So, what exactly is the development of e learning? Think of it as the journey of taking a raw idea for training and transforming it into a polished, interactive digital course that people can actually use. It’s a methodical process that starts with figuring out what learners need, then designing a clear path, building the content, and finally, checking to see if it actually worked. This structured approach is what separates truly effective training from just putting information online.
Jumping into creating an e-learning course without a solid plan is a lot like trying to build a house without a blueprint. You might end up with something that has walls and a roof, but it probably won't be stable, functional, or what you actually wanted. The development of e learning needs a structured process—a lifecycle—to make sure every step is intentional and moves you closer to a great finished product.
The e-learning market isn't just growing; it's exploding. What was once a niche corner of education has become a massive global industry. In 2024, the market was valued at nearly $300 billion, and it's on track to rocket past $842 billion by 2030. That kind of growth tells you one thing: people are hungry for high-quality digital learning. You can dig into more of this data from Grandview Research.
When it comes to frameworks, the ADDIE model is the old-school classic for a reason. It's a straightforward, five-phase roadmap that guides instructional designers from the very beginning to the very end, making sure nothing important gets missed.
Here’s a simple way to break it down:
The image above really drives home how far we've come—from dusty textbooks to the dynamic, on-the-go learning we have today. And that evolution demands a modern, thoughtful development process.
To give you a clearer picture, here’s a quick summary of what each phase of ADDIE is all about.
Each phase in the ADDIE model builds on the last. It’s a huge mistake to rush the early stages like analysis and design—that's how you end up with training that misses the mark and wastes everyone's time and money.
By following a structured model like ADDIE, you ensure that your e-learning content is not just a collection of information, but a carefully crafted experience designed to produce specific, measurable results.
Understanding this process is fundamental to appreciating the top benefits of e-learning for employee development. This guide will walk you through each of these phases, giving you the practical insights you need to get your own e-learning projects off the ground successfully.
Every great e-learning course starts long before you ever fire up authoring tools like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate. The real magic happens in the first two stages: Analysis and Design. Think of these as the foundation and blueprint for the entire development of e learning. If you skimp on this part, it's like building a house without a plan—it might look okay for a minute, but it’s bound to fall apart.
The Analysis phase is all about playing detective. Your job is to figure out the real problem you're trying to solve. Is there a gap in performance? A new process everyone is struggling with? You need to dig in and truly understand your audience. Who are they, really? What do they already know, and what’s going to motivate them to actually pay attention?
The goal isn't just to gather a bunch of information. It's to pinpoint a clear business problem that your training will solve. Great e-learning isn't just content; it's a solution.
Answering these questions upfront is the only way to avoid building training that misses the mark entirely. It’s the difference between a surgical solution and just throwing content at a wall and hoping something sticks.
Once you’ve got your detective work done, it's time to put on your architect hat for the Design phase. This is where you take all those insights and turn them into a solid plan for the learning experience. You’re not actually building anything yet—you're meticulously planning every single detail to make sure the build goes smoothly later on.
This planning stage is so vital that it’s a cornerstone of almost every instructional design model out there. To see just how important this is, you can take a look at how the ADDIE model for training dedicates an entire phase to just this blueprinting process.
This is where you'll make some critical decisions:
The format you land on has a massive effect on whether people actually engage with and remember what you’ve taught them. There's no single "best" format. The right choice completely depends on your goals and your audience. You wouldn't use the same approach for a complex software simulation as you would for a quick reminder on company policy.
Here’s a quick look at how to match the format to the job:
When it's all said and done, the time you invest in Analysis and Design sets the entire trajectory of your project. By getting this groundwork right, you ensure the development of e learning is focused, learner-centric, and tied to real business goals. It makes everything that follows—from building to launching—so much more effective.
Okay, you’ve done the hard work of analysis and design. Now for the fun part: actually building the thing! This is the development phase, where your e-learning blueprint finally becomes a real, interactive course. Think of it as the construction site for your development of e learning project.
This is where you'll get hands-on with specialized software called authoring tools. These are the digital workshops where instructional designers craft engaging learning experiences. An authoring tool is like a fully-stocked workbench, giving you everything needed to combine text, images, video, and audio. More importantly, it lets you add interactive elements like quizzes, drag-and-drop activities, or even complex simulations.
Without them, you'd need serious coding skills to build anything remotely interactive, which just isn't realistic for most of us.
When it comes to authoring tools, a few big names dominate the scene. The two you’ll hear about most are the Articulate 360 suite and Adobe Captivate. Honestly, the "best" one really depends on what you’re trying to build. You're always trying to find the right balance between speed, creative control, and how interactive you need to get.
Articulate 360 isn't just one program; it's a whole suite of apps, which is why it's so popular. It has a tool for pretty much any job.
