Developing Single Source Learning -...

Developing Single Source LearningWorkshop by Bryan Chapman

Student Guide

Credits and Copyright

Credits:

Author.................................................................. Bryan [email protected]

801-568-7011http://www.chapmanalliance.com/

Publisher..................................................................... Xyleme, Inc.(303) 872-0233

http://www.xyleme.com/

Copyright notices:

Developing Single-Source LearningProvided by Chapman Alliance This course contains the first four modules from a 2-day workshop offered by Chapman Alliance on howto create and optimize a single source approach tolearning development. The course was createdusing single source development techniques and isavailable for your use in several output formats. Theintent is to use these materials to teach by example.Please note that the content is available as CreativeCommons material, meaning that you are welcometo use it for your own internal training purposes, butnot allowed to sell the content or make it part ofservices that are sold. Enjoy.

Table of ContentsPage

Conventions of this course............................................. ............viiIcons used in the guide.................................................................. ................vii

Introduction...................................................................... ..............1Develop Once, Use Many.............................................................. .................1Learning Deliverables.................................................................... .................2Separation of Content from Delivery.............................................. .................3Business Benefits............................................................................................4Course Objectives...........................................................................................5

Learning Object Methodology........................................ ..............7What is a Learning Object?.............................................................................7Examples of Learning Objects....................................................... .................7Topics, or Lessons......................................................................... .................8Modules, or Units........................................................................... .................9Aggregated Course........................................................................ ...............10Designing for Reuse......................................................................................11Glue...............................................................................................................11Non-Linear Development............................................................... ...............12Lesson Review Questions.............................................................................14

Large-Scale Project Examples........................................ ............15Thinking outside the box................................................................ ...............15Publisher – Create-Your-Own Textbook........................................ ...............15Retail – Product Knowledge ONDemand......................................................22Computer Software Training.......................................................... ...............24Lesson Review Questions.............................................................................27

Long-Term Vision.........................................................................29Creating a Long-Term Vision......................................................... ...............293 Year Strategy.............................................................................. ...............30Prototyping ALL Outputs................................................................ ...............32Mapping Out Content..................................................................... ...............33Calculating Conversion Costs........................................................ ...............34Creating a Strategy and Development Plan..................................................37Lesson Review Questions.............................................................................39

Want to learn more?........................................................ ............41Information & Next Steps............................................................... ...............41

Course Quiz Questions................................................... ............43Glossary............................................................................ ............45

Developing Single Source Learning v

vi Developing Single Source Learning

Conventions of this course

Icons used in the guideThe following icons are used in these guides

Exercise

Group Discussion

Note

Tip

Developing Single Source Learning vii

viii Developing Single Source Learning

Lesson 1Introduction

As learning and training professionals, we often create courses as custom, one-off projects; designing them from beginning to end as one long narrative. Thequality is usually fairly good, but is this the most efficient way to do things? Whatare the alternatives? Here’s a very good option to consider -- Single Sourcing.In short, single source learning development is all about:1 creating content as smaller modules2 separating content from presentation, while simultaneously3 working in a team environmentCheck out this example. Theoretically you could create an entire newspaper as acustom one off, using Microsoft Word. The technology isn’t the limiting factor. Asthe publishing staff of one, you could write the masthead, feature articles, sportscolumns, classified ads, insert advertising, and basically do the whole thingyourself. But why would you want to do that?

The publishing industry mastered the idea of modular development a long timeago. Team members focus on their area of expertise, write independently fromone another, and then submit content to a well-defined publishing template. Thisenables them to create large volumes of content in a relatively short amount oftime.

The purpose of this course is to teach you how to apply similar techniques whencreating multiple courses in your environment.

This lesson contains the following topics:

Develop Once, Use ManyLearning DeliverablesSeparation of Content from DeliveryBusiness BenefitsCourse Objectives

Develop Once, Use ManyCourses can be delivered in many different ways including Instructor-Led (face-to-face), virtual classroom, self-paced eLearning, and many different formatswhen using blended learning.

The beauty of single sourcing is that content can be created one time at the topiclevel with maximum reuse for different types of delivery.

Introduction

Developing Single Source Learning 1

For a single topic (or learning object) you may want to write verbosetext for inclusion in an instructor guide, and an equivalent,streamlined version for use of classroom visuals in the eLearning.Basically it is the same content.

Figure 1: Develop Once, Use Many

Notes:

Learning DeliverablesWhat specific deliverables do you create with your courses? The following chartshows which learning delivery formats are used most often when creatingtraining courses:

2 Developing Single Source Learning

When organized correctly, content can be used across multiple deliverablessimultaneously or sorted for use in delivery formats best suited for instructionaloptimization. For example, a list of steps in a process may appear simultaneouslyin an instructor guide, student guide, eLearning course AND job aide.

