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