Then there's Adobe Captivate, another industry giant. It’s particularly well-known for its powerful software simulation features and even for building virtual reality (VR) training. It offers the same kind of deep customization as Storyline, making it a great pick for highly technical or complex training projects.
Here's a peek at what you see inside the Articulate 360 suite. It shows you how all the different apps work together.
As you can see, tools like Rise and Storyline are just part of a bigger system designed to help you from start to finish.
Great instructional design isn't just about knowing how to use software. It's about taking solid learning principles and using the technology to bring them to life in a way that actually helps people learn and remember.
The best e-learning development merges the art of instructional design with the science of technology. The tool is just the paintbrush; the designer is the artist who knows how to create a masterpiece.
Let's look at how these tools help you apply learning theory:
While you're building, you always have to keep the destination in mind. Whether your course is going onto a traditional LMS or a newer LXP, these tools are designed to export your content in standard formats (like SCORM) that these platforms can track. And yes, AI is starting to creep into these tools, too, with features that can help autogenerate quiz questions or suggest design tweaks.
At the end of the day, picking the right tool is what allows you to turn that carefully crafted blueprint into a polished, effective, and genuinely engaging learning experience.
You’ve poured all your effort into crafting an amazing course with tools like the Articulate Suite or Adobe Captivate. Now you've hit a pivotal moment in the development of e learning: the Implementation phase. You have this polished, ready-to-go product, but how do you actually get it in front of your learners?
This is where a delivery platform comes in. Think of it like picking the perfect venue for an event. A formal business conference needs a structured auditorium with a clear schedule, right? But a creative festival thrives in an open, flexible space that encourages people to wander and explore.
In the world of e-learning, your two main "venues" are the Learning Management System (LMS) and the Learning Experience Platform (LXP).
The Learning Management System (LMS) is the long-standing workhorse of corporate training. I like to think of it as a highly organized digital library. Its main job is to administer, document, track, report on, and deliver training programs. Here, the organization is in the driver's seat, pushing out mandatory training and keeping a close eye on who has completed what.
An LMS really shines when structure, compliance, and detailed reporting are the top priorities.
If your primary goal is to manage required training and have solid proof that people have completed it, an LMS is your most dependable option. It gives you the solid framework you need for any formal, structured learning program. For a deeper look, you can explore the different types of Learning Management Systems to see which specific model fits your business.
The Learning Experience Platform (LXP) is a much newer player on the scene. If the LMS is that structured library, the LXP is more like a personalized Netflix or Spotify for learning. It puts the learner in control of their own development journey, often using AI to suggest content based on their role, skills, and career ambitions.
An LXP shifts the focus from managing training to fostering a culture of continuous, self-directed learning. It’s less about pushing content out and more about pulling learners in with relevant, genuinely interesting experiences.
LXPs are built to be far more dynamic and user-focused.
So, which one is the right fit for you? Honestly, it's not always an either/or situation. Plenty of companies actually use both to cover all their bases. The real key is to match the platform to your big-picture goals. An LMS is non-negotiable for proving compliance, while an LXP is an absolute game-changer for cultivating employee growth and keeping them engaged.
To make it even clearer, here’s a side-by-side look.
Ultimately, getting a handle on the fundamental difference between these platforms is vital. Picking the right one ensures that all the incredible e-learning content you worked so hard to develop actually reaches your audience in a way that truly connects and supports your company’s goals.
The world of e-learning development is always moving, but two trends are really shaking things up: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and microlearning. These aren't just fancy buzzwords; they represent a real shift in how we build and deliver digital training. They're the key to making learning smarter, faster, and a natural part of our busy workdays.
Think about moving away from those generic, one-size-fits-all courses toward something truly personal. That's what AI brings to the table. It's like having a smart assistant for both the learner and the instructional designer, making everything more efficient and impactful. It's the magic behind the personalized recommendations you see on an LXP, and its influence is growing every day.
This shift is happening for a good reason—the demand for great digital training has never been higher. Adoption in the corporate world is almost a given, with 93% of businesses expected to be using e-learning by 2025 to boost performance. The numbers back it up: knowledge retention can leap from a meager 8-10% in a typical classroom setting to as high as 25-60% with well-designed e-learning.
The real magic of AI in e-learning is how it helps us move beyond static content. We can now create dynamic, adaptive learning journeys that actually respond to each person's individual needs and learning speed.
AI isn't some far-off idea anymore; it's being built right into the tools we use daily. Major platforms like the Articulate Suite and Adobe Captivate are already rolling out AI features that seriously speed up the development workflow. This frees up designers to stop worrying about the tedious stuff and focus more on creating learning strategies that actually work.