Separation of Content from DeliveryWhen you create content as a custom, one-off solution, the core source of yourlearning often becomes part of a larger, monolithic resource, making it difficult toreuse any part of the content without making duplicate copies. Here are a fewexamples:

Introduction


Course SourceMaterial Difficulty Reusing

eLearning(authoring file)

Content is often on the same page as navigation controls,such as the next button, back button, course map,background, etc.

Very difficult to capture the content for reuse in print format,in another eLearning course, or as just-in-time learning.

Instructor Guide(Word document)

Content is often heavily formatted, using Word documentstyles, in tables, written in lengthier (verbose) format.

Difficult to repurpose as contextual help, format for use asJob Aide, or break up for use on a PowerPoint slide

PowerPointSlides(native .ppt)

Content is often simplified and enlarged for visual display.

Insufficient source material to populate a full, self-pacedlesson with just the information showing on each slide.

Table 1: Working with Different Media Types

Business BenefitsSeparating content from delivery format provides many business benefits,including:

Future Proofing Content. Consider: Just a few years ago, no one really paidmuch attention to sharing learning content on mobile phones.Scalability. “Every time we needed to create a new, derivative version of acourse, we simply made a copy and changed it for the new instance. Now wehave dozens of versions of the same course and none of them are linked.”Decrease Redundancy. Example: a company used to create separatecourses on their main product line for (1) internal staff, (2) partners, and (3)customers. Now they just release different versions of the course focusing onthe content that is most important for each audience.Shorten Time To Market. Example: a publishing company uses a globallydispersed group of SME’s to create their training materials. Using lineardevelopment, the process used to take 18 months. Now they can create awhole new course in 5 months.Rapid Updates and Modifications. "We can fix typos and make minorrevisions in minutes without having to wait until the next release cycle orcompletely retesting all the output.”


Course ObjectivesIn this course, you will learn how to:

create learning content as small, easy-to-use modules

think outside the box and apply single sourcing to innovative, large-scaleprojects

define and communicate your single source vision to your team, businessunit, and company/organization

deal with change management issues

structure your team for best results

deploy a successful single sourcing practice

Introduction


Lesson 2Learning Object Methodology


What is a Learning Object?Examples of Learning ObjectsTopics, or LessonsModules, or UnitsAggregated CourseDesigning for ReuseGlueNon-Linear Development

What is a Learning Object?A learning object is the basic building block of any course when using a singlesourcing model. The idea is to create courses using small, self-contained chunks,designed to meet a specific instructional purpose. You will want to keep themsmall enough to connect with other learning objects or possibly even used asself-contained learning used for just-in-time learning.What is a Learning Object?

Self-ContainedConnectable to Other Learning ObjectsReusableIndividual Item or an Entire ActivityMetadata Tagged for SearchabilityBuilding Block for a Topic or Lesson

Examples of Learning ObjectsGetting the definition of learning objects down can be a bit tricky because thephrase can describe many different types of self-contained learning materials.When creating instructor-led training (ILT) or eLearning, most people think ofcreating a “page” of content, assembling many different types of media into asingle display. However, learning objects can be as small as a screen title orparagraph of text… or as large as an entire simulation, video or instructionalgame (that could take 20-30 minutes to view or complete).

Figure 2: Learning Object

Learning Object Methodology


Examples of Learning Objects:Screen Title AnimationSentence Test QuestionParagraph QuizCaption Interactive ExerciseSteps in a Procedure SimulationTable Instructional GameGraphic List of Course ObjectivesVideo

Why is the definition so broad? Early definitions of learning objects as “rawmedia” didn’t really match their purpose. Learning objects are designed formaximum reusability and repurposing; in short, almost any individual or itemcould be considered a learning object.

We recommend meeting with your instructional development teamand creating your own list of the core components that make up anyinstructional material that could be included in your instructorguides, student guides, synched PowerPoint, eLearning, job aides,ebooks, etc.

Topics, or LessonsLearning objects are clustered into topics or lessons. Recommended times for alesson is about 5 to 15 minutes, sufficient to provide a complete instructionalinteractive at the topic level. From an instructional perspective, lesson timesprovide a structure that works well with limited attention span, especially whenlearners engage in self-paced learning while on the job. These shorter topics alsoallow for natural break points for bookmarking purposes.


Figure 3: Topic or Lesson, a Clustering of Learning Objects

Modules, or UnitsAnother level of clustering allows you to aggregate topics into modules or units(depending on what your organization wishes to call them). The purpose of thislayer is to organize topics that naturally belong together to meet a single (orsometimes multiple) enabling objectives.

For example, when analyzing course material for this course, using a singlesource approach, it was determined that there should be one full modulededicated to creating a single source vision, containing the following lessons (ortopics):



Figure 4: Units or Modules; another level of clustering

Aggregated CourseFinally, modules are aggregated into courses. Please note that any level of thisHierarchy (learning objects, topics/lessons, modules/units) can provideopportunities for reuse. For example, if you decide to create a new version of thecourse for a different target audience, you may want to delete modules, or addnew ones. The whole methodology works because of the tiered approach.

