How to Buy eLearning Content for Your LMS (And Not Regret It Later)

Are you in the market for eLearning content for your learning management system (LMS)? If so, there are numerous options and factors to consider to ensure you’re selecting the right off-the-shelf courses for your LMS, training program, and your organization’s needs. And, if you do not already have an LMS, then you’ll get the HSI LMS for free when you buy our content!

Sofa shopping is a great analogy to the online learning content purchase journey. Chances are you didn’t just stroll into a random furniture store and buy the largest or the least expensive sofa. You considered your purchase from every angle. If you’d put that much thought into buying a sofa for your home, why not do the same when purchasing eLearning content for your employees?

Using sofa shopping as our guide, let’s look at some best practices for buying online learning content:

What Content Topics Do You Need?

You wouldn’t walk into a furniture store and tell the salesperson, “I need a piece of furniture” without specifying what you needed (a sofa, loveseat, sectional, or sofa sleeper). Likewise, you don’t just “buy content” without having a specific topic in mind.

So, your first question when buying online courses should be “What various topics do I need now?” You might consider what broad range of topics you’ll need in the future. Here are some popular topics of eLearning content and business skills you might consider:

• Safety
• Leadership
• Cybersecurity
• Health and Wellness
• Coaching / Feedback
• Communication Skills
• HR Compliance Training
• Professional Productivity
• New Manager/Supervisor
• Sales & Customer Experience

Does It Make an Impression? (Memorable Visuals)

College students across the United States buy the standard “functional futon” for their rooms every year, but there’s a reason they don’t hold onto them into adulthood. They’re uncomfortable, they’re typically poorly made, and they represent a time in our lives when we couldn’t afford better.

Video content is the same way. If you’re using voice-over PowerPoint, you have the eLearning equivalent of a futon. On the other hand, a video with thoughtful visuals will be more likely to grab and hold the learner’s attention. For example, are there unexpected and surprising design elements? Creative and professionally designed graphics? Does the video feature live presenters to keep the content personal and relatable?

It doesn’t matter if a topic is boring, detailed, or abstract (or all three). Just as the perfect couch can complete a room, memorable visuals can pull your information together, even if the topic is less than sexy.

What Size Do You Need? (Microlearning)

Many of us will remember this experience from our first apartments: not checking the size of our space before bringing home a sofa, and needing to find a way to get it back out as soon as we get it in.

When buying off-the-shelf eLearning content, as with furniture, size matters. There is a scientifically proven optimal length for training videos, and any content you are considering should be around that duration. The HSI content creators follow these guidelines when developing the microlearning courses. To learn more read HSI's The Power of Microlearning" whitepaper.

How Easy Is It To Get in the Door? (SCORM/AICC Compliant)

Ever try to get a 47" wide sofa through a 38" door? Ever wonder why they didn’t just make sofas in standard sizes to fit through doors?

In essence, this already exists in the eLearning industry. It’s called SCORM compliance. (AICC is another standard in the industry as well.) When a video is SCORM/AICC compliant, it is already compatible with a host of Learning Management Systems (LMSs). This means you can be confident that your video content, as well as student materials and exams, can be accessed and tracked regardless of what system you are currently using (if SCORM/AICC compliant).

How Current or Fashionable Is It? (Updates)

Just how important are those updates? Very. If you’ve ever laughed to yourself because someone had a floral-pattern sofa straight out of the ’70s, you now know how employees feel when they see your outdated content. Was the woman in that customer service training video wearing a blazer with huge shoulder pads? Yikes! So dated!

A good content library should be updated regularly. HSI updates both our content and, graphics by adding new courses and refreshing older course content— all at no additional cost to our clients. Our instructional designers lead this process in collaboration with our subject matter experts, ensuring each video aligns with current adult learning theories.

Also, pay attention to how you are informed about updates. Are you notified when a video is refreshed? Or, when new content is added? For instance, HSI sends out a monthly newsletter regarding updates and new course releases.

Does the vendor make it easy for your administrators to incorporate those changes, or is it always a hassle? With HSI, these changes are seamless. These are all the things you need to consider, as well.

Does the Sofa Have High Quality Structural Integrity? (Expertise)

You may be looking for a sofa with a solid wood frame; not one that’s made from particleboard. Do you want goose down, fiberfill, or maybe foam cushions? Don’t forget about the quality of the upholstery when considering leather, microfiber, or velvet.

Similarly, the design and structure of our off-the-shelf training content are based on adult learning theory, instructional design, and proven science and research:

Science of Microlearning: People have a small window of patience, roughly 9 to 11 minutes, and they seek to finish tasks within that timeframe. This makes sense, given that research shows employees are interrupted for about 20 minutes each hour. So, most of HSI’s courses average 10 minutes, fitting perfectly within the ideal length window. This makes short, focused learning more effective and realistic during a busy workday.