Here’s a glimpse of how AI is already making a difference:
Looking ahead, AI is set to completely redefine instruction itself, bringing concepts like AI teacher chatbots into the mainstream to personalize learning on a whole new level.
Right alongside AI, microlearning has become a go-to strategy. It’s all about delivering short, focused nuggets of content, each designed to meet a single, specific learning goal. We're talking five-minute videos, interactive infographics, or quick-hit quizzes instead of those hour-long, soul-crushing modules.
The beauty of microlearning is that it respects people's time. It’s perfectly suited for the modern professional who needs an answer right now, not during a scheduled training session next week. This bite-sized approach also pairs perfectly with the mobile-first design of tools like Articulate Rise, making it easy to create and deliver learning that someone can knock out on their phone during their commute.
When you put these two trends together, the future becomes pretty clear. Your LMS might push out a quick microlearning module on a new compliance policy, while an AI-powered LXP could recommend a series of five-minute videos to help an employee build the exact skill they need for their next promotion. E-learning development is becoming smarter, more targeted, and woven directly into the fabric of our work lives.
Even with a solid plan, a few questions always pop up during an e-learning project. It's totally normal. When you're trying to blend solid instructional design theory with powerful software like the Articulate Suite and get it all working on an LMS or LXP, things can get a little tricky. Let's tackle some of the most common questions we hear from learning pros and businesses all the time.
Ah, the classic "it depends" question. But that answer isn't very helpful, so let's break it down with some real-world numbers. The time it takes to build a course really comes down to one thing: its complexity.
A good way to think about it is a development ratio—how many hours of work it takes to produce one finished hour of learning for the end-user.
For a simple course, maybe something built in a rapid tool like Articulate Rise that's mostly text and images, you're looking at a ratio of around 20-40 hours of development per hour of learning. These are great for getting straightforward information out the door quickly.
But once you start adding bells and whistles? That ratio shoots up. A highly interactive course with custom graphics, branching scenarios where choices actually matter, and professionally shot video—probably built in a more robust tool like Articulate Storyline or Adobe Captivate—can easily take over 200 hours for that same single hour of content.
So what pushes the timeline up? A few key things:
The best way to get a solid estimate is to nail down your project scope from day one. When you know exactly what you want learners to do and how you want them to interact with the material, you can set a timeline that's actually achievable for the development of e learning.
This is a big one, and the lines often get blurred. I find the easiest way to explain it is with an analogy: an instructional designer is the architect, and an e-learning developer is the construction crew. You absolutely need both to build something great, but they focus on different parts of the job.
Instructional Design is the architect's work. The instructional designer (ID) is all about the why and the how of the learning. They're the ones doing the upfront analysis to figure out what the audience needs, writing clear learning objectives, and drawing up the blueprint for the entire experience. They map out what content is needed, how to structure it so it sticks, and which teaching strategies—like storytelling or problem-solving scenarios—will work best.
E-Learning Development is the construction phase. The developer takes that detailed blueprint from the ID and brings it to life on screen. They are the wizards of the authoring tools. They build the course, program all the interactive elements, drop in the videos and audio, and make sure the final product is polished, functional, and ready to be loaded into the LMS.
While one person can definitely wear both hats—especially on a smaller team—it's important to recognize they are two different skill sets. Great instructional design makes a course effective. Great development makes it well-built and engaging.
Measuring the success of your e-learning means looking way past completion rates. To get a true sense of the impact, you need a better framework. The Kirkpatrick Model has been the gold standard for years because it gives you four levels for evaluating training, painting a complete picture of its value.
Here's a quick look at how it works:
Level 1 Reaction: Did they like it? This is all about learner satisfaction. You can measure this with simple feedback surveys asking about their experience, if the content felt relevant, and how easy the course was to navigate.
Level 2 Learning: Did they actually learn anything? Here, you're assessing if knowledge and skills were actually gained. Think pre- and post-course quizzes, practical assessments, or skill demonstrations.
Level 3 Behavior: Are they using what they learned on the job? This is where the training starts to prove its worth. You can track this through manager observations, performance reviews, or by looking at KPIs related to the skills you taught.
Level 4 Results: Did the training move the needle for the business? This is the holy grail—the ultimate measure of ROI. It's about connecting the training to real business outcomes, like a jump in sales, a drop in safety incidents, or higher customer satisfaction scores.
Focusing on Levels 3 and 4 is what really shows the business value of what you're doing. It proves that your investment in the development of e learning isn't just another expense—it's a tool for driving real, measurable results.
Feeling ready to build your next great e-learning course or looking for your next role in the industry? Relevant Training develops engaging e-learning content for businesses and hosts a dedicated job board for learning professionals. Find your next opportunity or partner with us to create content that makes an impact. Explore what we offer.