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Cyber4Dev Case Study

Design and delivery of a cyber hygiene training package

Delivered for CYBER4DEV

AT A GLANCE

Tailored cyber security eLearning course
Customer-specific scenarios and branding
Hosted on a Moodle LMS

THE CLIENT

Cyber Resilience for Development (Cyber4Dev) is a European Union project to promote cyber-resilience and cybersecurity to protect public and private enterprises across the globe.

The main objective of the project is to increase the cyber resilience of countries outside of the EU while promoting an inclusive multi-stakeholder and rights-based approach and ensuring compliance with the rule of law and good governance.

The project works across the globe with particular focus in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and South East Asia.

THE CHALLENGE

One of the partners delivering the Cyber4Dev project is NI-CO (Northern Ireland Cooperation Overseas). NI-CO selected SkillSet to develop a cyber hygiene training package.

The training was intended to help organisations across Latin America understand what good cyber hygiene is and how best to build their cyber-resilience.

The course had to be delivered in both English and Spanish.

OUR APPROACH

SkillSet’s library of off-the-shelf (OTS) courses includes one on cyber security. Usually, OTS eLearning is generic and cannot be changed to suit the specific requirements of individual clients. However, at SkillSet, we work with our customers and tailor our material so that it is much more relevant to their learners.

Working with Cyber4Dev, SkillSet clarified the aims, objectives and needs of the intended audience. We then individualised the course with custom scenarios and Cyber4Dev branding.

We also developed two quiz-style assessments: one taken at the start and one at the end of the course. The initial quiz allowed Cyber4Dev to measure learners’ current levels of understanding and identify potential knowledge gaps. The second assessment enables Cyber4Dev to report on the progression of learners after completing the course.

SkillSet implemented a Moodle learning management system to host the new learning content. This was installed in a secure Amazon Web Services (AWS) environment in the UK. AWS hosting is secure and meets the requirements of our ISO27001 processes.

The Moodle system was customised to match Cyber4Dev’s branding and configured to support their accessibility requirements. Learners are able to access the learning content from a range of devices, reducing barriers to learning. Progress is controlled, ensuring learners complete pre-learning assessments, eLearning, and post-learning assessments in the correct order.

SkillSet then implemented the translation of both the training and the platform into Spanish. We also provide on-going support for the platform, including first-line support, in Spanish.

Regular progress reports are supplied to ensure the success of the project is tracked.

THE RESULTS

To date, over 36,000 users across Latin America have completed the training. On average, users scored 68% on the initial assessment (prior to completing the training), increasing to 91% on the post-training assessment.

Due to the success of the project, the contract with Skillset has already been extended for a further two years.

OUR PARTNER’S FEEDBACK

“The functionality and flexibility of the SkillSet platform has allowed us to reach a huge range of users. The feedback we’ve received has been great.”

Jo English, Cyber4Dev

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New Client – Cyber4Dev

Post author By user
Post date November 2, 2023

New Client

New Client – Cyber4Dev

Cyber Resilience for Development (Cyber4Dev) is a European Union project designed to promote cyber-resilience and cybersecurity in order to protect public and private enterprises across the globe.

SkillSet has been selected to develop the cyber hygiene training package that will be delivered in both Spanish and English to over 20,000 people.

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Understanding Training Needs Analysis

Post author By user
Post date October 31, 2023

Understanding Training Needs Analysis

Introduction

In today’s dynamic business environment, employee development is crucial for organisational growth. Tailored training programmes are the key to improving performance and achieving success.

To create impactful training initiatives, businesses must first understand their unique training needs through a process called training needs analysis (TNA). Through TNA, organisations can identify knowledge gaps, skill deficiencies, and performance expectations, enabling them to design targeted training programmes that align with their goals.

This blog post explores the significance of understanding training needs, the components of a TNA, and how it drives continuous learning and improvement in organisations.

What Exactly Is a Training Needs Analysis?

A training needs analysis is a systematic process that assesses the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for employees to perform their roles effectively, and to ensure their skills are relevant for the future. It involves gathering data through surveys, interviews, and observations to identify performance gaps and training requirements.

The TNA process helps organisations prioritise training , allocate resources efficiently, and ensure that programmes are relevant and targeted. By understanding the specific needs of employees, businesses can tailor learning experiences to improve job performance, increase productivity, and create a more skilled workforce.

A TNA is the foundation of an effective training strategy and will serve as a roadmap for continuous development and organisational success.

