The events of 2020 have been a major shock to the business world, causing some companies to tumble and others to rise triumphant. In this transformative period, businesses have been forced to review and reevaluate their operating practices, driving the development of outside-the-box solutions and new approaches to what once seemed set in stone.
Interesting in eLearining service development?
While many businesses have already successfully mastered WFH (work from home), most are unaware of the advantages that LFH (learn from home) and remote training solutions provide. In this article, we hope to make clear why eLearning software development is the perfect solution for businesses willing to adapt to these changing times.
What is Corporate eLearning?
Corporate eLearning (CeL) can be described as the practice of learning work-related information through digital devices and interfaces. Accordingly, the “e” in “eLearning” stands for electronic. For many years, people only used eLearning apps for education in schools and universities, until industries and corporations started using it too. For schools, the practice typically applies to online research and completing assignments with a computer, but in the corporate sphere, eLearning tends to be used for remote training and sharing of professional knowledge.
Types of Corporate eLearning Software
CeL is normally delivered with the help of software, whether this is a mobile app, desktop program, web application, or another kind of software. We have mentioned that the main purpose of eLearning mobile app development for companies is to provide training, but should also mention that the types of training (and subsequently, software) can be very diverse.
- Workplace safety training
- Equipment training
- Gamified training & Serious Games
- Online Procedural Training
- Onboarding Training
- Educational Simulations
It is no secret that employees armed with knowledge make better choices when faced with risk and danger. This applies to both everyday tasks and certain situations, such as emergencies. To adequately instruct your workers about both, you can present the information to them in a clear and engaging way.
For example, animations and images in your app can point to hazardous areas and emergency exits, while a test can solidify the knowledge. It is quite challenging and disrupting to organize a fire drill in an ordinary office, but holding evacuation training through a special program is a stress-free approach that everyone should appreciate.
It takes a specific set of knowledge to operate equipment. Certainly, some of the knowledge can be gained solely through hands-on training. However, taking a digital course before practical use is a smart choice. With this approach, workers can see what the equipment looks like without visiting or touching it, and examine the basic principles behind its operation. You can even get closer to gaining practice knowledge if you learn through augmented, virtual, or mixed reality. For instance, the MR.Ace project is aimed at empowering businesses to create their own virtual training solutions with accurate 3D models.
Gamified apps are those that implement gamification. This is a strategy of adding game elements to an otherwise serious program with the goal of boosting employee engagement, making the information easier to digest and remember, and illustrating difficult concepts in a fun way. For example, instead of forcing a new hire to read through a long and boring manual, you could have him use the gamified program. They will have a lot of fun along the way and pick up loads of new information without even noticing it.
While there are training apps that implement game elements, there are also game apps that implement training elements that can be classified as serious games. It is not uncommon for these games to be more popular than any enterprise and work-focused applications, as people’s need to be entertained usually comes before their need for workplace recognition.
Procedural apps are generally used for getting workers acquainted with the standard processes and procedures at the company. They provide a grasp of the everyday tasks that the person will be fulfilling, along with the responsibilities and expectations that apply to all employees at the company. Compliance training is a particularly popular direction for software development.
Corporate compliance teaches staff about all of the internal and external rules and regulations that apply to their workplace and which they must adhere to. Rules and regulations are not very fascinating to read, so thousands of companies all over the world are turning to software to make the process more engaging.
When someone joins a company, they are also usually joining a team in a particular department/group within the company. Besides professional and procedural knowledge, they also must learn to function well within a group. An application developed for new team members will help them feel more confident in their new workplace and better integrate with the team as a whole.
Additionally, if the company finds that a person’s soft skills (e.g. time management, communication, decision-making) are lacking, this can also be improved with a custom remote course. This way, it will not even be necessary for managers and HR specialists to get involved and invest their time.
Educational simulations teach employees how to properly respond to different workplace situations that are both common and unusual. They go through a situation from start to finish until it is resolved properly, starting over or making corrections if any mistakes are made. These simulations are great for teaching quick thinking problem-solving, and testing acquired skills.
Balancing entertainment with educational value, serious games are redefining corporate training. Find out how your business can benefit from this unique blend of play and productivity in our whitepaper.
What are the Benefits of Corporate eLearning?
CeL offers several great advantages over traditional training programs, and companies that implement this sort of software have the potential to boost existing performance metrics and even overshadow their competitors.
