6 Points to Keep In Mind While Choosing an Outsourcing Content Development Partner

Every organization has its core competencies; however, these organizations can’t have every possible skill under the sky; which is why outsourcing exists.

You possess the skilled personnel to focus on the core business of your organization, but some aspects of your work, the ancillary ones, need to be outsourced to an outside party. If you are looking for someone to help create content for your eLearning modules, there are a few pointers to be kept in mind while selecting the right partner.

Your partner should:

Be able to create a wide range of content types

Your needs will vary with every new course that you need to develop. Does your partner have a repertoire of skills, enabling them to create a wide range of content? Make sure your partner doesn’t just agree with everything you say for the sake of it. Ask to see a portfolio where you can check for yourself whether the content developer does indeed have the necessary skills.

Maintain the quality of the eLearning course

The eLearning course is a reflection of your organization and has to live up to the standards that you have set for yourself. Don’t look for price competitiveness when selecting your content development partner. Instead, look for someone who understands and has the same quality goals as you do. Remember, greater quality could come at a higher cost.

Reduce development time leading to a faster turnaround time

While there could be initial hiccups, over time, your content creation partner should be able to work faster and reduce the time it takes to develop content. Besides quality of content, faster turnaround times are critical when selecting a content partner.

Possess the expertise in the required skills sets and talents

This requirement is similar to the first point. Is your content developer knowledgeable about your business and your requirements? Simply possessing the ability (or the willingness) to be able to tackle varied subjects isn’t indication enough of the content development team’s expertise in the subject matter. If you are in a specialized domain, check if the content developer has an SME on board who can provide valuable insights into your project or if they are willing to onboard one for your needs.

Commit to project timelines

Does the vendor procrastinate or not meet agreed deadlines? Get your partner to sign SLAs and put down SOPs to make sure there is no ambiguity on the end-date of the project.

Invest in building long-term relationships

This is a point to be kept in mind by both parties involved. Unless you have a valid reason, stay with the content partner and build a long-term relationship. The time and effort you both will invest in learning each others’ niche areas and getting comfortable with each others’ working style will reap you great benefits in the present and the future.

Remember, choosing the right partner is time-consuming at the beginning but leads to better results in the long run. It always makes sense to spend time evaluating your options, for a meaningful and productive long-term engagement. Invest the time now, and you won’t have to hunt for a new content partner for every project that you initiate.