SCORM Design best practices for effective eLearning

Written By Pascal Willoughby-Petit

The universal dimension of SCORM still makes it a very popular format and is not in opposition to the Authoring Tool but is a very useful complement and partner.

The real questions are:

  • How to maintain educational effectiveness?

  • How to achieve your goals?

  • SCORM and Branding?

  • Which Animations and interactions?

E-learning has a huge popularity as a replacement but also as a support for traditional training methods.

Although for organizations how are still hesitant about the utility of e-learning, there seems to be a growing acceptance of its potential benefits.

E-learning is also referred to as digital learning, web-based training, or computer-based training.

With the widespread adoption of the internet and e-devices, it’s easier than ever before to deliver e-learning content using various software tools.

In this article we will explore what makes SCORM eLearning so successful and provide you with key tips for designing SCORM effective eLearning courses that will transform your learner data into actionable insights that can be used moving forward.

What is SCORM?

What is SCORM?

SCORM, Sharable Content Object Reference Model, a set of technical standards for eLearning software, defines how to share objects of reference between different eLearning software.

This allows different eLearning software to work together.

Creating an eLearning application that works with an LMS entails understanding SCORM. It provides the communication method and data structures that allow eLearning content and LMSs to collaborate.

It tells programmers how to create software that “plays well” with other eLearning software.

How to Design SCORM?

E-learning design best practices

This is by far one of the most important aspects of designing your e-learning course.

No matter how good your e-learning content is, no one will take action from an e-learning course that does not have the proper design principles.

As with any other type of e-learning content, good design principles can create a lasting impact on the learner.

Since e-learning is viewed differently than traditional paper or digital course materials, it’s critical to keep in mind that the design of your e-learning course should reflect the desired impact on the learner.

Here are some e-learning design best practices to keep in mind while designing your e-learning course.

  • Embrace a Personal Approach
    It’s tempting to use e-learning diagrams and diagrams to explain complex processes, but these diagrams should guide learners, not instruct them. Therefore, it’s important to ensure a personal approach is taken when designing your e-learning courses. This means you need to ensure that your learner is at the center of all e-learning course activities.

  • Use Visuals to Communicate
    Visuals can be a powerful communication tool, especially in online training.
    Therefore, it’s important to use visuals in your e-learning course to not only explain complex processes, but also to provide your learners with visuals to reinforce learning takeaways.

  • Keep Your Learners Engaged
    As with any other form of content, you need to ensure your course design keeps your learners engaged. Therefore, it’s important to use relevant design elements, such as prototypical color schemes and imagery, that appeals to your learner base.

  • Provide Learners with Improved Learning Outcomes
    Last but not least, you need to keep in mind that your course design is also affecting your learner outcomes. Therefore, it’s important to not only provide your learners with improved learning outcomes, but also measure your impact on their outcomes.

  • eLearning Design Checklist

    • Work with a Instructional designer

    • Identify the stakeholders

    • Know your personas

    • Determinate ROI, Goals, Objectives

    • Already plan the Testing phase

    • Think Video (most powerful media with an infinite declinaisons)

    • Think Activities not Courses (Cathy Moore - Map It)

    • Be Learner Centric… it is all about him!

    • Brand Matters! Always!

SCORM case studies

Personalised the SCORM experience

The best part about e-learning is that it has the potential to personalise the content and experience for each individual learner.

  • Integrate Avatars

  • Learner Name

  • Job Title

  • Brand!

Integrate audios and videos to complete the experience. Do not rely only on features available on Articulate.

What is Articulate 360?

Articulate 360 includes Storyline, Studio, Rise 360, Replay, and Peek 360, all of which are used to create e-learning courses. Studio is used to source assets, Content Library 360 is used to find and purchase them, Review 360 is used to collaborate on them, and Articulate 360 Training is used to train on them.

Articulate Storyline is a renowned course creation programme that is both simple and powerful enough for experienced professionals. It may be used by beginners, but it has enough power for experts. You can create virtually any type of interaction in minutes.

Not that you should not have the choice oF SCORM or Authoring Tool… The two needs and should work together. No need to put these to technologies in opposition!

What is a Authoring Tool?

SCORM Design best practices

SCORM Design best practices are the same as any other type of design best practices.

This means you should adhere to the same rules and principles that apply to any other form of design.

In addition, you should also ensure that your design principles follow the desired impact on the learner and personalised design principles.

  • Create a StoryBoard

    • Validate the Storyboard and Script before all!

  • Personalise the experience

    • Integrate Avatars

    • Learner Name

    • Job Title

  • Create activities and interactivities

    • The Learner needs to be proactive and engage with the content! This is not a PPT.

  • Work with Audios and Videos files

    • Replace long text by Audio files

    • Videos are the most engaging media.

  • Think outside the technology

    • Interview

    • Interactive video

    • Video Quiz

  • Brand and Design Premium content

    • Brand matters!

  • Think Micro Learning

    • Better creating 5 short SCORM FILES then one long… don’t over charge the learner’s brain. Learning must be a pleasure!

  • Mixe SCORM content with slides created within the Authoring Tool

    • Work with a Video based Learning Management System like The Learning Lab (ask for a free demo)

  • Plan your testing phase in advance

Make your learning experiences engaging
As with any other form of content, you need to ensure that your design has an engaging experience. This means you need to create visuals that are easy to follow and have a clean and consistent design.

Ensure your learning flows from A to Z
Once again, as with any other type of content, it’s important that you create a clear and consistent flow throughout your design. This means you need to create a learning path that leads learners from A to Z, or from learning objective to learning outcome.

SCORM Resume

There is no need to limit yourself to a single technology and the use of SCORM and Articulate 360 technology in your e-learning content strategy should not stop you from choosing to also use an Authoring Tool for the creation of certain content.

At the Learning Lab we love:

  • Audio

  • 3D

  • Video

  • SCORM

  • Authoring Tool

Contact us to discuss it!

Pascal Willoughby-Petit
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