Remote availability
CeL software is usually available to anyone with a working internet connection, so users can download the program or access it online. At this point, it does not even matter where they complete the course, as long as they perform well and treat the process with the proper attentiveness and seriousness. This is incredibly helpful during quarantine and other circumstances that prevent a person from visiting an office. Furthermore, it is easy to share this software with new candidates who have not visited an office yet or which prefer to study in their leisure time (e.g. on the weekends).
Reduced costs
Although software development is by no means a cost-free endeavor, you will usually end up spending much less on application development than you would on traditional training. For one thing, you eliminate the costs of transporting a person to a training location. Secondly, they do not need access to any physical equipment or special settings – the virtual environments in the app should simulate these things. Finally, the program can even replace in-person trainers, teaching everything necessary to a user with no salary required.
Analytics
You might be surprised to know that an application can extract more data about a user than you could ever gleam by training them in person. Of course, it is necessary to implement the right functionality to get the full benefit. In traditional training, instructors watch the decisions and responses given by trainees, but are not always able to reach conclusions beyond assessing their skill and progress. On the other hand, software can collect a much broader selection of analytical data, which is stacked up against other users and applied to get an accurate profile of the person and how well their education is going.
Reduced pressure
Teaching through CeL solutions is a relatively hands-off way of sharing knowledge, as opposed to the alternative. An ordinary educational regimen involves one or more experienced employees watching over the newcomer and making sure that they stay on track. However, this tends to put significant pressure on the person: they want to do well and please their superiors, so they concern themselves with every tiny action. On the other hand, software removes the personal element of the process, thus reducing pressure and letting candidates feel like they are being treated fairly and not rushed.
Convenience
It should not be understated how convenient apps are to users, especially if they are mobile. Manuals and weeklong courses can be very dynamic and fascinating if done right, but most people will choose an app over these options any day of the week. In most cases, these programs have a linear progression, so you don’t need to worry about doing something too soon, too slowly, or in the wrong order, along with the countless other uncertainties typical for traditional employee education. Apps are becoming the new normal, and providing such an option to the workers of your company will show that you are keeping up with the times and striving for their comfort.
How to Make an eLearning App for Your Business
An example of eLearning App interface
Are you convinced that it is time for your business to provide an enterprise training app? If so, you should be mindful of the main requirements and stages that the process involves.
Getting started
A significant part of the time that you devote to your project will be poured into the planning stage. To begin with, you will need to establish the purpose of your application and which platform (web, mobile, desktop, etc.) it will be available on. You may even opt for a cross-platform solution. Once the premise of the project and a tentative plan is formulated, you can begin assembling your team.
For a standard cross-platform project, you will need at least a half-dozen developers, multiple deswigners and artists, QA engineers, and a Project Manager, and provide all of these specialists with the tools they need to work. If you feel unprepared for such an undertaking, you can also find a development partner that will do most of the heavy lifting for you.
Development
Development will require a large team working together. For example, 2D/3D artists will create the eLearning app design, while developers implement the features, and the creative team chooses the texts and materials to use in the software. It is not uncommon for software development to take several months, and you may be looking at an even longer timetable if you are doing this for the first time and want to hire specialists or master development independently. Ideally, the project will undergo multiple rounds of review to root out any bugs that appear in the eLearning mobile app features and ensure that everything works as intended.
Post-release
When everything is polished and released, your employees can start to see the fruits of your labor. It will be up to you to come up with guidelines for using the app and under what circumstances. You may ask all workers to download it and complete it or use it sparingly for certain categories of specialists – it will all depend on what your application is intended to do. Please keep in mind that keeping the application running for years will often require additional maintenance and technical support from the side of skilled developers.
eLearning App Development Services
While there are undoubtedly dozens of companies that dabble in developing eL applications, few have the experience and resources that Program-Ace brings to the table. For example, you may check out some of our past and current projects in this field:
- Emergency Evacuation Simulator – built to teach office staff evacuation procedures for their location
- Owiwi HR - used for assessing and analyzing potential hires
- MR.Ace – a platform still in development which will allow businesses to build their own mixed-reality training courses
- Military Training – helping military staff learn about proper responses to battlefield situations
And these are just a few. You can find a more comprehensive list of our projects in this category here.
Program-Ace is an R&D company based in Ukraine with over 27 years of innovation experience. Our expertise has grown substantially over the years, and now expands far beyond standard software development, into such fields as VR/AR/MR, digital twins, games, 3D visualization, and telemedicine. With over 120 specialists onboard, we have the resources needed to deliver your project quickly and with the level of quality that you expect and deserve.
We can start discussing cooperation on your project at any convenient time. Just contact us.
