Imagine a race car, flying across the track and rolling to a stop at the pit for a tire change. All members of the pit crew are so finely tuned to work as one unit that it’s almost like they read each other’s minds. And why do they work so hard to create a seamless experience in the pit? Because it makes for a smoother ride to the finish.
An eLearning team is a lot like that; just without the matching hats. As each member of the eLearning team takes on a specific role, it’s done with the understanding that the output needs to match the effort, training, and results from all other team members. From the first meeting to the final delivery of content, a client’s success is a win for these integral all star eLearning team members.
Instructional Designer
Consider the instructional designer the crew chief: An ID is the client-facing team member that first, gathers all the necessary information and then creates a general strategy for the rest of the crew. The instructional designer usually oversees the entire project, from creating blueprints for a successful outcome, to helping define the tone, look, and feel of a module.
eLearning Developer
The eLearning developer is the one who is trained to work with authoring software to help carry out the instructional designer’s overall vision. Using storyboarding and content development, an eLearning developer sees the project through the eLearning development phase by creating a general structure for the module using the appropriate tech.
Learning and Development Specialist
“Specialist” is one of those tricky terms that can mean a lot of things to different eLearning firms. For some, the L&D specialist fulfills an IT-heavy role in administrating and managing the LMS. For other firms, it’s the L&D specialist who creates the organizational structure of the eLearning module. In any case, the specialist is a support position with an excellent handle on deploying a comprehensive and appropriate LMS.
eLearning Consultant
He’s the guy with his eyes on the track, anticipating movement before anyone hits the gas: The eLearning consultant is positioned to help the team make decisions on the best training methods and delivery for a client’s needs. Leaning heavily on the ADDIE model for instructional design, the eLearning consultant is ace at defining what a client needs and how best to fulfill those needs for a successful project. The eLearning consultant works with the instructional designer from the start to brainstorm and identify everything from appropriate media to nailing down the perfect brand tone.
Learning Strategist
The learning strategist is the one who is constantly assessing current trends, competition, and techniques to adopt in current and future projects. By assigning value to all of the components of eLearning and instructional design, the strategist can identify opportunities for improvement, as well as work in tandem with the consultant and specialist to strategize methods for delivery, content creation, and generally carrying out a client’s vision.
Chief Learning Officer
This position depends on the composition of one’s company, and whether the CLO has a formal eLearning team behind him, or if he or she is tasked with monitoring and creating a company’s learning and training programs. Read more about the chief learning officer position here.
While their roles might vary slightly, each of the members of the eLearning team work as one fluid machine. With a clear mission and the ability to engage at exactly the right time through the design process, making it to the finish line is smooth, seamless, and a total win.
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