Last week, I saw this post on LinkedIn (and it got me đ¤ thinking):
As an e-learning developer, this is the type of LinkedIn post I pay special attention to. They are typically treasure troves of information, valuable beyond measure. Crowd-sourced tips on how to excel in our industry.
Experienced instructional designers from every industry come together to discuss, debate, and yes - sometimes argue - over what authoring tool is the best. This post brought up a lot of good discussion around why we choose the tools we do, and how they help us achieve our goals as Learning and Development professionals.
After youâre done here, head on over to the post (linked above) and read through the comments for some really great insight on authoring tools.
BUT BEFORE YOU DO THAT, LETâS TALK ABOUT THIS: WHICH AUTHORING TOOL WILL GET YOU THE JOB?
What if I said none of them will? đ
As I have gotten farther along in my career, I realized that while a lot of job descriptions lean toward one tool or another, it is far more important that my skills as a developer are translatable across platforms, industries, and projects.
IMHO, there is no better, best, âbestestâ when it comes to authoring tools. They are tools. In the right hands, they will work for you no matter what they are. Sure, some of them might make your job easier. But an effective instructional designer can work with anything. A well-rounded e-learning developer is aware of whatâs out there, but has also created a framework that will help them establish a command over most tools.
The rapid pace of work can sometimes distract me from the foundation of my profession - Instructional Design. Having a strong knowledge of learning models and frameworks is more important than how fast you can build a Storyline course. Choose and learn an authoring tool well, but know your Instructional Design principles even better. Have a solid visual design identity, too. This will help you successfully master whatever tool youâre forced to use.
(That being said, for what I need - Iâm #teamstoryline. But thatâs another post for another day đŠ).
What do you use to create your e-learning courses, and why? Has it ever helped you get a job (or caused you to miss out on a job opportunity?). Tell me in the comments below đđ˝
Hi! Iâm Nyla Spooner, a Learning Experience Designer in Houston, Texas. I get to help people develop and unleash their expertise for the purpose of improving team and individual performance. I also create free resources for new Instructional Designers at www.nylaspooner.com/nylaLXD.
Iâm an Andragogy Nerd. Blogger. Spotify Playlist Curator. HMNS Member. British Crime TV Obsessed. And a Star Trek Aficionado. Iâm just your friendly, neighborhood millennial multi-tasker. And I thank you for reading!
"I just want to learn, create, make mistakes and start the entire process over again until I am the best I can be".