Chapter 2. Planning the Project

In the previous chapter, we started with the basics of how learners will benefit from well-crafted e-learning videos. This chapter will consider the components of e-learning project planning and explain their role. Project planning is crucial for creating high-quality videos.

There are many ways to start your project. Some methods are clearly better than others. For better or worse, many published videos are recorded with nothing more than a computer, mobile phone, and an idea. While some of these videos are entertaining—mostly through sheer luck—many others are of little educational value. This is especially true of those educational videos that did not have the benefit of a well-written project plan. We have all witnessed videos purporting to teach us the fine points of using software only to discover that it was created by someone without any understanding of the subject or how to teach it. Viewers come away more confused than when they started.

Professional instructional designers and developers use project plans and pursue their activities in accordance with accepted educational standards. It is not within the scope of this book to provide a thorough study of instructional design. If you have not been exposed to instructional design principles, you are encouraged to study them on your own to learn the many aspects of planning and designing. See the references in the References section of the Appendix.

Even if you do not write your plans down, planning must occur. We will uncover some of the components of your plan and the importance of each one. Giving at least a token recognition to the planning of your project will help you organize your thoughts and consider all of the steps that go into a successful project. The more detailed and formal your plan, the better equipped you will be to start your work on the video. The following are some of the questions that will be answered in this chapter:

• What is a project plan and what will it accomplish?
• What subject or topic am I going to present?
• What is the scope of my coverage for that subject?
• What are the project goals and how do I define them?
• What resources will I need as the project progresses?
• What is a learner analysis and how do I conduct one?
• What is an outline? How much detail should I include?
• What if I need to make changes to the plan later?

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to create an effective e-learning project plan. Let's get started with the basics of planning.