Kristin E.

Here’s how I estimate time for an eLearning development project. I wrote recently that a typical instructional design and development eLearning project in a tool like Storyline is usually 10 to 12 weeks for us. https://lnkd.in/erT_92mt That’s my starting calendar for a project plan, but the actual time needed (and therefore the weeks) can vary wildly. Some projects we’re doing in mere days. Some we’re working on for multiple months. So, this is a little deeper dive into how I approach that estimating. The four main factors I consider when quoting a project are: 1️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. Has the front-end analysis work been done? Does the content already exist? How complete and stable is it? Does it provide actionable steps for the learner? 2️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐲 is driven by the learning objective and relates to what the end product might be. Has it already been designed and we are simply production or are we performing the whole project? What level is needed and how much effort will it take to build? 3️⃣ 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 relates to how my team will need to work the project in order to meet the request. Is it a typical timeline or a rush? Is there an available SME to answer questions and how responsive will this person be? 4️⃣ 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 comes from our PM tool. As I scope, I try to find similarities with previous work. Then, I run reports on those past projects and see how much time we spent. My team and I will take those numbers and debate it, such as this project went well because we had a great SME or that one went off the rails because the content kept changing. All of this helps us hone in on what the new project might be like. Try to build in some contingency. I’ll also sometimes take our own historical time spent and cross-reference it with data from the L&D industry. My three favorites to reference are: Bryan Chapman, How Long Does it Take to Create Learning? Despite this PowerPoint being 15 years old, the time estimates are still really strong. https://lnkd.in/eTbC-KgU Robyn A. D., How Long Does It Take to Develop Training? New Question, New Answers. I don’t agree with the numbers in this 2020 ATD survey quite as much, and they used a variety of course lengths, but still good info. https://lnkd.in/ef8gVSeQ Christy Tucker, Time Estimates for eLearning Development. This 2019 post walks through Christy's thought process for estimating hours on a big project. https://lnkd.in/ex6_ykQ7 I hope this info is helpful to you. My biggest advice is to track your time spent and build formulas based on that and industry resources like the links I’ve included. What other steps do you take when estimating an eLearning project?

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If you are creating or authoring Rise content. I recommend checking out Articulate’s maturity plan for Storyline. It outlines known accessibility issues with the application, if there is a planned fix, and provides additional workarounds and details. #accessibility https://lnkd.in/gBjW8VfP

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Twine is my favorite tool for creating branching scenarios. It's the fastest way for me to plan the branching structure and write the content without the tool getting in the way. While I've been using Twine for basic prototypes for years, I've also been working on ways to improve the visual design. One easy approach to a more polished design is using an image background. In Twine, you can add that background in two ways: with macros or CSS. My blog post includes code to copy and paste into your own Twine projects to make it simple for you. https://lnkd.in/e-PMRB_w

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Tired of hearing "it's impossible" when it comes to making drag-and-drop interactions in Articulate Storyline fully accessible? At ID Atlas, we believe in solutions! Our new project tutorial explains a method for building WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 compliant drag-and-drop interactions using a freeform slide with buttons (and LOTS of variables) in Storyline. It includes essential techniques such as enabling keyboard navigation with motion paths, implementing variable-based answer checking, and using effective alt text. We've got a working demo for you to play around with and a FREE .story template (just rename .zip to .story) to download and let you get a look under the hood! A big thank you to Art Del Rosario for his work in helping to develop this accessible interaction project. Full tutorial & download: https://lnkd.in/dVFdGCUJ #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #Accessibility #WCAG #Section508 #Articulate360 #Storlyine #IDAtlas #Freebie

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Hey Learning Designers! A week ago, I had the opportunity to share what I’ve been learning about instructional storytelling with the Learning Jam Club. 👽 We talked about how good storytelling is powerful for both ILT and eLearning. The approach is the same—but the execution looks a little different. 👉 In this 360° Coffee Shop sample, you’ll see a setup for a story in action. Can you spot it? To help you apply storytelling to ILT and eLearning, I put together a Free 1-pager Storytelling Handout with: - My favorite simple definition of a good story - The 4 essentials of instructional storytelling - 4 AI tools you can use to build stories faster 📩 Comment → “Storytelling” below and I’ll send it over! When it comes to building a standout ID portfolio, Storytelling is one feature. Others include: 1️⃣ Niche skillset (Immersive learning + AI, or your unique edge) 2️⃣ Design thinking (show your process with wireframes, storyboards, mockups, prototypes) 3️⃣ Personality (topics you care about + your authentic voice) ✨ If you’d like to explore how to bring all these features together in The 12-Hour Shortcut, you can book a call here to learn more → https://lnkd.in/ejjCiTAU

