With the boom in digital learning, many organisations are exploring how to create e-learning courses in-house. There are many benefits to bringing this work in-house, but equally, there are also pitfalls to be avoided.
The promise of rapid authoring tools and AI-powered platforms makes it tempting to take matters into your own hands, but there’s more to successful e-learning than meets the eye.
Balancing in-house ambitions with professional expertise
- Why create e-learning courses in-house?
- Choosing the right authoring tool
- Essential skill sets for e-learning creation
- Don't overlook accessibility
- The AI conundrum
- Weighing up the risks and rewards
- Conclusion: Getting the balance right
Sometimes, customising off-the-shelf content may be a better solution. Or even hiring an e-learning vendor to produce bespoke content.
Why create e-learning courses in-house?
The allure of developing training internally often centres around cost savings, fast turnaround times, and the ability to tailor content closely to business goals. Modern authoring tools have made it easier for beginners to produce passable content with minimal training. But if you're aiming for truly impactful and engaging learning, it's worth considering the difference a specialist touch can make.
Choosing the right authoring tool
There's a dazzling array of e-learning authoring tools on the market, many now boasting AI features to simplify workflow and enhance creativity. These AI advancements can speed up development and automate certain processes, but they're not without their drawbacks. For instance, while these tools can churn out content rapidly, ensuring that the output is accurate, compliant, and accessible often requires more than just clicking through templates.
Essential skill sets for e-learning creation
These are more secure and do not rely on an internet connection. They generally come with a one-off purchase fee, which can make budgeting easier. On the downside, having the tool locally on your PC or laptop makes it difficult to share content or collaborate on it.
Effective e-learning is a team effort, drawing on a range of specialist skills. Here’s what goes into crafting online training that’s engaging, interactive, and reliable:
- Content Writer
Transforming subject matter expertise into logical, learner-focused content that achieves your objectives. - Instructional Designer
Storyboarding material using sound learning principles and designing assessments that genuinely measure understanding. - Creative Writer
Making learning relatable by weaving in scenarios and exercises that resonate with learners’ real-world roles. - Accessibility Expert
Ensuring your course is inclusive and meets diversity standards, from colour contrast to assistive technology compatibility. - Graphic Designer
Creating visually appealing layouts and sourcing relevant, diverse imagery to enhance the learning experience. - Project Manager
Keeping projects on track, managing stakeholders, and juggling resources. -
Proofreader
Polishing content to perfection and catching those inevitable last-minute typos.
Don't overlook accessibility
Accessibility is more than just a tick-box exercise. While many modern tools claim to support standards like WCAG2.1, the reality is that video-based AI tools often fall short. Making truly accessible learning requires a thoughtful approach to design, layout, colour choices, and more – guidelines must be inbuilt into the practice.
The AI conundrum
AI-driven authoring tools offer real benefits but can introduce risks, including content inaccuracies, a lack of legal nuance, data privacy issues, and embedded bias. In regulated industries, robust human oversight remains essential to ensure compliance and maintain the credibility of your training materials.
Weighing up the risks and rewards
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Advantages of in-house authoring: Lower costs, agility, speed, and alignment with your organisation's goals.
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Risks to consider: Accessibility gaps, risk of inaccuracies, data privacy concerns, and potential erosion of expert input.
Conclusion: Getting the balance right
While authoring tools promise top-quality learning, they’re not a golden ticket to success. If your team brings together all the necessary skills, going in-house can be a smart move. Otherwise, partnering with an experienced e-learning provider might be the best way to guarantee quality, compliance, and engagement—especially when the stakes are high. Sometimes, blending in-house efforts with professional support, or customising ready-made content, gives you the best of both worlds.
Want to learn more about bespoke e-learning?
We can tailor our library courses to your specific needs and have already done this for many of our key clients, including FTSE 100 firms.
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Written by: Simon Truckle
As Director of Learning Solutions at Skillcast, I am responsible for ensuring that our partners achieve the best return on their e-learning investment. I help our clients navigate every stage of the learning development process, from risk assessment through to audit, while personalising the approach to the needs of their organisation. Before Skillcast I was Head of eLearning at both Barclays Wealth and Gerard Asset Management, responsible for delivering hundreds of courses to thousands of employees.
