Browse by Tags: cost estimation

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.