STP204 Getting It Done Yesterday: Rapid Development Processes for Tight Timelines
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM Wednesday, March 28
Expo Hall: Tools & Platforms Stage
What does a development team do when they discover that multiple programs require new courses in order to ensure graduates in every state can receive teaching licenses? This is the challenge Western Governors University faced. State endorsement changes meant creating 17 new courses in less than three months. How did this challenge become a growth opportunity for the team to create a rapid development process?
In this case study session, find out how the WGU team implemented a rapid development process to develop quality courses with an impossible deadline. You will learn how teams comprising instructional designers, curriculum program managers, SMEs, and vendors utilized collaborative tools and strategies to implement an agile design process to develop courses that adhered to quality standards. You’ll explore how three instructional designers applied the agile framework in different ways to deliver quality courses in math, literacy, and science. And you’ll walk away with tips and resources to help your own rapid development.
In this session, you will learn:
- How applying the agile method of development makes eLearning design more efficient and effective
- How to maximize the potential of collaborative tools to effectively work with a variety of stakeholders and minimize the need for long meetings
- How iterative editing and quality assurance practices ensure course quality when developing courses in a short time frame
- How rapid development can be successful in a variety of course management systems or within different third-party platforms.
Audience:
Novice to intermediate designers, developers, project managers, managers, directors, and senior leaders (VP, CLO, executive, etc.).

Lesley Reilly
Instructional Designer: Teachers College at WGU
Western Governors University
Lesley Reilly is an instructional designer for Teachers College at Western Governors University. For 12 years prior to joining WGU, she worked for EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO) collaborating with teams of instructional designers, SMEs, and media specialists to help clients understand and meet their educational needs through online learning. Lesley draws from her experience as a classroom teacher to design and develop meaningful learning experiences online. She has a master’s degree in educational technology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Michigan.

Samantha Coen
Instructional Designer
Western Governors University
Samantha Coen is an instructional designer at Western Governors University. She has about 10 years’ experience in online course design and development as an instructional designer in both higher education and corporate settings. Samantha has proven experience in designing online programs, creating interactive learning environments, and implementing adaptive learning solutions. She holds an MS in instructional design and is presently a doctoral student specializing in instructional design for online learning.