The Key Steps in Conducting a Training Needs Analysis

Define Objectives: clearly outline the goals and outcomes you want to achieve through the TNA. Identify the specific skills and knowledge required for employees to excel in their roles today and in the future.
Gather Data: collect information from various sources, such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, performance evaluations, and observation. This data will provide insights into individual and organisational performance gaps.
Analyse Data: thoroughly examine the data to identify patterns and trends. Compare current performance levels with desired outcomes to determine the training requirements.
Prioritise Needs: rank the identified training needs based on their impact on business objectives and employee development. Focus on the most critical needs to optimise use of
Design Training Solutions: create tailored training programmes that address the identified needs. These programmes should be engaging and interactive.
Implement Training: roll out the training initiatives, ensuring that employees have access to the necessary resources and support to succeed in their learning journeys.
Evaluate Effectiveness: assess the impact of the training programmes on employee performance and overall business outcomes. Use feedback and data to continuously improve the training approach.

The Benefits of Conducting a Training Needs Analysis

Conducting a training needs analysis offers numerous advantages for both employees and organisations:

Targeted Learning: the analysis helps pinpoint knowledge gaps, ensuring that training resources are invested wisely.
Increased Efficiency: by focusing on relevant training, employees can acquire essential competencies faster, leading to improved job performance and efficiency.
Employee Engagement: tailored training programmes show employees that their development is valued, leading to increased motivation and engagement.
Better Resource Allocation: businesses can allocate resources effectively, maximising the return on investment in training and development.
Improved Job Satisfaction: when employees receive training that addresses their needs, they feel more competent and satisfied in their roles.
Enhanced Organisational Performance: a well-executed TNA leads to a more skilled and capable workforce, contributing to overall organisational success.

Conclusion

Understanding training needs is a fundamental aspect of creating successful learning and development initiatives. By conducting a training needs analysis, organisations can bridge performance gaps, empower their employees, and achieve business objectives more effectively. Investing in tailored training programmes is an investment in the growth and success of both employees and the entire organisation.

If you need more help and support on conducting a training needs analysis, get in touch with SkillSet today!

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Learning Management System Requirements Checklist

Post author By user
Post date July 8, 2023
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Five Steps to Define Your Learning Management System Requirements

Post author By user
Post date July 8, 2023
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Five Steps to Define Your Learning Management System Requirements

Meet Jemma Greener, SkillSet’s operations director. Over the past decade, she has been helping organisations in private, public and third sectors define, implement, and improve their learning management systems (LMS). Jemma has packed this blog post with practical tips and actionable advice for readers struggling to define their requirements.

Learning Management System Requirements

Do you want to make your learning content accessible to all your users? Well, hosting it externally is a fantastic way to achieve that. I have seen, first-hand, how challenging it can be for organisations to define their hosting requirements. With so many learning management systems and hosting options out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Don’t worry, in this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of defining and implementing a learning management system, step by step. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small business owner, an educator, or an HR professional – the principles are the same. By understanding the important steps and considerations involved, you’ll be able to make the implementation process smoother and achieve successful results.

Step 1 - Getting Started on the Right Foot

Before diving headfirst into the ocean of learning management system options, it’s important to define your organisation’s learning strategy. Let’s begin by asking a key question: what are your objectives? What goals do you hope to achieve by implementing a learning management system? Taking the time to clearly identify your objectives will set the course for a successful LMS. Some clients have a very clear idea of their objectives from the outset but, if you are struggling, think about the following:

What is the main purpose of your LMS?
Are you looking for a simple lightweight system or something more versatile that can support complex functionality as the system expands?
How would you define success for this LMS project?

This initial step will provide a solid foundation for selecting the right learning management system, aligned with your goals.

Step 2 – Define the Scope of Your Learning Management System

Once you’ve outlined your LMS strategy, the next step is to take a closer look at each element of the plan and flesh out the details. Take the time to evaluate your learning objectives, target audience, technical infrastructure, and any unique features or functionality you might need. Think about how many courses, learners, and administrators your LMS needs to accommodate.

Do you have a budget in mind for your LMS implementation project? The cost of developing and hosting an LMS can vary widely depending on the features and functionality that you need, the size of your organisation, and the level of customisation required.

Step 3 - Determine the Key Features of Your Learning Management System

Our checklist includes a comprehensive list of features that you might like to include in your learning management system. Don’t be overwhelmed if some of these requirements seem too complicated for your project: this is a good way to weed out unnecessary features and associated costs.

