The Ultimate eLearning Design and Development Checklist
Posted: 03.18.2012 | Author: Nicole Legault | Filed under: eLearning, Instructional Design | Tags: Best Practices, Checklist, Design, eLearning, Graphics, Instructional design |
I have combed the web and compiled several e-learning, instructional design and web design checklists to create this ultimate e-learning checklist. Not every item on the entire list will apply to every project, however I think that altogether it covers a broad range of items. If you think there’s something important that I have missed, please let me know and I will include it in the list; ideally, I’d like this checklist to cover as much ground as possible.
View The Ultimate eLearning Design and Development Checklist in .PDF format.
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
- Training needs analysis is complete
- Time and budget restraints have been identified
- Primary and secondary audience have been analyzed
- Task analysis and task listing are complete
- Various instructional methods are used
- Objectives are clearly stated
- Objectives include measurable criteria
- Instructional content relates directly to objectives
- Course objectives are met
- Content is segmented into small chunks
- Information is logically grouped
- Major headings are clear and descriptive
- One-third of the content is presentation
- Two-thirds of the content is application & feedback
- Feedback is provided for questions answered
- A maximum of 5-7 bullet items per slide
- There is a summary for every piece of content
- Glossary is used to define key concepts and terms
- Humor is used with care
ASSESSMENTS & TESTS
- All assessments are relevant and complete
- Assessments are challenging and realistic
- Various quiz methods and types are used
- Assessments are used throughout
- Final assessment at the end
- Pass/fail marks are appropriate
- Feedback is adequate
- Feedback presented within reasonable time
- Post course assessment/evaluation is included
- New content is not presented in assessments or in assessment feedback
GENERAL DESIGN
- Total design is uniform in appearance
- Branding/identity guidelines have been followed
- Use of logos is appropriate
- Colors used are consistent and suitable
- Color schemes chosen for visibility & contrast
- Navigation is consistent throughout
- Horizontal and vertical scrolling is avoided
- At least 50% of the screen is white space
- Graphics/icons used to signify important concepts
- Patterns and textured backgrounds do not interfere with legibility
FONTS
- Maximum of or three fonts used throughout
- Decorative fonts are only used for headings
- Body text uses sans serif fonts
- Appropriate line spacing is used
- Paragraph length is appropriate
- Font sizes are appropriate and easily readable
- Font colors visible against background color
- Styles and colors are consistent throughout
- Emphasis (bold, italics) is used sparingly
- Body text is left justified
TESTING
- E-learning has been tested in multiple browsers
- E-learning has been tested in various resolutions
- All links and buttons have been tested
- Accessibility features have been tested
- All audio has been tested
- All videos have been viewed in entirety
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TECHNICAL
- Project load time is reasonable
- Shortcut keys have been defined
- FAQ document has been created
- Hardware requirements have been identified
- Software requirements have been identified
- Dimensions are optimized for target audience
- The course is viewable in all web browsers
- Pages are easily printed
- Total time to complete has been timed
- Contact information available for questions
ACCESSIBILITY
- Entire course can be navigated with keyboard
- All ALT tags are used
- Text is provided for all non-text elements
- Video files have associated script or dialogue
- Captions are provided for audio conveying content
- No flashes faster than 3 times per second
- No colors used to convey information
- No fine motor skills required (large clickable areas, large field labels)
NAVIGATION
- Main navigation is easily identifiable
- All navigation is correct sequence
- Hyperlinks are clearly identified
- All hyperlinks work
- Minimum use of external links
- Backward links to navigate to previous screens
- Number of navigation icons is reasonable
- Table of contents used to lay out the content
- E-learning has guided tour and/or map for further explanations
VIDEOS & ANIMATION
- Use of animation and videos is appropriate
- Files are compressed/optimized
- Videos and animations are consistent in quality, size and type
- Videos are legally owned
AUDIO & NARRATION
- Narration is not exact text on the screen
- Narration is clear and concise
- Audio quality is high (not fuzzy or scrambled)
- Narrator sounds confident and knowledgeable
- Audio synced to the content
- Audio can be paused
- Volume can be muted
- Volume can be controlled by user
TEXT CONTENT
- Language is clear and concise
- Spelling has been checked
- Grammar has been checked
- Language is culturally appropriate
- Tone is consistent throughout
- Tone is appropriate for the audience
- Text is gender neutral
- Content is not plagiarized
- Date formats, measurements, are consistent
- SME has verified text content
- Facts, statistics, data are accurate
- Facts, statistics, data sources are identified
- Correct capitalization applies to units/acronyms
- Correct capitalization is used
- Punctuation is appropriate
- Complex sentences are avoided
- Content has been localized for all required languages
GRAPHICS
- Images are meaningful, have a purpose
- Images/graphics are resized and compressed
- Images use appropriate file type
- Photos are consistent in quality, size, type
- Images are all legally owned
- System screen captures are up-to-date
- Screen captures do not contain any personal information
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Comprehensive checklist! Great work. Thanks for sharing.
