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What Does an eLearning Consultant Do?



Asking what an eLearning consultant does is more complicated than it seems at first. That comes from the fact that there are different answers to what most eLearning consultants do and what most companies feel they should do.

That being said, the following will give you a better idea of what to expect from an eLearning consultant.

 

A Refresher on the Three Pillars of Developing eLearning Platforms

Before getting into what an eLearning consultant does, take a moment to refresh your memory on the three pillars of eLearning - content, technology, and distribution.

 We’ll see these three pillars come up when discussing eLearning consultants. However, they will come under slightly different names. They will be building the program, managing it (and its development), and implementing it.

 

Should vs. Actually Does

As mentioned, there is frequently a big difference between what an eLearning consultant actually does and what they “should” do. In either case, they will work on building the eLearning strategy. They will also manage the program and be accountable for it.

The difference comes in implementation. The best eLearning consultants should handle or at least guide implementation, but not all will.

 

A Closer Look at Building the eLearning Strategy

Every eLearning consultant will be involved in building the strategy and the program.

This aspect of the eLearning consulting services focuses on creating the plan. They answer questions like: 

  •  How will you develop the content learners want?
  •  What technology do learners want, and how will you use it?
  •  How will you distribute the course to maximize the value for learners?

 

A Closer Look at Managing the Program and Accountability

When it comes to managing the program development, accountability becomes a crucial responsibility for your eLearning consultant. This accountability is especially important in terms of due dates.

Your consultant needs to do more than track due dates. They need to be realistic about when you will achieve them. If you do not reach a deadline, they need to talk to the person in charge and come up with a plan. This can be a tough conversation to have, but consultants must be prepared for it.

But discussing deadlines aren’t the only tough conversations eLearning consultants need to have with C-levels or VPs. They also have to be ready to disagree with those roles when processes don’t make sense. This typically comes from the consultant caring about the project enough to want it to go well.

 

A Closer Look at Implementation

As mentioned, implementation is the part of eLearning development that your consultant may or may not assist with. It can include things like building videos, quizzes, and text. Some consultants simply don’t have the resources to offer this service. This is not necessarily bad, as long as you know whether that service is included.

After all, if your consultant does not handle implementation for you, you will have to hire someone else to take care of it. This will affect the budget you have for the consultant.

 

Conclusion

All eLearning consultants should help develop the eLearning strategy and manage the project, including being accountable for progress and deadlines. Some but not all also assist with implementation. Always ensure you know whether your consultant handles implementation and to what extent to avoid unpleasant surprises and budget issues.

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