Once you have a list of the features you need, categorise them into three groups: essential, desirable, and nice-to-have. Essential features are non-negotiable and directly align with your learning objectives. Desirable ones add value but aren’t crucial, and nice-to-have features are beneficial, but not very important. By scoring each feature based on its importance, you can prioritise effectively and choose an LMS that perfectly meets your organisation’s requirements, making the most from your investment.

User Management:

There are several ways that learners might access your LMS, including:

Browser: the most common way for learners to access an LMS is through a web browser. This allows learners to access the LMS from any device with an internet connection, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Mobile app: many LMS platforms offer mobile apps, which learners can download to their smartphones or tablets. This allows learners to use the LMS from anywhere, even when they’re not connected to the internet.
Single sign-on: SSO allows learners to access the LMS using their existing login credentials, such as their Microsoft Office email address and password. This can simplify the login process for learners and reduce the risk of password fatigue or security breaches.

By providing learners with convenient access to your learning management system, you can help to increase engagement with your training programmes and ensure that learners are able to access the content they need to achieve their learning objectives.

Content Management:

Do you need your LMS to support online content in multiple formats, e.g. eLearning, videos, webinars, PDFs, face-to-face bookings, word documents, quizzes etc?

Do you already have the eLearning content you need? Having thought-provoking, engaging content helps to ensure that everyone is working towards shared goals. We have options for both off-the-shelf and tailored eLearning. Click here to find out more about the learning content SkillSet can offer.

Learning management systems can do more than just deliver content: they can also provide tools for building engaging content directly within the platform. This feature is particularly beneficial if you have internal subject matter experts who can contribute to your training offerings.

Assessments:

Assessments play a crucial role in measuring learning outcomes. Do you want to track that a learner has completed some content? This could be just through completion of a webinar, or piece of eLearning, or through an assessment. Features like automated grading and detailed performance analytics can support you in tracking the effectiveness of your material.

Assessment can range from simple to complicated, with branching, question banks, and different retry methods. Think about your learning strategy to decide which assessment features you need.

Customisations:

Learning management systems typically offer a range of customisation options, from simple modifications such as adding a logo or colour scheme, to more extensive customisation that allows the system to blend seamlessly with your existing website or collateral. Ultimately, the level of customisation you choose will depend on factors such as budget and the objectives you set out in your LMS strategy.

SkillSet’s elasticLearning LMS is perfect if you want low cost and simplicity. It allows you to rapidly deploy material and track your users’ learning journeys. You can do all this without having to compromise on your branding or user experience. Alternatively, you could choose a fully customised system. For example, you might want to personalise user-friendly dashboards, providing users with access to everything that they need — courses, reports, documents, messages, and more.

Integrations:

What level of integration will your learning management system have with other systems? For example, if your organisation uses an HR system to manage employee records, you may want your LMS to integrate with that system to save learners’ assessment results automatically. This would eliminate the need for manual data entry and ensure that your LMS always has up-to-date employee records.

It is important to note that the LMS will need to be SCORM-compliant in order to track learner data and integrate it with other systems. SCORM is a set of technical standards that allows different eLearning software products to work together seamlessly. It defines a common way of packaging eLearning content and tracking learner progress.

There are three main levels of integration that an LMS can have:

Standalone LMS: a self-contained LMS that runs independently of other systems. It’s suitable for smaller organisations that don’t have many integrations or have a limited budget.
Partial integration: this level of integration allows your LMS to communicate with other systems, but not at a deep level. For example, your LMS may be able to exchange data with your HR system, but not in real-time.
Full integration: this allows your LMS to integrate deeply with other systems, providing real-time data exchange, single sign-on, and a seamless user experience. For example, a large corporation that uses multiple systems for HR, sales, and customer relationship management may require a fully integrated LMS to ensure that a consistent set of data is used across all systems.

Remember integration is a two-way street, so it’s worth talking with the support teams about the products you wish to integrate with to scope this further.

Reporting:

You can be sure that your learning objectives have been met by tracking engagement, completed training, and assessments. Do you need very basic reporting functionality: for example, just a simple report telling you who has completed each course? Or do you need something more comprehensive than that? Or do you need something more comprehensive than that? Moodle is a free, open-source learning platform, which allows any attribute recorded in the database to be tracked and monitored. Click here to find out more about the Moodle systems that SkillSet can offer.

Support and Training:

This might not seem like a feature of your learning management system, but the level of support provided for the learning management system is just as crucial as its customisation abilities. Consider end-users’ access to support, training for administrators during onboarding, and assistance for SMEs in content creation.

Security and Hosting:

Lastly, think about where your learning management system needs to be hosted and the security standards you need to comply with. This will depend on the type of data you are storing and where your staff are located.

Step 4 - Organise Your Stakeholders

Now you have your specification, it’s time to share it with the rest of your team. There’s nothing worse than rolling out a learning management system and discovering a significant requirement was missed in the specification.

If you weren’t sure about the system budget when outlining your LMS strategy, this should be a key part of the discussion now. It may require you to go back and make amendments to your checklist.

Involve a group of focused, engaged employees and stakeholders early in the selection process. Hopefully, they will help you weed out any problems before system development work begins.

Here are some suggestions of who to include in your group of stakeholders:

Managers
Executives
Program administrators
Teachers and trainers
HR managers and administration staff
Department employees
IT managers
Finance managers

Once complete, review your requirements checklist and scoring. Now is a good time to discuss how you will score proposals against the criteria in your checklist and other key elements including price, and timescales. This will help you to evaluate each proposal objectively and determine which proposal is the best fit for your needs.

Step 5 - Request Proposals

Now that you have buy-in from the rest of the organisation, it’s time to start looking for the right learning management system. Your organisation may be required to publish an invitation to tender. If not, have a search online to find appropriate suppliers to send your requirements checklist to. Needless to say, I’d recommend including SkillSet!

As a rule-of-thumb, I’d get at least three different proposals for comparison. Suppliers will offer slightly different solutions and cost models. Go back to your checklist and score each proposal against your essential and desirable criteria. The proposal that offers the best fit will get the highest score if you’ve thought through your evaluation scheme carefully. Don’t just compare the proposals: read reviews, ask for references, and meet with the teams you will be working with – you may be working alongside them for several years. Take your time finding the right organisation – compatibility is key!

Here are a few examples of SkillSet’s past clients and how we met their LMS requirements:

Sparsholt College Case Study

SkillSet delivered a learning management system for Sparsholt College, initially for 2500 learners. This capacity had to be scalable so that the platform could support tens of thousands of users across the globe in the future.

Hertsmere Borough Council Case Study

SkillSet created eLearning courses hosted on elasticLearning for Hertsmere Borough Council. We developed assessment questions within, and at the end of, each individual module. These provide regular checking of the learner’s understanding and also provide the council with checkpoints to follow the progress of each user.

Whyte and Mackay Case Study

SkillSet developed a Moodle LMS with a bespoke dashboard for Whyte and Mackay. The dashboard allows managers to log into the platform and see a “My Staff” overview on the homepage. This gives them information such as their direct reports’ last logins, assigned courses, and progress.

Conclusion

I hope that this blog post has been helpful in guiding you through the process of defining requirements for your learning management system. If you have any questions or would like to talk through each of these steps for your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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New Client – Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Post author By user
Post date May 9, 2023

New Client

New Client – Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

SkillSet has been selected to manage the hosting, maintenance & support of a Moodle learning management system for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

Case Study eLearning

LivePerson eLearning Case Study

Post author By user
Post date March 23, 2023

Converting face-to-face training into eLearning

Delivered for LIVEPERSON INSTITUTE

AT A GLANCE

Converting an existing face-to-face training into eLearning
Time sensitive project

THE CLIENT

LivePerson makes life easier for people and brands everywhere through trusted conversational AI. Conversational Cloud, the company’s enterprise-class platform, allows consumers to message their favourite brands. More than 18,000 customers, including leading brands like HSBC, Orange, and GM Financial, use LivePerson’s solutions to orchestrate humans and AI at scale to create a convenient, deeply personal relationship with millions of consumers. This helps these companies to reduce costs, drive revenue, and create meaningful connections.

LivePerson Institute offers in-depth training and certification courses for professionals who manage messaging programmes using the Conversational Cloud.

THE CHALLENGE

SkillSet first partnered with LivePerson Institute in 2018 to help design, develop and deliver their global training offering.

This training was delivered face-to-face in seven different countries and in three different languages by SkillSet trainers.

However, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, and with most of the world going into lockdown, face-to-face training was no longer possible.

LivePerson decided they needed to convert their training into eLearning and webinars, in order to train their clients remotely.

This conversion needed to be completed quickly, as the demand for messaging services significantly increased during the pandemic.

OUR APPROACH

SkillSet immediately analysed the existing face-to-face training and quickly created storyboards for the eLearning modules.

The storyboards focussed on keeping the training interactive (one of the biggest benefits of the face-to-face training), whilst also simplifying the learning so it could be easily understood and digested by an individual learner without any interaction by a facilitator.

