According to the stats generated by Skyhigh Networks, “The average enterprise uses 1,427 distinct cloud services and an average employee actively uses 36 cloud services at work.” Cloud-based solutions have greatly affected different spheres of organizational applications. What was once restricted to a single physical device can be run from anywhere on the internet, making various functions extremely mobile. Take for instance banking, it's cloud-based now and so is Social media.
So, Cloud-based authoring tools. In an era of digital transformation-not really a surprise! But, why are more and more organizations looking at using cloud-based eLearning authoring? Here are 7 key reasons based on our numerous interactions with all our clients and partners-
1. Authoring from Anywhere
Be it a training company or an eLearning company, employees in both would welcome the flexibility at work and appreciate opportunities that allow to keep the work-life balance intact without hampering productivity. Cloud-based authoring allows developers, eLearning designers, instructional designers or learning experts, whosoever handles content authoring to work from anywhere provided they have internet connectivity. The cloud based authoring tool provides a very conducive environment for collaborative working anywhere in the world if the teams are wide spread.
2. Smooth Scalability
May mean little at first. But, imagine a sudden take off that brings about increased authoring requirement, storage among few. The same applies for when requirements are cut down. Cloud-based authoring tools come in handy in both the situations. The tailor made pricing plans of authoring tools does help to ramp up and ramp down the number of licenses and hence the cost as per the requirement.
3. Moderate Cost
The first perk of cloud-based authoring is that it cuts down the requirement for high end devices with higher processing power etc. Pay-as-you-go model is easy on the pockets too. The cloud based authoring tools takes away all the pains of setting up behind the firewall infrastructures and one can focus on their core business rather than worrying about infrastructure set ups.
4. Better Collaboration
Cloud-based authoring tools increase the possibility of collaboration. Different teams from different locations can access, check project status, make edits or updates and share documents anytime without getting into the long chain of emails and calls. Also some of the authoring tools lilke Articulate 360 Review allows all the stake holders to review the modules in a very collaborative mode. This helps in reducing the feedback time and getting development on rapid track. This also brings in transparency in case of any critical issues and feedback.
5. Easy Data Recovery
Forgetting to save the project at crucial moments often leads to a series of rework, over time and frustration. Like the people behind Lectora Online put it, “Forgetting to save your changes is the worst.” Cloud-based authoring tools usually save the work automatically which is stored at secure offsite locations. Cloud-based authoring tools also offer a robust disaster recovery plan. Many authoring tools provide paid recovery plans as well if the volume is big.
6. Time-saving
Authoring tools have in general been touted as tools for rapid eLearning creation. Cloud-based authoring tools do the same a bit faster. Cloud solutions cut down the major waiting for software installation and updates, the long procedures behind (email, calls, idea sharing) and most of all facilitates quick review, bringing down the time spend behind reviews and approvals to a great extent.
7. Security & Competitive Advantage
Data stored on a physical device can often be lost or stolen and there may not be any history maintained automatically which could lead to some serious business issues. Cloud-storage is more secure and data security is maintained at many levels. Moreover, using cloud-based authoring tools brings organizations in par with its competitors. The payment models are flexible enough and mostly work out even for smaller budgets, allowing organizations to focus better on the learning requirements without being weighed down by the burden of content authoring.
Apart from these cloud-based authoring tools also offer better tracking and support easier modifications of content. Be it a small business organization or a global conglomerate cloud-based authoring tools can be used by any organization and shaped to its own requirement. We believe that cloud-based authoring has a long way to go.
What are your thoughts? Do share your opinions. And in case you have some queries related to eLearning authoring, then drop a message to info@www.knowzies.com and our experts will get back to you at the earliest.