Figure 5: Course Level, high-level clustering


The same structure holds true whether the course is 1 hour inlength or 1 week in length (or longer).

Designing for ReuseSingle sourcing isn’t fully accomplished by organizing content into LO’s, topics,modules and ultimately courses. One of the most important factors is learninghow to write content for reusability, allowing courses to be shortened,lengthened, or even to reuse content in its entirety within the framework ofanother course structure.Here are some simple tips to share with instructional designers and writers tomake content as reusable as possible.1. Don’t reference previous LO’s or topics within any reusable content.2. Cover examples completely within the learning object (or at least the topic).3. Write verbose and streamlined text if you want classroom visuals and

eLearning to be less “text heavy”.4. Consider adding interactivity exercises as equivalent to static graphics or text

narratives describing classroom activities, for use in non-print-basedlearning.

5. For transitional items and contextual examples, create them as non-reusableobjects or “glue”.

GlueNot all objects can or should be reusable. Nothing will stifle your single sourcingfaster than trying to write everything as generic content, designed to meet allneeds for all audiences.

The answer is to create specific, non-reusable objects called “Glue.” They aretypically the same size as learning objects or even entire topics. Their purpose isto keep your storytelling abilities intact. Glue objects are the perfect place toinclude phrases such as, “in the previous lesson you learned...,” or “building onthe concept previous learned…”

They can be made of the same components as any learning object, such as text,graphics, video, animation, etc.

Glue objects can be tagged or labeled as such in order to let other members ofyour development team know that they were never intended to be reused.



During development of a specific course, glue is interleafed between reusablelearning objects to form a complete storyline.

Figure 6: Glue objects provide transitions as non-reusable content

Try this exercise on your own: Secure a copy of an instructor guidefor any one of your courses. Take a yellow and green highlighterpen. Highlight all text that is reusable and would apply to manydifferent versions of the course in green. Highlight any text that istransitional or uses too specific of examples to be consideredreusable, in yellow. This will give you a good idea of the percentageof reusable and glue object you might expect in other courses.

Non-Linear DevelopmentOne of the great advantages of using a learning object approach is thatdevelopment can also be allocated at the learning object level. Objects can beinitially written in isolation, SME reviewed, and finalized before all of the otherobjects have even been completed. For example, a simple approach is to outlinethe entire course at the module and topic levels. During the high-level design,learning object needs can also be specified (i.e. an example here, test questionsfor this topic, a graphic (TBD later), etc.).

In addition, existing content could be mapped to the structure, especially ifalready created as learning objects so that a gap analysis will reveal what newcontent has to be developed to complete the course.


Figure 7: Non-linear development allows work to proceed at any level



Lesson Review Questions1. Which of the following is not a description of a learning object?

a. Building Block for a Topic or Lessonb. Dependent on Other Learning Objectsc. Connectable to Other Learning Objectsd. Self-Contained

2. True or False: A learning object is always contained in a single, media file(i.e. .jpg, .txt, .mov, etc.).

a. Trueb. False

3. What is the recommended time for a lesson or topic?

a. 5 to 10 minutesb. 15 to 30 minutesc. 30 to 60 minutesd. 1 hour or more

4. What is the primary purpose of keeping lessons short?

a. Decrease development timeb. Minimize the number of files usedc. Increase interactivityd. Match the attention span for learning

5. Which of the following phrases best describes the concept of “glue” inlearning object development?

a. The bridge between primary content and test questionsb. Non-reusable objects used to provide contextual transitionsc. A method for adapting learning objects to run on different delivery

formatsd. A template used to pull various media objects together into a unified

look and feel


Lesson 3Large-Scale Project Examples


Thinking outside the boxPublisher – Create-Your-Own TextbookRetail – Product Knowledge ONDemandComputer Software Training

Thinking outside the boxIf you think that using single sourcing is just a different development methodologyfor creating eLearning or Instructor-Led Training, you are missing the big picture.Although single sourcing can help shorten overall development, the moresignificant benefits include:

Setting up content for creative remixingMoving modular training closer to the point of performanceSharing and reusing content with other parts of the businessCreating new derivative versions of courses for different target audiences

Look around you. Creative and innovative uses of learning content managementabound.

Publisher – Create-Your-Own TextbookJohn R. Wiley has been in the publishing business since 1807, with a focus onacademic and individual learning resources, manuals and scholarly textbooks.They are well known for their “For Dummies” and “Frommer’s” travel series. Theyalso publish Webster’s New World Dictionary and CliffNotes series.

How could a publisher like Wiley use single sourcing to their advantage?

The answer can be found under a simple icon on their main website – WileyCustom Select.

