5 steps to open up content creation for more efficient L&D
4 minute read
Recent years have seen a huge increase in the volume of learning content out there. L&D teams are struggling to keep up, meaning employees are failing to find the learning content they need. If L&D is going to be effective, things need to change. Good news is, a recent RedThread Research study highlighted that a shift is already happening. Organizations are opening up learning content creation for more efficient L&D – here’s our summary of how they’re doing this.
Enabling content creation for more efficient L&D
With training demand still on the rise, the learning content dilemma isn’t going away any time soon. While many L&D teams think it’s a choice between a training backlog and content chaos, there is another way. If L&D are going to stop playing catch up and employees are going to get the learning they need to succeed, organizations need to take a different approach to content creation.
Deputizing content creation establishes new workflows that empowers anyone in your organization to share their expertise and create effective, timely content. It enables you to focus L&D resources where they will have the biggest impact – whether that’s strategic business conversations or flagship learning programs.
For all other learning content, you play a more consultative role. By providing guidelines, offering support and maintaining oversight, more consistent and effective learning content will be produced across your organization.
To learn more about how to effectively prioritize and outsource your content explore this new model for learning content coined by RedThread Research – or you can download the full research report.
5 steps to open up content creation for more efficient L&D
So, how can you enlist employees as more active participants in the creation of your learning content? RedThread Research outlined 5 steps that are key to effectively deputize content creators.
- Build a foundation for collaborative content creation
Don’t rush ahead and get people creating learning content before you’ve decided on the approach you’re taking. Create a strategy and roadmap for how you will bring your stakeholders on board and work with your internal experts. Start by getting buy-in from senior leadership and across your organization. Identify employee content creators and suitable projects for them. Make sure everyone understands roles, responsibilities and priorities in learning content production.
Find out more about getting set up for success with our collaborative content creation workflow.
- Remove barriers to access
It doesn’t matter how good your learning content is if your people have trouble accessing it. Whether it’s learning on the job or developing skills for the future, your employees need to easily find and use the learning they’re after. Wherever you host your content, remove barriers and make it easy to search. Where possible, make sure content is accessible across multiple devices.
- Enable knowledge sharing
L&D is often not best placed to determine which content is most appropriate across a variety of areas of the business. However, you do play a key role in enabling knowledge sharing. Identify the key players who have the expertise and understanding of the learning that your employees need. Offer learning design support to help them curate and create effective content. Decide how to draw attention to the key pieces of content they produce.
- Put guardrails into place
Your deputized content creators are not learning designers. They’re used to sharing their knowledge face to face, but not digitally. So, you need to provide a framework that empowers them to produce quality learning content with ease. Create and share guidelines, templates and best practice examples. Set up approval processes and governance to maintain oversight, consistency and standards. Remember that a lot of content will eventually become out of date, so set up expiry dates and user ratings.
Discover more ways to support your deputized content creators in our guide to setting up Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for success.
- Lean into technology
The right technology partners and platforms can help you deliver impactful learning at scale. Build a tech stack that enables collaboration and captures your organization’s expertise. Look for functionality that will support your novice learning authors, like ready to use templates with baked-in design principles. Make sure the technology expands access to learning while helping people navigate your learning content easily.
Want to explore some technology that supports learning production at scale? Check out Elucidat’s guided authoring functionality.
In summary
Faced with an increase in learning content, as well as rising training demand, RedThread Research has found L&D teams are looking for new ways to do things. They’re taking a more sustainable approach to learning and development by deputizing content creation.
This approach not only harnesses expertise from across your organization, but frees you up to focus on strategic projects. Start by creating a plan for collaborative content creation in your organization. Remove barriers and enable knowledge sharing. Put processes in place and build a tech stack that supports your content creators and learners.
Want to learn more about empowering experts in your organization to create content?
Download the RedThread Research report and check out the related panel webinar.
