Creating the Perfect Blend
Left Brain Media specializes in blending creative and educational expertise to provide our clients with eLearning programs that are effective and enjoyable. Having the right type of talent for each specific task is vital for creating an excellent eLearning program.

Common Mistakes
If you are not using custom on-demand web-based e-Learning courses extensively in your organization, you are wasting money. However, poorly produced eLearning is also a money drain. So what are some of the common mistakes that kill the potential positive impact of eLearning?

1. Spending the budget incorrectly
   Every dollar spent should enhance the learning, but often companies spend their money in a lopsided fashion. When a majority of resources are allocated strictly for content development, the content falls flat in an uninspiring or hard-to-use package. Another mistake is spending too much on design, only to end up with a slick package that lacks quality content.
   
   Either mistake kills the effectiveness of the training. The key to avoiding this problem having the right people involved throughout the process, who understand the requirements of each phase, and can plan for all the necessary components.
   
   
2. Using the wrong people for the task
   It is human nature to overestimate what we can do ourselves. Optimism can fool us into thinking the “extra” jobs surely “aren!t that hard.” However, quality marketing and education creation requires an effective team who works together well. A subject matter expert (SME) is rarely the person who crafts the most effective instructional design for your content. Additionally, using people with specialized skills minimizes production costs at each phase. Experienced programmers and designers can quickly get it right, as they create the best visuals, photos, animations and interface you need.
   
   We are regularly amused by job ads for companies looking to hire one person to take care of all their eLearning production needs. The list of required skills reads like the resume of someone who would have to be the fusion of four or five people.
   
   
3. Underestimating Communication Issues
   At Left Brain Media, we turn good ideas into effective and useful products. Without an experienced lead, people become frustrated when their great idea runs out of steam, and the details of production become overwhelming and distracting. Even with all the talented individuals in place, communicating the common goal is an important step. Just as a movie needs a director to coordinate the project, an eLearning production needs a director who can efficiently translate ideas into reality. Our experienced directors know what to ask you and how to help your team work together well to generate great ideas throughout the process.

eLearning Production Skill Sets
Creating effective eLearning courses is a publishing process, requiring a wide range of skills to reach true success. Here is an abbreviated list of the skills needed: