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6 Key Roles in an eLearning Portfolio

Here is how to put together a winning eLearning team

There are many facets to creating effective and engaging eLearning and it is essential to pay attention to every component. Each area can benefit from a specialist to bring your content and vision to life, but just what roles/skill sets are common across high-functioning eLearning portfolios?  If you’re lucky, you’ll hire individuals that excel in more than one area of eLearning expertise, but that can be rare.  To aid you in team building or evaluating your options, we have put together a list of 6 key roles in an eLearning portfolio.  These roles are based on skill sets that you can either hire for internally or outsource to a vendor like Avise Learning.

Instructional designer

The instructional designer is responsible for finding the best way to marry the technological possibilities of eLearning with the educational needs of courses and learners. This professional takes content and shapes it to be delivered in an effective manner, allowing learners to digest and retain what is presented to them.  

An instructional designer can be responsible for designing or redesigning a single course, as well as whole curricula and training materials. They can specialize in eLearning or operate in a broader capacity in any educational area. It is this individual’s job to make sure the content “sticks” and that the learning objectives are achieved by the end of the learning offering.

eLearning Developer 

Developers are responsible for executing the plans laid out by the instructional designer. Employing instructional software and applications such as Articulate Storyline and Lectora, eLearning developers code and build the structure of digital learning courses. Developers work on effectively conveying the lessons to learners, putting together visually appealing and engaging lessons that may include interactive elements and knowledge checkpoints.

Graphic designer

Graphic designers are responsible for the visual elements of eLearning. Components like fonts, images, and even the use of blank space are chosen by this professional to fit content and align with the organization’s brand image. They also contribute with creating visual representations of concepts in graphs, charts, and tables and can be responsible for the overall look and feel of the imagery or the entire module.

Videographer 

Video is a great format to engage learners. To put your best foot forward when venturing in video production, you should consider involving a videographer. This professional performs two key functions: operating the filming equipment in a shoot and video editing. This individual should be up-to-date with industry-standard video equipment and editing software. Videographers are also able to provide support in production aspects, like setting, lighting and sound. Their goal is to deliver professional and visually attractive videos that catch the learner’s attention and enhance the learning experience.

Animator

Like videographers, animators are employed to provide an engaging alternative to traditional eLearning. Animations, including but not limited to explainer videos and/or whiteboard animations, are a great way to demonstrate concepts by mixing animated text, audio, props, scenery and characters. Animators are expert at using storytelling and visual metaphors to create engaging pieces that fit your learner’s needs, presented in the most appropriate style to fit content.  Animations excel when used independently or as part of a larger eLearning module.

LMS Administrator

A Learning Management System (LMS) is an intricate piece of software that manages the registration, tracking, organization and certification of all of your eLearning courses and the learners who take them.  Depending on the size of your organization, the number of eLearning courses you offer and the number of learners you have, you may require a dedicated individual to oversee the many moving pieces of your LMS.

An LMS administrator is the go-to professional for all questions about this system. Although the scope of their responsibilities will vary depending on the organization’s size and needs, the administrator is ready to support both learners and management and ensure that the LMS day-to-day operations run smoothly. They may be involved in providing technical support, managing content, assigning learners their training, and/or running reports.

Resourcing is one of six pillars that ensure the success of your eLearning strategy. Learn more about them in The Six Strategic Pillars of eLearning.

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