Browse by Tags: budget planning

This resource provides a comprehensive framework of 20 scoping questions designed to guide initial discussions between learning designers and subject matter experts (SMEs) when planning eLearning projects, particularly those with clinical or healthcare content. The document systematically addresses critical project planning areas including strategic alignment, stakeholder management, learning design approaches, assessment strategies, accessibility requirements, technical specifications, and resource allocation. It incorporates evidence-based time estimates for different levels of content complexity (basic to advanced) and includes specific cost projections based on development hours. Key features include: Structured questions covering project fundamentals through to risk management Specific guidance on scenario-based learning and branching complexity Compliance and accessibility considerations aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA standards Platform-specific development time estimates (Blackboard Ultra, Articulate Rise 360, Storyline 360) Budget frameworks with realistic hour-per-finished-content ratios Healthcare-specific considerations including clinical accuracy validation and SME involvement timeframes This resource would be particularly valuable for learning designers initiating healthcare or clinically-focused eLearning projects, project managers establishing realistic timelines and budgets, or institutions seeking to standardise their eLearning scoping processes. The framework ensures comprehensive early-stage planning whilst managing scope, compliance requirements, and stakeholder expectations effectively.

This evidence-based Excel calculator provides comprehensive time and cost estimates for eLearning development projects within higher education and healthcare contexts. The tool generates detailed project costings by incorporating multiple variables including content duration, platform selection, authoring tool requirements, scenario complexity, assessment specifications, compliance levels, and media production needs. The calculator draws on peer-reviewed research and industry benchmarks (Chapman Alliance, 2010; ATD Research, 2023; Tucker, 2025) to produce realistic development time multipliers for different authoring tools and complexity levels. It automatically calculates platform-specific development hours (ranging from basic platform creation to advanced tools such as Articulate Storyline 360), applies appropriate compliance multipliers for WCAG 2.1 AA, PSBAR, and European Accessibility Act requirements, and generates risk assessments based on project specifications. Key features include automatic platform selection based on target audience (Blackboard Ultra for students, Totara for staff, Course Catalog for external professionals), dynamic cost breakdowns showing development hours and associated costs, scenario-based learning calculations with complexity ratings, and integrated risk assessment with mitigation strategies. The calculator is particularly suited for learning designers, project managers, and academic staff planning eLearning projects who require accurate budget estimates and timeline projections. It includes comprehensive maintenance documentation and lookup tables that can be updated to reflect changing institutional rates and industry standards.