Large-Scale Project Examples


Figure 8: Wiley Custom Select; Example ofInnovative Use of Learning Objects

Starting a Custom Text Book

In short, Wiley Custom Select is a public-facing tool, where users can create theirown text books for learning purposes by choosing and sequencing individualchapters from a broad range of Wiley-published manuals and resources.

Figure 9: www.customselect.wiley.com

This screen allows users to find specific text books that match their needs.Selecting Existing, Modular Chapters

A table of contents for each book allows users to pick specific chapters forinclusion in their new textbook design.


Figure 10: Selectable Chapters

Adding New Chapters to Your Custom Book

Chapter topics can be clicked and dragged into your new custom text book.



Figure 11: Drag and Drop Chapters to Create a Custom Text Book

Skinning and Tagging the Book

You can add your own book title, course name, and instructor. Additionally youcan select from many different pre-designed covers for the manual.

Notice that the interface for using content that has been preparedfor single sourcing can be intuitive. The heavy lifting happensbehind the scenes as content is prepared for use in multiple ways.


Figure 12: Example of Pre-Designed Title Screens and Properties

Automatic Tally of Costs

Throughout the process, Wiley Custom Select shows how the cost changes anda thumbnail of the final work as content is changed and added.



Figure 13: Real Time Calculation of Printing Costs

Auto-Generated Table of Contents

Your new textbook can be previewed at any time. Notice that the chapters areautomatically renumbered to match the new destination (although the systemalso includes the previous chapter as a reference note to the source material).


Figure 14: Auto-Generated, Table of Contents

You can even add your own custom chapters with learning content unique toyour organization or as transitional (“glue”) items for context.Innovation

Wiley Custom Select is an excellent example of single sourcing in action,because it:1. Uses the concept of Learning Objects – defined as “Chapters” in a book in

this example2. Learning Objects are short and granular3. Chapters are self-contained4. Keeps content separate from delivery - you can add your own cover and the

table of contents is automatically generated



5. Content can ultimately be repurposed for multiple uses

Case Summary

Using single sourcing isn’t just about developing learning materials faster. In thisexample, creativity was applied to create a whole new business line, anadditional revenue stream, and meet the customization needs for their clients.

Which issue do you think was more difficult in this scenario:1. applying learning content management technologies and

techniques?2. working with content owners and authors to see the vision of

allowing users to consume their intellectual property at thechapter level?

Try Wiley Custom Select for yourself at:www.customselect.wiley.com

Retail – Product Knowledge ONDemandRetail stores often have high turnover rates, yet they also need to keep a trainedstaff of sales personnel who understand the products they represent.

How could single sourcing be creatively applied to solve thisproblem?

Retail Scenario Set Up

Company XYZ owns a large chain of retail stores, located in three differentcountries with the following characteristics:

They sell 56,000 different brand-name itemsSales staff is assigned by department (electronics, medical supplies,gardening, sports, etc.)The company considers “product knowledge” as a key to successful sellingTurnover of staff is high at 34% turnover per yearThere is a need to keep the sales staff up on all the latest information onproducts


http://www.customselect.wiley.com?

Figure 15: Applying Learning Content Management to Product Knowledge Training

Retail Example Solution

This retailer considered the option of increasing training time, but that pulledcritical resource off the job. They felt with the high turnover rate, training alonewould cause productivity to plummet.

Single Sourcing solution: The Company decided to create a repository ofmodular, bite-sized chunks of learning for key (especially complex) products.Each learning module was also self-contained and independent of use with otherlearning (approximately 2 to 3 minutes in length). Additionally, each productknowledge piece contained a mini-quiz to see how much each employee learned.These product knowledge nuggets were tagged so that it was easy to tell whatitems were sold by department.

Initially, the company provided these training modules on computer kiosksthroughout each store, launched through the company’s intranet. This is thesame kiosk where they clocked into work, found information about their schedule,etc. Completion and scores were sent back to the Company’s LMS for analysis.

Product knowledge could also be rendered to different formats such as print-based guides for new hire orientation.

Later, the company evolved the program where learners could scan the barcodefor any product in the store using a mobile device, right at the point of



performance. The sales staff started using these modules as customer trainingas well and could hand over the mobile device for on-demand learning; scoresand completion status being recorded by the same LMS. In short, learners couldtake the training in sequence or anywhere in the store at any time.

Case Summary

Single Sourcing can help solve diverseissues in unique ways. In this example,the use of learning objects allowed theCompany a great deal of flexibility inproviding training on-demand and as-needed while still meeting their objectiveof disseminating measurable productknowledge resources. Additionally, thisinformation could be used to help inworkforce planning. Finally, some of theretail stores had slightly differentdepartments, i.e. some stores didn’t have sufficient space for a gardeningdepartment. Using single sourcing, each store could easily only deploy thecontent that matched up with products they offered and eliminate learningmodules for items they didn’t carry.