The storyboards were then signed off by LivePerson and passed into the design phase. Producing multiple storyboards and multiple designs at the same time allowed us to work in an agile fashion, meaning production could be rapid and achieve the tight deadlines required by the project.

Working closely with LivePerson, we were able to develop multiple eLearning courses in a very short timeframe.

Supporting this eLearning with webinars where appropriate, LivePerson were able to swiftly and seamlessly switch their busy training schedule from face-to-face to eLearning and virtual delivery.

THE RESULTS

A total of 40 eLearning courses were developed for LivePerson. We met the very tight deadlines for this project, allowing LivePerson to continue to train their clients throughout the pandemic.

These courses are in constant use and form the backbone of LivePerson’s training offering. The average satisfaction rating from LivePerson clients using these eLearning courses is 95%.

OUR PARTNER’S FEEDBACK

“Being a partner is not easy and with SkillSet I know that I will always get sound and honest advice and a very realistic assessment of what is possible and sensible. I look forward to partnering for a long time to come!”

Rolph Danko, director at LivePerson Institute

Tags Learning Management System

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SkillSet Customer Satisfaction Survey 2023

Post author By user
Post date March 23, 2023

SkillSet Customer Satisfaction Survey 2023

SkillSet is committed to upholding excellent customer satisfaction standards. According to our recent customer survey, SkillSet was acknowledged by all respondents for delivering expert advice and assisting them in making well-informed decisions.

Furthermore, all participants confirmed that they would engage in business with SkillSet again and would recommend our services to friends and colleagues.

What our customers said:

Andy Summers, NCTJ:

“Skillset were by far our preferred option. Both for known cost to host our Moodle platform/expected costs to develop our bespoke customisations, and also the engagement and knowledge demonstrated by Jemma during consultation. It has been a pleasure to work with SkillSet over the past 9 months. Thanks to the SkillSet team for the work completed during this time, their knowledge and expertise.”

Kayleigh Stockton, South Lakeland District Council:

“Good communication, quick resolutions and quick updates.”

Rolph Danko, LivePerson:

Ian Shanahan, YGAM:

“Great working relationship and fully supported by a trusted partner.”

Case Study eLearning Learning Management System

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service Case Study

Post author By user
Post date February 6, 2023

Provision of a key training platform

Delivered for Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service

AT A GLANCE

Delivery of a Moodle learning management system
Hosting of an eLearning content creation tool

THE CLIENT

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, is the local authority fire service serving the English unitary authorities of Buckinghamshire and the City of Milton Keynes. It operates 19 stations and serves a population of more than 800,000 in the South of England.

THE CHALLENGE

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service issued an invitation to tender for a platform to build and host eLearning courses, as well as provide reporting on these courses.

Staff members at all levels of the fire service need to complete various courses to undertake their roles. The system also needed to track user progress in order to complete personal development plans, ensuring that staff meet fire service standards.

The system had to match complex organisational structures and provide an eLearning content creation tool.

OUR APPROACH

SkillSet won the tender with a solution based on the Moodle open-source learning management system (LMS).

We worked to an ADDIE (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) methodology. Each stage was signed off before progressing to the next, to ensure that the project met the fire service’s requirements.

Analyse – SkillSet verified the project requirements, defined system roles and permissions, and mapped out the initial course hierarchy.

Design – The fire service had a clear vision for the site’s visual design and functionality. We worked in partnership with them to ensure the branding of the learning management system blended seamlessly with their existing websites. Learning report contents and integration requirements were documented.

Develop – The Moodle platform was built using the output from the Analyse and Design stages. The whole system was tested by a small number of the fire service’s staff, using example courses on the staging system. Once approved, the solution was migrated to the production environment for final testing and sign-off.

Implement – SkillSet also implemented an open-source eLearning content creation tool called Adapt. It is a free and easy-to-use authoring tool, which creates fully responsive, multi-device, HTML5 eLearning content. This provides the fire service’s staff with a user-friendly platform to create and publish their eLearning content.

Evaluate – SkillSet continues to monitor the system for any potential issues. We also provide help in creating reports and management information.

SkillSet uses AWS Cloudwatch monitoring tools for all the hosted system components. This alerts us if there are any issues with running services, memory/CPU/disk usage, or errors encountered on the servers.

THE RESULTS

SkillSet continues to maintain and support the Moodle learning management system for the fire service. We have made several updates to the system, most recently we implemented a custom notification plugin. This allows the system to send email notifications to users at defined intervals, for example when a user enrolls onto a course, or upon completion of a course.

