| Suppose you have been asked to give your | | | | |
| opinion on whether your institution or | | | | * How will usability tests be conducted? |
| organization should purchase or build a | | | | |
| learning management system (LMS). How would | | | | * Which database output formats are used? |
| you anchor your argument for against either | | | | |
| software? There are some specific factors | | | | Because each of these questions typically has |
| involved in determining the case for whether | | | | a different answer for each organization, a |
| to buy or use homegrown resources, because | | | | team should work together to come up with an |
| e-learning software must meet demanding | | | | air-tight plan. Testing should also be |
| requirements for performance, flexibility, | | | | conducted throughout the process and piloted |
| and connectivity to be effective and | | | | on a small scale before being distributed to |
| efficient. | | | | the entire organization. |
| | | | |
| Homegrown software can be appealing because | | | | Sometimes it turns out that homegrown |
| it is tailor-made to for your specific needs. | | | | products are more expensive either to build |
| But is it saving or costing you money and | | | | or maintain. There is also a possibility that |
| effort? To minimize this cost, you would need | | | | the people who build the systems are no |
| to identify and detail every feature that | | | | longer with the organization and the |
| would be needed, as well as pinpoint who in | | | | technical support is thus interrupted. |
| the organization will need to have access to | | | | Because of these issues, companies end up |
| the resource. Be sure to outline data and | | | | looking for off-the-shelf product, with |
| reporting requirements during the | | | | standard support, training, and continuous |
| implementation and product evaluation process | | | | upgrades and improvements that they can buy |
| during the development process. Also think | | | | rather than build themselves. |
| about data quality. If you plan to offer | | | | |
| e-learning courseware, you need to be sure | | | | The down side of off-the-shelf resources is |
| that it tracks the data you need and in the | | | | that they do not always meet the |
| manner that you want. | | | | organizational requirements. Technical |
| | | | support can be expensive, and may not able |
| If you opt to buy, make sure that available | | | | available when required. These includes |
| features (custom-built or otherwise) are | | | | updates, upgrades, and licensing requirements |
| developed in advance. Don't assume that the | | | | must that must be addressed even before the |
| system has built-in features that will suit | | | | purchase takes place. Another option would be |
| your all needs. In fact, it is a tricky to | | | | to purchase off-the-shelf software that is |
| assume that all the data you need will be | | | | customizable and flexible if possible to meet |
| collected by the system unless you | | | | the specific requirements. Many resources |
| investigate its options in-depth. Think about | | | | provide this option so be sure to research |
| the following questions prior to building or | | | | it. |
| buying the e-learning software: | | | | |
| | | | Regardless of the option decided upon, it is |
| * Which type of user interface is required? | | | | important to keep in mind that there may be |
| | | | additional costs such as training, |
| * How much debugging/troubleshooting will be | | | | maintenance, upgrading. At the end of the |
| done on the production phase if building? | | | | day, the important thing to determine is the |
| | | | cost-benefit analysis, and of course the |
| * Which access levels are available for | | | | value added to the learners, instructors, and |
| different users? | | | | teaching and learning process. |