Discussion Questions:How can you apply single sourcing to similarly disseminatelearning in your organization? (Think outside the box).When would it be advantageous to move training closer to thepoint of performance as illustrated with this example?

Computer Software TrainingA large software company had a problem. To be most successful, it wasimperative that they keep software developers focused on the task of addingenhancements to steady project lines and creating new and innovative products(software) for their customers.To summarize the problem space, the company had grown so large that they hadseparate training departments for:1 internal staff2 partners and resellers3 end-user customers

Figure 16: Learners use Bar Codes toAutomatically Retrieve Modular Learning


As new product releases neared completion, each of these training groups satdown with software developers to interview them about new features and newinterfaces so they could prepare the necessary training. After several cycles ofrelease, the company recognized that they were repeating this process at leastthree times, not counting going through the same exercise for separate groupsthat create documentation and help systems.

Figure 17: Learning Content Management used Across Different Groups

Group Discussion: How can you help correct this problem usingsingle sourcing?Group discussion questions:

Does your organization provide limited access to SubjectMatter Experts (SME’s)? What can be learned from this casestudy on how to more efficiently use SME time?Reusability doesn’t always mean using content created bysomeone else for another use. In fact, one of the most effectivecost saving measures of single sourcing is repurposing contentfor different audiences. How much content can be reused (orrepurposed) in your department/organization when creatingderivative versions of courses for different audiences?



Solution

Notes:

Case Summary

Single Sourcing provides the opportunity to share content across severaldepartments or divisions, even when used for purposes beyond training, such asapplication documentation and help systems. This case study is also an excellentexample of creating derivative versions of a course for more than one audience.

Does your organization provide limited access to Subject Matter Experts(SME’s)? What can be learned from this case study on how to moreefficiently use SME time?Reusability doesn’t always mean using content created by someone else foranother use. In fact, one of the most effective cost saving measures of singlesourcing is repurposing content for different audience. How much contentcan be reused (or repurposed) in your department/organization whencreating derivative versions of courses for different audiences?


Lesson Review Questions1. In the Wiley example, the granularity of learning objects is defined as:

a. Pages of Textb. A complete, formatted textbookc. Chaptersd. Interactive Exercises

2. (True or False) By segregating content from presentation, you can increasethe possibilities for reuse.

a. Trueb. False

3. What outputs are possible when using single sourcing?

a. Instructor Guidesb. Student Guidesc. eLearningd. Mobile Learninge. All of the above

4. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Single Sourcing?

a. More interactive software simulationsb. Enabling easier customization of learning contentc. Creating multiple, derivative versions of courses for different

audiencesd. Moving training closer to the point of performance

5. (True or False) The primary purpose of single sourcing is creating contentmore rapidly.

a. Trueb. False



Lesson 4Long-Term Vision


Creating a Long-Term Vision3 Year StrategyPrototyping ALL OutputsMapping Out ContentCalculating Conversion CostsCreating a Strategy and Development Plan

Creating a Long-Term VisionThere is not a one-size-fits all solution when it comes to Single Sourcing. In fact,the most successful development practices begin with a solid, long-term vision.

We highly recommend anchoring your practice around a vision, as opposed tosimply introducing new technology.A well-defined, long-term vision consists of a balanced approach in three mainareas:1. People – you need people (project managers, instructional designers,

writers, authoring specialists, etc.) to understand the concept of learningobjects and reusability to optimize your approach.

2. Processes - as you shift from a linear, manual-development to a non-linear,object-oriented, team approach, it will require an adjustment to yourdevelopment process.

3. Technology – your technology must support building content in a modularfashion for reusability and repurposing and also facilitate team developmentand workflow.

North Star Analogy

A good analogy to use when documenting your vision is the North Star. In fact,we’ve often used the term “North Star” as an internal code name for establishinga new content-management, single source environment.

The reason: For many lost travelers, the North Star serves as a constant guidetoward their destination.

Fact: The North Star never changes its place in the sky. When you face it, youare always facing North.

Long-Term Vision


Figure 18: The North Star: An Analogy for Setting your SingleSourcing Vision

Vision Statements

When introducing a single sourcing model, it can become easy to get lost in theminutia of learning objects, content separation, deliverables, etc.Begin by writing goals for your project. Here are some ideas to get you started:

“Our vision of single sourcing is to create new learning products and developadditional streams of revenue.”“By introducing this program, our goal is to be able to offer our customers(both internal and external) customized learning experiences without startingeach new project from scratch.”“To us, single sourcing holds the keys of creating consistent learningproducts and deliverables. Our learners don’t want every learning experienceto be a new exercise in how to use the manual or navigate an eLearningcourse.”

Get the idea? Look for the big picture storyline as your North Star.