OUR PARTNER’S FEEDBACK

“The learning management system SkillSet has delivered for the service has provided our staff with an excellent platform to obtain training information, complete mandatory eLearning packages, and maintain their operational competencies.

A significant part of the project for us was ensuring the LMS had the functionality for operational employees to record their training competencies as well as housing the practical standards they’re set against. SkillSet has helped us to create a user-friendly experience that allows our staff to view their training standards and sign them off in the same system. The time savings this has created has allowed our crews to focus their time and attention to the practical and theoretical application of the training standards to ensure they’re maintaining their competence.”

Elias Williams, People System & Learning Design Officer

Tags Learning Management System

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Making ELearning Accessible For All

Post author By user
Post date February 1, 2023
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Making ELearning Accessible For All

What is accessibility?

We’re all different and learn in different ways. That’s generally down to how we think, but physical characteristics also play a part. For instance, if you’re unable to read text then you won’t learn much from a simple PowerPoint presentation. We need to think about physical abilities when designing eLearning so that it can be used by everyone. That’s what we mean when we refer to the “accessibility” of eLearning.

Why is it important?

Everyone should be able to have a great learning experience so making your eLearning accessible is essential. Organisations in the UK are bound by law to comply with accessibility requirements for their employees.

“In the case of disability, employers and service providers are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments to their workplaces to overcome barriers experienced by disabled people.” – The Equality Act 2010.

How can eLearning support accessibility?

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published the WCAG 3.0 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to help eLearning creators design content that is accessible for everyone. This provides recommendations for making digital content more accessible. These guidelines, which also apply to websites, consist of four principles. All online content should be:

Perceivable – learners can perceive the content being delivered using at least one of their senses.
Operable – learners can navigate through the course regardless of what input methods they use.
Understandable – the content is understandable, considering the different ranges of cognitive abilities in learners.
Robust – the course is compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers.

So, how do we, at SkillSet, apply these principles to the eLearning we create?

Making eLearning perceivable

Some learners may prefer an audio or visual version of an eLearning course. SkillSet always includes the text with all audio content, either via a transcript or closed captions. This is to cater for all those who are hard of hearing, or have a sight impairment and therefore use a screen reader. This includes multimedia content such as videos.

Contrast is key to the readability of text. We can create high-contrast eLearning to assist users with sight impairments. SkillSet used this technique when creating high-contrast eLearning modules for Scope. Click ‘Read More’ on the right to find out more about this project.

Scope Case Study

High-contrast eLearning modules based on Scope’s Shop Operating Manual and...

Making eLearning operable

Some of the ways in which we interact with our IT devices can cause problems for some learners. Drag and drop won’t work on a mobile phone, for instance, or for anyone using keyboard navigation.

Words like “Click” imply that learners should use a mouse. We often use “Select” or, as seen in the example below, “Submit” rather than “Click here” in our eLearning modules.

eLearning developers also need to ensure course navigation is clear and easy to access for all learners. Some learners will use the tab key on a keyboard to navigate through a course, instead of a mouse.

SkillSet always ensures that the courses we build allow easy access to each module. Within a suite of courses, we ensure consistency in how navigation and content are organised to help decrease the learning curve and improve accessibility for all users.

Making eLearning understandable

It is important to be clear and concise when developing an eLearning course. SkillSet developers use active voice and avoid long sentences. We also try to use familiar terms for important concepts and use them consistently throughout a course.

Before passing material to a client, we review it for clarity and remove any words that don’t convey additional information.

Civil Service College Case Study

Bespoke eLearning programme based on the book ‘The Public Sector...

Making eLearning robust

SkillSet’s consultants are highly experienced in using Articulate’s content creation tools (including Storyline 360 and Rise 360) to design and develop eLearning. These tools support WCAG 3.0 Level AA, including screen readers, keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, closed captions, alt text and more.

SkillSet developed SCORM-compliant content for the Civil Service College, and delivered this on our own learning platform – elasticLearning. Users can re-start at the last point that they reached, or return to any other point in the course, allowing them to learn at the appropriate pace and increase their engagement with the course. Click ‘Read More’ on the left to find out more about this project.

In conclusion

Following accessibility guidelines is a must for eLearning modules. Not only will this help you comply with legislation, but it also ensures that you’re creating great learning experiences for everyone. If you need more help and support on making sure your organisations eLearning is accessible to all, get in touch with SkillSet today!