For companies that have shifted from traditional classroom training courses to the e-learning platform, the challenge is to keep employees engaged enough so they are able to successfully complete the course by the due date. If you have taken an online course in the past, you’d know that great design plays an important role in making the course interesting and inspiring. For course developers and designers who are struggling to build an e-learning course that can motivate employees to make time for studying and keep committed to finishing it on time, here are a few helpful tips on creating engaging design.
Creative Use of Images
Using the right images is important in supporting the course content. Take note that it is not just adding images that adds value to the online course, but choosing the appropriate ones. With the right images, employees will be able to retain information better. You can also get creative and use a series of images instead of text in bullet points. Refrain from using clip art images, use professional looking photographs.
Appropriate Colors
Color is one of the most important elements of visual design. Having the right choice of colors makes it possible to evoke the intended reactions from your learners. In general, it is ideal to use soft and subdued colors as background, while dark colors are best for text. Avoid adding several different colors. Three colors or less would be enough, as you would want to keep the color palette simple, professional, and yet still appealing to your learners.
Distraction-Free Design
When designing an online course to increase engagement, keep in mind that it is not about placing more elements, but creating balance. Your course design should encourage employees to focus on the content and not on the decoration. When creating the template, take out all the irrelevant elements and stick to the essentials so employees do not have any distractions.
Adequate White Space
White space, also known as negative space, is essential in any design. While it is really tempting to put as much elements as you possibly can on every empty area on a page, resist the temptation. It is this white space that helps learners focus their attention on what is important and gain a better understanding of the content.
Concise and Straightforward Content
Layout is crucial. Instead of cramping too much content in one module, it is best to break down massive information into two or more modules so as not to overwhelm your learners. It is imperative to keep modules short and focused on one topic only when you teach online through e-learning platform. This way, it is easier for employees to read the content and also remember the learnings at the end of each module when they take the assessment tests.
Creating design for an online training course for employees may seem easy for any experienced designer, but not as easy when you are trying to make sure that the online course is effective in keeping learners engaged. With these tips, the process of designing an e-learning program becomes much more efficient.
Michelle Gonzalez has been writing for SMEs across the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK for the last five years. She is a highly-experienced blogger and SEO copywriter, writing business blogs for various industries such as marketing, law, health and wellness, beauty, and education, particularly on e-learning platforms such as www.teachable.com.
