Another popular skillset that Instinct are asked to source for our clients is that of the E-Learning Developers. Like many of the roles we recruit for the role can vary slightly from company to company. However, the basic skills of a Developer are generally the same.
The core role of an eLearning developer is normally to work at the later stages of the production process, essentially bringing to life the higher-level designs of Learning Designers / Instructional Designers.
Typically, developers are given a brief to transform a storyboard or written content. They may have a rudimentary understanding of pedagogy but really their role is to create a final piece of material, therefore, often working alongside Instructional Designers on the same project.
Developers leverage technology to amplify the learning material to be more engaging, effective and accessible to all. To facilitate this, developers have a multifaceted range of skills and responsibilities.
Skills and Responsibilities
The Essential Skills and Responsibilities of a developer include:
Communication – Communication is key to understanding briefs and working effectively with fellow creatives such as instructional designers, graphics designers and sometimes SMEs.
Creativity – It is essential developers have creative vision and a keen eye for detail to be able to develop engaging learning material that is not only aesthetically pleasing but content that captures and retains the learner's interest.
Multimedia Creation – To avoid learners mindlessly scrolling through monotonous content, developers use authoring tools to create animations, graphics, interactive elements and videos, to make the learning materials more engaging.
Technical Skills – Technical skills and proficiency in authoring tools allow developers to bring creative visions to life. There are many different authoring tools which offer slightly different functionalities and useability. At Instinct, the most common authoring tools we come across are Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate and Rise. Typically, contractors are expected to have their own licenses to use the authoring tools.
Experienced developers also use graphic design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, and Illustrator, as well as technical skills in video/audio editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and Audacity.
Maintenance – To ensure the learning material stays relevant developers will regularly review, refine, and evolve the content.
Developers have the constant challenge of creating effective, engaging and accessible content that caters to the diverse learner's needs. Technological advancements such as AI, AR and AR provide opportunities for developers to create innovative learning solutions that could shape the future of education.