Divide into groupsWrite and share a one-line, North Star vision with your groupOnce all groups are done, have a spokesperson for each groupshare their vision

3 Year StrategyWe recommend developing at least a 3-year strategy based on that vision.Unless you are starting a brand new company, you likely have loads of legacycontent, along with plans to create new courses going forward.


Figure 19: Develop a 3-year Vision and Plan

Here is a narrative of the discussion one company had in defining their 3-yearstrategy goals.

ISD

You know what I’d like to see. I want to have all our contentmodularized and centrally located so that all I have to do is clicka button and the system will render content in any format Ichoose like an instructor guide, student guide, fullysynchronized PowerPoint Deck, an eLearning course, anotherversion of the course as a mobile app… we could have eachtopic that could immediately be used inside our company’ssoftware application. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could createKindle books for every one of our courses? Wow, thepossibilities are endless.”

TrainingManager

“Hang on there. Aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves?”

ISD“What do you mean? I’ve seen the demos at trade shows andI’m ready to get going.”

TrainingManager

“We already have 140 courses that account for about 1,200hours of seat time across all our instructor-led training andeLearning materials alone. I don’t think the way some of thatcontent is designed would automatically translate to all theformats you just mentioned, but I sure like the long-termprospect of doing exactly what you just said.”

ISD “You’re right. So where do we start.”

TrainingManager

“I suggest we sit down with our stakeholders and walk throughthis vision, then work backwards to figure out how we can getthere given our limited resources.”

ISD “Do you think we can realistically get there.”

Long-Term Vision


TrainingManager

“I know we can, it’s just going to take a really good plan andsome prioritization to make it happen. What we need to do islayout the plan on a whiteboard and make some decisionsabout how to proceed; stuff like whether or not we shouldconvert all 140 courses, or focus our attention on newdevelopment, then convert courses as they come up forupdates. Another good idea is to determine exactly whatoutputs we hope to support and by when. For example, we maytackle the instructor-led materials right away and do some earlyprototyping for how content can be reused for eLearning. I’msuggesting we wait until early next year to plan our attack oncontext sensitive help. Does that sound like a plan?”

ISD “Can’t wait to have the planning meeting and get started.”

TrainingManager

“Me too.”

Prototyping ALL OutputsAs part of the strategy meeting, you are going to want to make initial plans forwhat learning deliverables you need to target first and map them into your long-term strategy. The problem is there are more than just a few formats to consider.For example, even if you decide, at a high-level, to tackle mobile learning, youwill want to further specify if you are going after smartphones, tablets, or both(and all the different variations).

We recommend doing a quick inventory of what core learning technologies andemerging technologies are most important.

Take time to create your assessment and share your results withthe group.

Commonalities and Differences

Create a prototype for each output you hope to support. The prototype should bea working example that team members can use to ensure that content fits thedesired output format.

For example, several years ago, Company XYZ created a Word template thatcould be used across six different divisions of the company when producinginstructor guides for use in face-to-face (ILT) learning.


When preparing to move to a content-managed approach, they collectedsamples of instructor guides from each department, and they noticed thatelements of the template had changed over time, including:

Variations in the document footer: changes in font, styles, and spacing.Instruction Notes: Some added them in italics directly under the content. Another group had decided to show them in the margins.Use of Icons: the original template used visual icons to represent discussionsvs. activities vs. quizzes, etc. Over time some of these icons had beenabandoned and new ones added. One group stopped using the iconsaltogether.

Assessing Output Format Needs

Assess output formats using the following steps:1. Collect samples from different groups and divisions (instructor guides,

student guides, PowerPoint used in ILT, eLearning, etc.)2. Collect any feedback given by learners and instructors (in some cases this

feedback may already exist through course evaluation data)3. With a group of key stakeholders, make a prioritized list of what works best

across all the samples (i.e. title pages, tables of content, visual icons,formatted procedures, instructor notes, glossary links in eLearning, coursemaps, etc.)

4. Create a list of what common elements exist across all samples vs. what isunique

5. Create a specification showing what variability is needed to meet all needs(i.e. the group mentioned previously discovered that margin notes wouldn’tmeet the needs of all groups because some had extensive text in instructornotes. It wouldn’t fit the formatting)

6. Finally, create a prototype that everyone can live with

It takes time and good communication skills to do this, but it is wellworth the effort.

Mapping Out ContentLeverage an LCMS to map out existing content and identify areas for newdevelopment.

Good content management is all about Data Mapping and organizing content intoan outline format. Most LCMS technologies allow you to create course structures

Long-Term Vision


as tree views (like file folders in Windows Explorer), with sub folders. In short,you can outline your courses by creating folders for main topics and thenimporting existing content such as graphics, blocks of text, test questions,simulations, etc. By doing this you will quickly see what topics are covered andwhich ones need additional content.

Remember that topics can be moved into different modules, lessons and evencourses. Also remember that to facilitate learning object reusability, contentshould be somewhat standalone.

