Course Consistency

I came across this article the other day that discusses five common visual design mistakes in eLearning courses.  I wanted to add my own comments to two of the mistakes listed in that article: consistency and graphics.

Consistency – Lack of consistency rears its ugly head all the time.  Font styles and sizes that vary throughout a course, repeated directions that are worded differently every time, and the big one I see a lot , spacing, usually after the periods (one or two spaces?).

I think the number one reason behind these types of issues is lack of defining the styles before development begins.  For example, the font should be 12 pt Arial, one space after periods, instructional text should read like this, etc…you get the idea.  If you have a clear-cut set of styles to use in the course, I think it would minimize inconsistencies.

Now I understand you’re probably reusing some code from another project, which is great.  I’m all for recycling code instead of reinventing the wheel, but this code should be checked against the defined style guide for the current course.  Make any changes to match the guide and you’re all set.

Along with a style guide, you should have a well-defined review process.  Several people (fresh eyes) should review the course at different phases of the project so you can catch mistakes early and often.  This way, by the time the course reaches the client for the first review, there are minimal mistakes for them to catch, making you look good and allowing the client to focus more on the content and not glaring typos or inconsistencies throughout the course.

Graphics – Along the lines of consistency, you should use similar graphics in a course.  What I mean by similar is the graphics should look like they belong together.  If you’re using photos in one section, you should stick with photos throughout the course; using line art? Then stick to line art throughout.  Don’t mix and match.

When you start using a variety of different graphic styles, I think it makes the final product look like it was thrown together with no thought behind it.  Take the time to find the right graphics to make it look good.  If you can’t find them, use resources to make them.  Visual aids are a huge (HUGE) factor in eLearning courses.  You need to keep people engaged…unprofessional or cheap-looking graphics do not help.  Whenever I take an online course, that’s one of the first things I notice, the quality of the graphics.  If they look like something borrowed out of a PowerPoint presentation, good night…wake me up when it’s over.