Tips for Choosing Your e-Learning Vendor

Posted by Ella Wilson on December 2nd, 2020

There are plenty of reasons to make sure you partner with the right vendor. Alignment, ease, trustworthiness, the right costs, and more. If you want to make sure you don’t end up with a costly hiring mistake, then don’t go with just any option you find. Here’s how to know which vendor fits the bill.

Consider the Core Business

Find an e-learning developer that specializes in e-learning development. If that isn’t the vendor’s core business, then the firm might not have the resources to dedicate themselves to your project and its needs. If e-learning is only a small part of the business, then the company’s main focus will be on its biggest offering, which means clients who cater to that offering. When you pick a vendor, check its core business.

Know Their History

How long has the firm been in the industry? If the vendor hasn’t been in the business for long, then it might not have the specialized skillsets are needed for e-learning design and development. For instance, the team might not have an experienced instructional designer or a seasoned visual designer or project manager just yet. Lack of experience can lead to less-than-stellar results. If you want the best possible outcomes, then pick a vendor that’s been around for years.

Look at Work Samples

Take a look at the work samples of the vendor. Review the courses they develop. The firm should have generic ones on their website. This will allow you to check if the work is similar to what you expect. For instance, do the generic courses contain interactive elements? How capable is the firm in using e-learning authoring tools? It might also help if you reach out to the firm and ask for a prototype that’s based on your requirements. This can help you understand how your course will look, feel, and how other technical aspects of the course will come out.

Ask About the Process

A good vendor has a well-defined development process. If the company can’t walk you through the process, that’s a red flag. Make sure the firm’s management process is streamlined. Does the process make it easy for you and the firm to communicate? What about revisions? Ask the firm how they handled previous projects. How did they discuss the particulars? Do they have a quality assurance process in place?

Check for Instructional Design Knowledge

To deliver excellent results, custom e-learning vendors must have a strong background in instructional design. This is the skill you’ll need to look for when you check out vendor options. If you want an efficient developer, then this is the non-negotiable skillset you should ask about before you hire a developer.

Talk About the Latest Trends

Changing business environments mean that the e-learning firm needs to be up to date with trends too. If you’re planning to hire the vendor for the long term, it’s important that you pick one that keeps up to date with the latest trends. That will ensure that your courses stay up to date as well.