Cognitive Load Theory: Our brains can only process so much information at a time before it’s forgotten or moved to long-term memory. This supports our microlearning approach to delivering bite-sized content that aligns with how the brain best processes and retains information.

Saccadic Bilateral Eye Movement: The motion and pace of eye movements help transfer information to memory, guiding the rhythm and graphic placement in our video courses.

What Unique Attributes Does the Couch Include? (Additional Features)

Modern sofas can come with a variety of features:

• Bluetooth features
• USB ports and power outlets
• Smart heating/cooling elements
• Ergonomic arm and backrest angles

HSI’s employee training videos come with a variety of benefits:

• WCAG 2.0 level AA compliant
• Learn anywhere on all mobile devices
• Multiple languages for closed captioning
• Downloadable training materials to support real-life application

Can You Try It Out? (Previews and trials)

You typically don't buy a sofa without first seeing it in the store, sitting on it, and even lying on it. Showroom salespeople know that people like to try before they buy.

This is why it’s surprising that many eLearning content vendors don’t provide free content up front, either through free snippets on their website or free trials. At HSI, we offer both: We have free training videos you can view for free right on our website, or take a step further, and request a free trial. You can’t get more upfront about your eLearning content than this!

Does It Work With the Rest of the Room? (Blended Learning)

When you buy a sofa, you do so knowing it isn’t the only piece of furniture in the room. It must fit with the pieces that are already there. The same goes for training: eLearning content must “fit” with other kinds of training and instruction you plan to use (instructor-led courses, webinars, and so on).

One way to ensure this fit is to have actual training professionals, who are subject matter experts, and instructional designers develop content, guided by the latest theories in adult learning. This is the approach HSI takes. And, HSI has found not only that it leads to better content, but instructors themselves appreciate and use the content more frequently because they see the added benefit of blended learning.

We never want to replace your internal trainers. HSI wants to partner with you to create effective learning experiences for your employees. Your learners may watch a series of videos as pre-work before they attend an instructor-led session. A trainer may use our videos during a live session to reinforce key concepts and break up the lecture time. Most of our clients combine our online training courses with their internal classes for a blended-learning experience that better supports personal development.

Case studies are a great way to see how blending learning works in the real world! If you’re curious about how blended learning how HSI lends itself to a blended approach specifically, download our case study.

Who Can You Call if There Is a Problem? (Support)

Have you ever had something delivered, and the retailer makes it a point to give you the customer support number? How comforting is it to know you can speak to a live person?

We try to capture that feeling, too, through personal support. HSI makes sure each client knows the name, phone number, and email of their dedicated Customer Success Manager. Behind them is an entire team that helps support the client through the complete process, from decision-making to implementation and all through the contract period. We work to understand your training needs and future goals. HSI wants to provide a truly effective solution.

Checklist for Buying eLearning Content for Your LMS

There’s a lot to consider when in the market for eLearning content. This handy checklist will help make things easier:

1. What categories of content do you need?
2. Does it make an impression with memorable visual and creative design elements?
3. What size/how long are the videos? Is length determined by the science of microlearning?
4. Are the videos SCORM/AICC compliant?
5. Are the videos up-to-date, both in their look and in their information?
6. Can you try it out? Are there previews? A free trial? Both? If neither, why?
7. Can you use it with the current training in a blended learning environment?
8. Who can you call if there is a problem?

Additional Considerations When Comparing Online Learning Library Providers

There are a few more items to consider as you research online training solutions.

• Third-party validation from well-known eLearning industry associations using panels of industry experts to evaluate the award applications. HSI has won numerous awards for our online learning library and specific categories of training content.
• Self-directed learning (a very important consideration in our opinion!), lets employees have unlimited access to video courses anytime they need them—whether it’s stress management during high-profile projects, customer service training for support staff, onboarding refreshers for new hires, or leadership courses for those seeking advancement.
• Ability to learn anywhere and on all mobile devices. Your employees may work in your brick-and-mortar office, from home, or in a company vehicle or job site. Your training program should make mobile learning a priority, so everyone has equal accessibility.
• Closed captioning and translated transcripts available in English, Chinese (Simplified), French, French Canadian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai.
• SCORM/AICC compliant files that meet industry standards for integration with any platform.

HSI Can Help

HSI offers a comprehensive online learning experience that caters to diverse learning styles and preferences. Our primary focus is on professional development, including soft skills. Our video-based microlearning provides engaging off-the-shelf content that captures attention and facilitates comprehension.

Our bite-sized, interactive content reinforces key concepts and promotes long-term retention. Our training courses maximize culture change and empower employees to achieve their professional development goals in the flow of work. Check out our 6 free lessons!

Make the right decision! Contact us for a consultation today!

Additional Resources

• Elements of a Whole Person Approach to Employee Training
• A Guide to Creating an Employee Training and Development Program
• How to Revitalize Your Employee Training Program to Improve Your ROI