Changing information in an elearning course can be costly if you are dealing with a professional elearning developer. Good developers will require courses to be tested a number of times as part of their quality control process, even if only small changes are made. This can take more time than you realise.
So, here are a few basic tips to try and future proof your course:
1. Don’t use names. People come and go and move around so, if you use names, there is a high chance they will change. Use positions instead, for example, the HR Manager instead of James Smith.
2. Reference policies and procedures, don’t put them in the course. Policies and procedures also change regularly. You can describe the intent, scope and main points of the document but it is better to simply tell the learner where to find the document than have the document written word of word in the course. And it is incredibly boring for the learner.
3. Be careful what pictures you use. Always consider what is in pictures that you use. For example, if you use a picture with client logos in it, you may not be able to use it if that client moves on.
You can’t predict every change and there may be some where it is worth changing the content. But, with some minor forward planning, you can minimise the cost and disruption of these changes.