So, you’re ready to start your development with Lumious and you’re not sure what a project entails. Whether you’re new to L&D projects or just new to working with us, no worries… we’re here to guide you through the process!
The first thing you’ll receive is an introduction to your project manager. They’ll be your main point of contact throughout the project, so they’ll reach out to get to know your team and how to best work with you.
Kickoff
The first thing we’ll do is set up a kickoff. This part of the process varies the most because it’s tailored to what your team needs to get comfortable with the process. If your project team is fairly small, kickoff may consist of one virtual meeting everyone attends. If we’ll be working with a larger team, we’ll likely start with some planning time to understand who it is necessary to include and then follow up with customized kickoff sessions for the stakeholders and contributors.
During kickoff, we’ll introduce the team and then align on the project scope, timeline, and development process. It’s important everyone on the project team understands the goals of the project, along with the expectations of their role. We’ll also talk about the best ways to partner – this includes communication, file-sharing preferences, and meeting times. We’ll talk a little about what information we already have and what our next steps will be.
Discovery
Discovery is one of my favorite activities because we get to learn all about what you do! We’ll set up small group discussions with anyone who might have valuable information we need about the topic at hand. For example, if we’re working on a new hire onboarding deliverable, we’ll start by speaking with leaders so we can fully understand what the goals are for the new employee. Are there KPIs they need to hit at 30/60/90? Are there particular coaching issues that come up time and time again?
Then we’ll talk to some folks who are currently in the role, both seasoned and new. It’s important that we talk not only to the rockstars who know everything but also those who are still learning. We’ll want to hear about their experiences as they got started in the role – what they wish they’d known in those first few weeks, what helped them the most, and what they maybe could have done without. It’s essential that we have open and honest conversations at this stage. There are no wrong answers! Our amazing instructional designers are trained to lead these conversations in a way that encourages openness.
During discovery is also when we have you share any documents or inputs related to the project. Whether it’s an official manual or just the scrap notes someone has ‘off the side of their desk,’ we want it!
Outline
Once we have the information we need, your team gets to take a bit of a break. Our Lumious designers begin to work on creating course outlines. They’ll synthesize all the information gathered in discovery and organize it into the most effective flow for successful learning. Our outlines are more than just a list of topics; they’ll include the content that will be covered and suggested activities. They may even include samples or mockups of certain screens.
Once the outline is ready, we’ll meet with your reviewers to talk through it in a working session. Our designers will share their vision and welcome your feedback. In this meeting, a lot of ‘what if’ conversations happen, and we ensure that the activities planned tightly align with real-world application. When we agree that the content, flow, and vision of the course are correct, we’ll have your reviewers sign off, and we’ll begin prototyping.
Prototype
The format of a prototype varies based on the modality, but the concept is the same. This is the time to lock in the details of the scripting and get an overall sense of how the course will look and feel. In this version, the content and scripting of the module will be complete, but audio, animations, and visuals will just be drafted. For example, if an eLearning contains a drag-and-drop activity, you’ll be able to see all the options and the correct answers ,but the pieces may not be programmed to be moved around by the user yet. For courses with audio, you’ll hear the narration, but an AI voice will read it. This prototype allows your team to review the course and ensure all the information is correct before we finalize the audio and graphics. It’s important that anyone who will be signing off on the final course reviews at this stage.
Production
We’re almost there! During production, Lumious will finalize all aspects of the course. For an instructor-led course, this means creating facilitator and participant guides and finalizing graphics on the slides. For eLearning or video, we’ll record professional audio, program animations and activities, and finalize the graphics. Once complete, your team will have an opportunity to review and ensure we made all requested edits and there are no errors (don’t worry – we have a dedicated quality team that has already reviewed at each stage, so we’re not expecting you to be the grammar police!)
Publishing
Now that you’ve signed off on the course, our team will publish its final format. This might mean turning participant guides into fillable PDFs, rendering a final version of a video, or publishing an eLearning into a SCORM file. Once complete, you’ll have an opportunity to test the file in your LMS and ensure it works as expected. You’ll get a final copy of all files, and you’re ready to launch the course!
We strive to make the learning development process as easy (and fun!) as possible. Along the way, we welcome your feedback on how to be the best partner possible. We’re so proud of the work we do, and we want you to be also!
