What eLearning Software Do You Need? Tools for Creating eLearning Courses

eLearning software is one of the tools for creating eLearning courses that you will need regardless if you are creating a course for employees (internal learners) or customers (external learners). But with so many types of software, it can be overwhelming to determine exactly what you need. Let’s look at three main types of eLearning software you most likely need for your program. 

#1. Software to Build Your Course 

To start, you will need software to build your course. Some learning management systems include this ability, but you will likely need an authoring tool. An authoring tool is another tool for creating eLearning courses that let you create content that will live on your LMS. 

There are plenty of authoring tools available, including popular options such as RISE, Adobe Captivate, Storyline, or even Loom. The authoring tool you choose will depend on your course content and format, learners, and LMS, as some of them actually include native authoring tools. For more information on authoring tools, check out the blog post we wrote previously on “Top 5 best eLearning authoring tools.” 

#2. Software to Host and Deliver Your Course 

Another important software among tools for creating eLearning courses is an LMS. LMS is different from an authoring tool as it’s primarily an eLearning technology that hosts your course and delivers it to your learners. It also lets you sequence your course and gather and analyze data about your Learners and their learning experiences. 

However, an LMS is far from the only option for hosting and delivering your course. There is also an LPX (Learning Experience Platform) which is a more advanced version of an LMS. For differences between LMS and LXP, check out this blog post, “LMS vs. LXP: Which one is best for you?” You can also host your course on a BMS such as Kajabi. 

#3. Internal Vs. External: Additional Requirements 

The third type of software that you need depends on whether your course is internal or external. Remember that internal courses are for people within your organization, such as training for employees or onboarding programs. External courses are those that you sell to other people outside your organization. 

Internal Courses Need Integration

If you are making an internal course, you will need to choose software that integrates with the software your employees already use. Doing so ensures that employees can easily access the course without needing additional training on completely new software. It is crucial for you to know what your employees are using and find compatible software that can efficiently be integrated. This should significantly improve engagement and ease of use. 

External Courses Need Marketing and Selling Software

If you are making an external course, you will also need software to market and sell it. For example, we mentioned that you could host and deliver content via a BMS. These systems will frequently feature capabilities to market or sell your course. 

Pro Tip! Keep the Software Simple

When selecting tools for creating eLearning courses, it’s important to keep things simple. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself by choosing complicated software or even pushing your budget too far. Start small, and as you test your program and start getting ROI, you can invest in more advanced tools and software to enhance your eLearning program. 

Conclusion

When creating an e-learning course, there are essential tools to help you along the way. You will need software to create your course, such as an authoring tool. An LMS or similar system is also needed to host your course and deliver it to your learners. Finally, internal courses need integration with existing systems, while external courses need software to help with marketing and sales. We have plenty of resources, including blogs and videos, with recommendations for all of these types of software.