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Institutions seek innovative ways to deliver quality learning in today’s evolving landscape. Over half of U.S. training companies have partially or fully outsourced course content development. They leverage external expertise to create engaging and effective courses. Doing so ensures excellent learning outcomes and frees administrators to focus on their core strengths.
To learn more about the advantages of this strategy, let’s explore the concept of business process outsourcing (BPO) in education and training. Find out the top reasons to outsource your e-learning content development below.
Understanding BPO in education and training
What is BPO in the educational context? BPO refers to partnering with external vendors to manage specific tasks within the learning development process.
According to Statista, about 51% of training companies in the United States have partially or fully outsourced workplace training instruction or facilitation. This approach empowers leaders to make informed decisions and unlock significant benefits for their institutions.
Nine reasons to outsource course content development
BPO provides significant advantages that elevate efficiency, productivity, and outcomes. Here are the reasons to consider outsourcing course content development:
1. Better access to expert instructional designers
Developing impactful learning experiences requires subject-matter expertise and knowledge of instructional design. Outsourcing course content development provides access to a team of experts who understand adult learning objectives, principles, and best practices. These professionals create engaging, informative courses that cater to diverse learning styles.
Well-designed training programs address specific challenges and align with employee responsibilities, improving performance. Experienced instructional designers craft interactive courses, such as workshops, e-learning programs, and on-the-job experiences, to resonate with learners and maximize knowledge acquisition.
2. Enhanced quality of course content
Outsourcing course content development goes beyond simply having someone write the training materials. Instructional designers bring a fresh perspective to developing e-learning content, ensuring courses are informative, well-structured, and engaging.
Their expertise lies in crafting a logical sequence that aligns perfectly with established learning objectives. They possess the skills to develop clear and concise learning materials, free from jargon and unnecessary complexity.
The value of instructional designers extends further as they effectively integrate multimedia elements such as interactive simulations, animations, and videos to enhance understanding and retention. This results in an overall improvement in course quality, leading to a more enriched learning experience for students.
By outsourcing e-learning content development, institutions gain access to professionals who can improve the quality of their educational offerings and maximize student learning outcomes.
3. Cost-effective development solutions
Building a full-time in-house team of instructional designers and content developers requires a significant investment. The average salary of an instructional designer is $80,812 annually, but it can reach up to $112,000, depending on experience level.
Outsourcing course content development offers a compelling, cost-effective alternative. Institutions pay only for the necessary services, avoiding the overhead costs of hiring new employees.
Third-party BPO partners often have established workflows and readily available resources, including infrastructure and software licenses. They can develop courses efficiently, further contributing to cost-effectiveness and making outsourcing particularly attractive for smaller institutions or projects with specific budget constraints.
4. Faster course development timelines
External teams can develop content significantly faster than in-house teams. Accelerated course development timelines allow institutions to launch new programs on time, update existing ones quickly, or meet tight deadlines for new program implementation.
This capability is essential in today’s fast-paced learning environment. Maintaining an advantage over competitors is critical when onboarding and keeping learners.
5. Effective utilization of advanced e-learning tools
Outsourcing offers access to cutting-edge authoring tools used by leading e-learning firms. These platforms can boost learner engagement and foster a dynamic learning experience compared to traditional formats. BPO eliminates the need for institutions to invest in expensive software or staff training for these complex programs.
Furthermore, outsourcing partners often leverage learning management systems (LMS) that provide robust tracking and reporting capabilities. Programs with integrated LMS features can efficiently reduce learning time, allowing institutions to create engaging courses and gain valuable data to personalize the experience and improve outcomes.
6. Enhanced focus on core educational goals
Developing high-quality course content can take time, often diverting valuable resources away from core priorities. By partnering with external experts, institutions can free up the internal team and resources and focus on their areas of expertise. This translates to increased efficiency and a maximized effect on learning.
Outsourcing course development allows educators and trainers to focus on strategic curriculum development, personalized learner support, and efficient faculty development, which enhance overall institutional excellence.
7. Scalable and flexible content production
Course development needs often fluctuate based on program changes, industry demands, or enrollment figures. Outsourcing course content development provides a flexible and scalable solution for these dynamic needs.
Institutions can easily adjust their content production efforts without managing staff fluctuations or resource limitations. Outsourcing vendors can scale operations swiftly to develop new online courses for growing programs. This approach provides the agility to adapt and deliver high-quality courses that meet evolving learner demands.
8. Boosted learner engagement and outcomes
The actual value of outsourcing course content development goes beyond efficiency. Instructional designers are subject-matter experts who play a crucial role in crafting informative, engaging, and practical courses.
Third-party developers can incorporate interactive elements such as simulations, branching scenarios, and gamification (think points, badges, and leaderboards) during content development. As a result, they produce engaging educational programs that encourage participation and accommodate a variety of learning preferences.
Compared to traditional lecture-style formats, interactive e-learning courses enhance the retention of information presented by as much as 60%. This translates to a significant improvement in knowledge retention and overall student learning outcomes.
Furthermore, outsourcing developers can integrate assessments throughout the course, allowing institutions to measure learner progress and identify areas where additional technical support might be needed.
9. Consistent standards
Building a reputation for excellence hinges on consistent standards. Outsourcing partners with proven track records can help maintain consistency in the quality and mode of instruction.
Their established processes and rigorous quality control measures ensure that all courses adhere to predefined standards regardless of subject matter. This consistency safeguards the integrity of your institution and fosters trust among learners, stakeholders, and your target audience.
Real-world success: Vivo’s outsourced e-learning
Telefónica Vivo, a Brazilian telecom leader, faced low training completion rates for business managers (BMs) selling a complex business-to-business (B2B) portfolio. To address this, Vivo partnered with a BPO service provider to develop a comprehensive mobile-first e-learning program.
The solution? Microlearning courses are accessible anytime, anywhere, on mobile devices. This engaging format, featuring diverse content such as infographics and gamification, boosted completion rates from 36% to 92.95%. BMs’ average training hours skyrocketed from four to 65, leading to a 222% increase in closed sales opportunities.
Vivo’s success highlights the power of strategic outsourcing for creating compelling mobile learning solutions that drive business results.
The bottom line
Outsourcing course content development can be a powerful tool for institutions seeking to revolutionize learning. By leveraging the expertise of external partners, they can create high-quality, engaging courses that deliver exceptional learning outcomes.
Let’s connect and discuss your outsourcing needs. Unity Communications provides award-winning BPO solutions to help you achieve your goals.