Fabulous! Great tool for checking projects. Thanks!
MS
Thank you so much Nicole for sharing this great work. I have gathered a few more items (those with “-” are particularly important IMO), but some of them may sound obvious?
I would really like to translate your checklist in french and post it online (in your blog or mine) if you’re OK with that.
Last thing: in your pdf file the titles seems to be erased.
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
- Every unnecessary piece of content or media (= not related to objectives) have been removed
* Graphics are used every time it’s needed to support meaning
- Transitions are used quite often (in order to remind the learner where he is in the global learning path)
* Explain the benefit of each part or topic (engagement and motivation of the learner)
* Important content is presented several times differently (from a different perspective or using a different information channel)
* When possible, make the learner experience the content rather than presenting it
- Segment the difficulty into multiple steps (so that the learner will gain confidence)
- Place the information in context
ASSESSMENTS & TESTS
- Every learning objective is assessed (at least one time during the course)
- Describe precisely the behavior of the assessment & tests activities in the storyboard (reminders, number of tries, scoring, advices and feedbacks related to each phase of the activity, branching links …)
- Instructions are clearly written (simple syntax and no ambiguity)
- A question with only one assessing objective do not measure measure multiple things
* MCQ : minimum 3 items, maximum 6 items
- Every distractor is plausible
TESTING
* Complete testing grids are used by the testers
- Testing have been done in the real learning environment (LMS, web site …)
- Testing have been done with a learner’s account
- The tracking have been verified
- All combinations of assessments & tests have been tested
GRAPHICS
- Sources of medias are mentioned if needed
TEXT CONTENT
- Prefer conversational writing to formal writing
AUDIO & NARRATION
* Narration is prefered to text for explanations of graphics
- Prefer conversational narration to formal narration
VERSION AND TIME DATAS (NEW CATEGORY)
* The last review date of the course is indicated
- The next review date of the course is known by the development team (to avoid obsolete content)
* The version of the course is indicated (V1, V2.16 …)
- The duration of the course is indicated
* Metadatas of the final product (version, description, review date …) have been filled
(really, you read it all? thanks
)
Matthieu – I already started a version 2 of the checklist, and I added/re-organized some items and added a new section for “localization”. Can I also add all the items you have listed ? I will update the PDF list with all the changes at some point this wkd – maybe a good idea to wait until I have updated/sent you the new version of the checklist before you translate to French ?
its up to you but I really appreciate all your added comments and list items … Thank you !!!
You’re welcome Nicole. Of course, you can take everything you want from my list and reorganize it. I’ll wait for the version 2 before translating, indeed a better idea.
Have a great week-end !
[...] The Ultimate eLearning Design and Development Checklist [...]
Excellent piece of work. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to version 2.
Best Regards
Kay
Great summary! hard to add something else..but I will try:)
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Useful indeed…. Great for a quick glance to refer before the final deliverable … Thanks for sharing
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