Successful online course development is a mission-critical element for universities and continuing education units, particularly when demand requires an inventory of more than one hundred courses and/or customized sections.
As universities require online courses to be self-supporting and apart from regular budgeted on-campus courses, the need for successful project management is even more acute. Below are highlights of what is necessary to be able to deliver high-quality, cost-effective, student-centered courses in a timely, faculty-friendly manner.
Key Elements to Success:
Product Delivery
Smoothly coordinated team
Vertical and horizontal integration to assure maximum flexibility and responsiveness
Understand market needs
Provide product for the entire spectrum of access/deliverability issues (fast connections, slow connections, low band-width, course management software such as Blackboard or WebCT, CD-ROM, etc.)
Profitability
Develop a realistic business plan which is profitable even on a small start-up
Build in scalability, with capacity increases resulting in equal or better profitability
Project Management Guiding Principles
Good communication with team
Clear deadlines and expectations
High quality
Participatory and team-focused work, with incentives and rewards for process improvements
Consistency
Accretionary process – most products are built in an accretionary way, with layers being added on – nothing is ever considered inviolably finished and not subject to modification, recasting, or re-using for new uses
Team Approach
Team built on mutual respect
Identify strengths, build them
Define mission, assure buy-in by team members
Define roles, expectations, deadlines, targets – be sure to explain rationale
Build in “win-win” situations
Embrace environmental change as an opportunity
Recognize and acknowledge accomplishments and contributions
Inspire, enthuse, motivate
New Opportunities
Markets
Products
Delivery Methods
Recasting / retooling of existing products
Solidify brand image and presence
Build the Brand
Establish brand leadership
Understand market and decision-makers within the market
Understand how and why perceptions are shaped around the brand
Build on strengths
Know the competition, understand their rationale
Outpace and outperform competitors, except when it does not make sense in the overall business plan
Specific Emerging Opportunities
Online courses offered by universities and colleges
Continuing education units in colleges and universities (distance education, degrees, certificates, training)
Corporate training units: compliance, new procedures, regulations, safety, team-building, etc.
Governmental agencies: compliance, procedures, cost-savings
Defense and security: training, coordination, team-building, cost-savings
ESL courses: compliment to ALL markets, esp. with online training and education
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