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Ask Sage AI has become my daily copilot for instructional design. In the Analysis & Design stages of ADDIE, I load policy docs, course maps, and old course notes into datasets and use grounded prompting to produce CLO/LO alignments, Bloom’s mappings, rubrics, and lesson storyboards for new course design in minutes, not hours! Recent use example: I transformed a course that existed only as a PPT deck (with notes) into a foundational text/lesson–based course. Ask Sage parsed the slides, organized concepts into a clean module flow, turned notes pages into first-pass lesson narratives, and proposed assessments aligned to our objectives. Even better, it crosswalked the newly generated content against our updated learning objectives, flagged gaps and then adjusted sequencing and phrasing so lessons, activities, and assessments stayed aligned. Outcome: no blank-page pain, easier starting point for the SME to do their magic, fewer rework loops, faster reviews, and clear traceability back to source materials. For IDs who need rigor at speed, Ask Sage is a force multiplier. Nicolas M. Chaillan Ask Sage, Inc. #InstructionalDesign #ADDIE #LearningScience #AIinEducation #AskSage #GenerativeAI

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PDFs are one of the biggest accessibility challenges in higher ed—and fixing them is critical for Title II readiness. Anthology Ally’s new PDF Quick Fixes make remediation easy, directly in the LMS, with no extra tools or training. See how simple fixes lead to big impacts. Read more: https://ow.ly/tjkZ50X1Qqz #DigitalAccessibility #HigherEd #Ally #TitleIICompliance

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Why would a non-blind, non-technical instructional designer or course creator be interested in learning how to use a screen reader? Aren't those just for visually impaired people and accessibility auditing teams? not quite. Think of a screen reader as a secret weapon in your ID toolkit. or, if you're a nerd like me, in your superhero toolbelt. Understanding how to use a screen reader helps you design your content in a way that is more thoughtful, more inclusive, and more compliant. - You can test your own content designs to make sure they work for everyone. - You gain empathy and insight into how people use their screen readers, meaning you can adjust your designs so they actually make sense. - you'll be able to create more compliant courses from the start, meaning you'll be able to proactively design accessible content that is also beautiful, rather than spending hours making beautiful content that you later have to remediate. - you'll have a skill that most other IDs don't have. At a time when the ADA Title 2, European Accessibility Act, Section 508, and similar laws are starting to really come into force, your ability to test with a screen reader and build compliant courses will be competitive advantages for you personally. Batman's toolbelt is filled with everything he could possibly need for any situation. it's what makes him one of the most formidable superheroes, even though he doesn't technically have any superpowers. If you want to be a formidable instructional designer, then you'll want to add practical, hands-on screen reader experience to your toolbelt. That's where Dr. Nicole L'Etoile, CPACC and I come in. We're teaming up to teach you how to use NVDA, a popular free screen reader, so you can improve your skill as an ID or course creator, increase your competitive advantage, and save the day*. Our upcoming, three-day workshop is open for registration. Visit the link in the comments to sign up. Oh, and be sure to check the registration page for how to receive a 10% discount. #A11y #NVDA #InstructionalDesign * Actual results may vary. Day saving isn't guaranteed.

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🎯 New Intellum Evolve Tutorial – Timed Interactions That Reflect Real Life Timers often get a bad name in eLearning — and fair enough, when they’re used poorly. But in the right context, a timer can help replicate how decisions are made in real life. In Arck Learning's latest tutorial, I show you how to build a stylised countdown timer in Evolve, ideal for simulating high-pressure decisions in areas like emergency response, finance, and customer service. The timer is: ✅ Fully responsive ✅ Logic-based ✅ Can be set up with an optional opt-out using simple logic 📽️ Sneak peek below. To watch the full tutorial, head to the latest blog post on our website or find it on the Arck Learning YouTube channel. 💬 Want a copy of the working course file with all the logic and theming in place? Drop me a DM and I’ll send it over. #elearning #learningdesign #instructionaldesign #digitallearning #leadershipdevelopment

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Chax Chat: New accessibility podcast episode is up! Title: Special Considerations for Accessible Multi-language Documents Designing accessible multilingual documents goes way beyond translation. In this episode, Dax Castro, ADS and Chad Chelius, ADS unpack the many layers, from alt text limitations and form field quirks to font encoding nightmares and cultural sensitivity in visuals. If you're designing multi-language documents or forms, this conversation is packed with practical insights to help you build documents that are truly inclusive. Full Episode or listen on your favorite podcast platform: https://lnkd.in/g4huseDm

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What do you like the most about authoring tool?🚀 👉 A standout authoring tool excels when it blends powerful multimedia support with flexible, brand-aligned design—allowing instructional designers to embed engaging videos, craft visually rich long pages, and maintain consistent branding through customizable layouts and styles. 👌 The best platforms also offer rapid update capabilities, enabling course content to evolve in tune with new product launches or regulatory changes. 👍 When paired with automatic translation or localization workflows, such tools empower brands to deliver dynamic, high-quality training globally and with zero compromise on aesthetics or intuitiveness.

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