How Long Does It Take to Build an eLearning Program?

One of the most common questions among those looking to create eLearning content is how long it takes to develop the program. The short answer is that it can take as little time as you need it or as long as you want. But two main factors affect your eLearning course development time: the 85% rule and your timeline.

The 85% Rule and Why Perfection Isn’t Essential

The 85% rule has been around for a long time. It applies to a long list of situations and projects, including eLearning development time. Essentially, it states that completing the last 15% of your project will take the same amount of time as you spent completing the first 85%.

So, imagine you spend two months creating eLearning content to get your project 85% complete. You will need another two months to get that last 15%.

That is a lot of extra time to put in when you feel like you are close to the end of the project. But that last 15% is not always necessary, especially for eLearning program development.

That is because everyone has different opinions about what they want from eLearning programs. This means that even if you get your project to what you consider 100%, you will still have some learners who’ll note areas for improvement or suggest changes.

Realistically, when you create eLearning content to 85%, you will have about the same amount of criticism and suggestions as you would if you created it to 100%.

In other words, perfection isn’t necessary for your eLearning program. Build it to 85% perfection, and that will be more than good enough for the launch.

Your Timeline and Accountability

The other big factor is how long you give yourself to create your eLearning program. When it comes down to it, the development will take as long as you need it to. If you have a shorter deadline of just 30 days, then you can make it work in that timeframe. After all, you are only building to 85%.

If you have a shorter deadline, such as a week, you can also make that work. However, you may have to make sacrifices when creating the program to fit that timeline. For example, maybe the course itself would be shorter.

The main thing here is that you need to decide on an eLearning development time and make yourself accountable to stick to it. Of course, you don’t want to sacrifice the quality of the program to meet your deadline, so be realistic with your goals.

Why Faster Is Better

If you can realistically keep a shorter eLearning course development time, doing so is in your best interest. It is also in the best interest of learners.

If the program is for internal training in a company, creating it more quickly will make the training process more efficient. This helps trainers, trainees, and the company’s bottom line.

If you plan on selling the program, you get to start recouping the value you put into creating it faster. You also give learners access to the knowledge you provide sooner.

The Takeaway

The bottom line is that your eLearning course development time will depend on the deadlines you have. Remember that your program doesn’t have to be 100% perfect or complete, as 85% complete will be more than good enough to teach your learners. On top of that, that last 15% will double your development time without necessarily reducing learners’ likely recommendations for improvements. So, choose a deadline, hold yourself accountable, and create your program to 85%. Your eLearning development time is up to you.