In the quest to find the right eLearning vendor, it’s all too easy for a project sponsor be seduced by a proposal that sounds too good to be true. That vendor who talks a good game may turn out to be a perfect match. But it’s not uncommon to choose a vendor who turned in an amazing proposal, only to feel let down once the project work begins.

Choosing an eLearning vendor partner is a big decision. The way you arrive at that big decision will most likely involve a Request for Proposal (RFP) and may even include a Request for Information (RFI).

What’s the difference between these two tools? And how do you know whether you need to use one or both?

In the beginning, there was the worker. He (or she) had long stretches of time for focused attention, as well as limited access to media. Times have changed -- but has your training? Take a look at how technology has significantly altered the attitudes and behaviors of the modern learner. 

Training, done well, should help people do what it takes for their organization to reach its strategic goals. Otherwise, why would training exist? Once an organization knows its goals and knows what people will need to do in order to get there, the next step is pinpointing the performance gaps. It’s the role of good training to swoop in and close the gaps that are most crucial to success.

eLearning vendors want to please. That can be a great thing for you, the client, in many respects. It can mean a sincere dedication to meeting your needs and making you happy. But it also comes with a downside: Vendors may not be willing to give you the real news or the hard news when it comes up.

To paraphrase Einstein, if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough – and neither will your audience. Einstein would have been a fan of the explainer video, which is a video that explains a concept, process, product or service, all in a minute or two.

Last week we wrote about how getting multiple reviewers to agree on an eLearning deliverable is no easy task. In fact, the process of reviewing eLearning deliverables can be the most challenging part of overseeing an eLearning project. Not managing that process effectively is, hands down, the leading cause of project delays and scope issues.

As a project sponsor – the one tasked with making sure the project is completed and meets its objectives – your success depends on identifying and effectively managing risks like this one. Unfortunately, that’s not always easy or straightforward.

How can you avoid problems with deliverable reviews? The key is in recognizing the root causes that can lead to trouble later down the line. Here’s what those root causes might look like in real life:

Once you’ve decided your organization will benefit from eLearning, the temptation to simply get started can be very strong.  Starting too early, however, is one of the leading causes of project “churn” (that is, lots of activity but little productivity), which in turn is a common cause of timing problems, budget overages, and strained vendor-client relationships. (Read about how to avoid all the major causes of project churn here.)

You see, most eLearning agencies are there to help you take your content and convert it into a meaningful learning experience. At the start, they’ll know very little about the topic being covered. They rely on you and your organization for guidance. If you and your stakeholders have not agreed on the knowledge and skills that are needed, your agency will get conflicting messages from subject matter experts and stakeholders or, in some cases, no real direction from anyone.

So, how can you know when you’re ready to start? You need to be able to answer these four questions: