expediency.