Figure 20: Organized Tree View of Content Using Xyleme LCMS

Calculating Conversion CostsAnother important part of your overall Learning Content Management Strategy isto develop a plan for converting existing content. For some organizations, theywant to convert ALL existing content upfront. For others, they feel that it may bemore practical to migrate existing courses as they reach a scheduled updatewindow.

Regardless of the approach, knowing and communicating conversion rates, costsand resources is imperative to the success of your project.


Figure 21: Understanding Conversion Costs

Conversion Benchmarks

Here are some typical costs of converting existing course material for use in anLCMS environment.

Materials to Convert Development Time RatioInstructor guides, Studentguides and PowerPointused in a classroom

20 hours of developmentper finished hour (“seattime”) of the course

20:1

eLearning (average,medium level ofinteractivity)

49 hours of developmentper finished hour

49:1

Long-Term Vision


Use these metrics to estimate your conversion costs:Inventory existing content by listing course name, delivery type,duration (in hours).Estimate a standard, burdened rate (including overhead) foraverage pay rate per hour for qualified developers. Forexample, a recent project calculated average burdened rate at$58 per hour. NOTE: Your number will likely be different.Check with HR if you are unsure about average costs.Plug in the development metrics listed above to estimateconversion costs.

ROI Calculation Examples

Company XYZ has 8 ILT courses and 4 eLearning courses.ILT Calculation

Using the provided metrics and burdened pay rate, they determine that the costof converting all of their ILT is $83,520.

Formula: 72 (hours of seat time) X 20 (conversion rate for ILT) X 58 (burdenedrate of pay) = $83,520eLearning Calculation

Formula 10 (hours of eLearning) X 49 (conversion rate for eLearning) X 58(burdened rate of pay) = $28,420


Figure 22: Sample Duration Estimates as an Illustration for YourCalculations

Knowing conversion rates will help you develop the right plan for yourorganization, especially when working with large quantities of courses, which istypical of organizations considering the use of Learning Content Management.

Creating a Strategy and Development PlanDocumenting and communicating your plan to stakeholders and Sr. Managementis a key factor in establishing a successful Single Sourcing practice. The first partof the document is merely an exercise in sharing decisions you’ve made alongthe way including sharing your long-term vision (North Star), defining outputdeliverables, sharing prototypes (or at least a prototype development plan),decisions about what content to convert (and when), and costs. Here is anexample of a table of contents for a Single Source Strategy and DevelopmentPlan as blueprint for the project:

Long-Term Vision


Figure 23: Sample Table of Contents for a Single Source Strategy and Development Plan

We’ll talk more about LCMS Governance and Change Managementin another part of the course.


Lesson Review Questions1. Developing a successful single sourcing strategy requires balance among:

a. Input, Output, and Satisfactionb. Learning Objects, Modules, and Lessonsc. Software, Knowledge, and Experienced. People, Processes, and Technology

2. Which of the following is the best first step in creating a single sourcingstrategy?

a. Select a Learning Content Management Systemb. Develop and communicate a long-term visionc. Create prototypes for each output type (instructor guide, student

guide, etc.)d. Calculate conversion costs

3. Which of the following is NOT a good reason for creating a prototype foreach output type?

a. Can be used as a pattern for content developers to followb. Lockdown of templates is required for use in an LCMSc. Better than a style guide to ensure consistencyd. Allows developers to focus on the content and not the format

4. True or False. Learning content must be completely structured beforebringing it into the learning content management system.

a. Trueb. False

5. What is the industry average development time (stated in this course) formigrating instructor-led training materials (instructor guide, student guide,and PowerPoint) into an LCMS?

a. 40:1b. 60:1c. 20:1d. 100:1

Long-Term Vision


Lesson 5Want to learn more?

Information & Next StepsThis single source course was produced for educational purposes by ChapmanAlliance and Xyleme. The course was created to produce and instructor guide,student guide, synchronized PowerPoint slides, eLearning, a table app, andsmartphone course from a common, centralized, learning-object repository.

You are welcome to share all of these materials with your learning team to spawndiscussions about the possibility of single-sourcing at your organization. Thecontents of the course are released under creative commons and you can sharethe course with others, as long as you (1) credit the source, and (2) don’t sell anypart of the course materials (or use them as material in tandem with services).Source Accreditation: Chapman, B. (2012). Developing Single Source Learning.Online course and support materials, produced by Chapman Alliance LLC andXyleme, Inc. (www.xyleme.com)

In addition, a webinar demonstrating how the course was created is availablehere.

If you would like to learn more and/or get a personalized tour of Xyleme LCMS,the technology used to generate this course to generate and publish thesecourses across print, web and mobile formats, please contact:

Cindy BequeaithXyleme, Inc.(303) [email protected]

If you are interested in having Bryan Chapman (1) conduct a full Single SourceWorkshop ($3,500, plus travel, for a one-day workshop, $7,500, plus travel, for atwo day workshop), (2) speak to your learning council about Single Sourcing($875, two-hour virtual, interactive session), or (3) working with your team to mapout a full Single Sourcing Strategy with a 3-year implementation plan (call forpricing), please contact Bryan at:

Bryan ChapmanChapman Alliance LLC(801) [email protected]

Want to learn more?


http://www.xyleme.com

http://www-staging.xyleme.com/developing-single-source-learning-webinar-bryan-chapman-recording

mailto:[email protected]

Course Quiz Questions1. Which of the following is not a description of a learning object?

a. Building Block for a Topic or Lessonb. Dependent on Other Learning Objectsc. Connectable to Other Learning Objectsd. Self-Contained

2. What is the primary purpose of keeping lessons short?

a. Decrease development timeb. Minimize the number of files usedc. Increase interactivityd. Match the attention span for learning

3. Developing a successful single sourcing strategy requires balance among:

a. Input, Output, and Satisfactionb. Learning Objects, Modules, and Lessonsc. Software, Knowledge, and Experienced. People, Processes, and Technology

4. Which of the following is NOT a good reason for creating a prototype for each output type?

a. Can be used as a pattern for content developers to followb. Lockdown of templates is required for use in an LCMSc. Better than a style guide to ensure consistencyd. Allows developers to focus on the content and not the format

5. What is the industry average development time (stated in this course) for migratinginstructor-led training materials (instructor guide, student guide, and PowerPoint) into anLCMS?

a. 40:1b. 60:1c. 20:1d. 100:1


Glossary

Cycle TimeIn single-sourcing terms, it is development time spent from the point an active course is pulledoffline for modifications and enhancements, until it goes back online for active use. Manyorganizations measure success of a single-sourcing project by decreased cycle time.

Data MappingA process of organizing content into a hierarchy or outline to make sure it (1) sufficiently coverseach topic, (2) shows hierarchical relationship of content, and (3) determines overall scope for acourse or curriculum.

eLearningLearning content that is delivered electronically or online, most often used to describe self-paced,online learning.

GlueLearning content that has extremely limited reusability, so it’s sole purpose is to provide contextor to be used as a transitional element when compiling multiple learning objects into a unifiedcourse.

HierarchyAn organizational structure of how content is naturally grouped and interrelated, oftenrepresented in an outline (or tree) view

ILTAcronym used for Instructor-Led Training, or learning that is delivered live, real-time by aninstructor to a group of students. It most often implies face-to-face learning, although some usethe term to also describe virtual, instructor-led training (synchronous, online learning – alsosometimes referred to as VILT).

Job AideA tool and/or source of information that can be used to complete a task while at work. Examplesof job aides include: laminated procedures prominently displayed near the point-of-performance,conversion tables (e.g. converting Fahrenheit to Celsius), calculators (e.g. foreign currencyconversion tools), spreadsheets for financial analysis, etc.

Learning Content Management System (LCMS)A multi-user environment where learning developers may create, store, reuse, manage, anddeliver digital learning content from a central object repository. LCMS products allow users tocreate and reuse digital learning content/assets. An LCMS manages the process of creating,storing and delivering learning content.


Learning Object (LO)A small, modular piece of learning content that is self-contained, teaches to a specific objective,reusable, tagged for searchability, that can be connected with other learning objects to createtopics, lessons and courses.

ModuleA cluster of topics as an organizational grouping of similar subject matter. Clustered together tomake a course.

One-off ProjectA course that is entirely custom developed without consideration for how individual content pieces(learning objects) can be used to create derivative versions or for use in other delivery formats.

Point-of-PerformanceThe actual place where day-to-day work is performed. Learning can be moved so close to thepoint-of-performance that it becomes part of the processes used to complete the work. Forexample, an accountant may use a combination of tools developed specifically for completing atask that included embedded training and learning so they don’t have to go to another location tolearn a task or procedure.

ReusabilityThe ability to use any piece of learning content for other purposes or output formats.

ScalabilityChoosing methods and technology that will allow organizations to start with smaller operations,yet also be able to apply the same methods and technology to larger, more sophisticatedprojects.

Single SourcingThe process of creating a core body of content that can be used for multiple output typesfollowing the principle of “develop once, use many.”

SMEAcronym used for “Subject Matter Expert,” a person with deep domain expertise and knowledgeof the subject matter.

TopicCombination of learning objects related to a specific area of the subject, generally 5 to 15 minutesin length (as a rule of thumb).

Virtual ClassroomA session held online, where students can be geographically dispersed yet participate in thesame live, online, instructor-led session. Most frequently used tools for virtual classroom include:Webex, Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, Microsoft LiveMeeting, Centra, and several other virtualclassroom systems.


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