The stakes are real. 86% of HR managers believe training aids retention, according to a 2022 SHRM report. Yet without a clear process, most training initiatives stall at the planning stage or ship content that nobody finishes.
This guide walks through the entire build process: setting goals, designing content, testing and publishing, and picking the right tools. We'll also cover when it makes sense to bring in outside HR expertise instead of building everything in-house.
Key Takeaways
- Start with a needs analysis first—skipping it wastes budget on training nobody needs
- Match your authoring tool and course structure to your team's real complexity
- Pilot small, track real business metrics, and refresh content on a set cadence
- Businesses without dedicated L&D staff can still launch expert training through outsourced HR partnerships
Step 1: Define Your Training Goals and Audience
Before opening an authoring tool, figure out what's actually broken. SHRM recommends starting upskilling efforts by identifying skills gaps and aligning them with business goals, not by guessing what employees need.
Run a Real Needs Analysis
Use these inputs to find the actual gap:
- Surveys — ask employees directly where they feel underprepared
- Performance reviews — look for recurring skill or behavior issues
- Compliance audits — flag policy or regulatory gaps before they become violations
If the root cause turns out to be a system access issue or missing manager feedback, more training won't fix it. Training solves knowledge and skill gaps, not process failures.
Turn Gaps into SMART Objectives
Vague goals like "understand the escalation policy" don't drive behavior change. Write objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound instead.
Example: "Given the approved escalation form, the supervisor will complete the workflow with zero critical omissions within 30 days of training completion."
Build Learner Profiles
Segment your audience by:
- Role and daily responsibilities
- Experience level (new hire vs. tenured employee)
- Common friction points they hit on the job
This shapes tone, pacing, and examples so the course resonates instead of feeling generic.
Culture belongs in the same conversation. Retention goals, engagement patterns, and turnover risk should shape what your training prioritizes, not just compliance checkboxes.
Step 2: Design and Build the Course Content
With objectives locked in, move to structure. Instructional design models like ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) or Bloom's Taxonomy give you a framework instead of a blank page. Sequence concepts from awareness to application before you open an authoring tool.
Choose Your Authoring Tool
Match the tool to your complexity needs:
- Simple templated builders — fine for basic compliance modules or onboarding checklists
- Mid-range course platforms — fit mixed media, quizzes, and standard scenario learning
- Custom interactive tools — needed for branching scenarios or simulations According to Articulate, authoring tools handle content creation while an LMS handles delivery and tracking — these are two separate jobs, not one platform.
Build Multimedia, Not Text Walls
Swap dense slides for short video, narration, and visuals. A 2017 Learning Guild study found that 64% of learners were more likely to spend time watching video when given more ways to interact with it — this reflects engagement preference, not a guaranteed retention boost, so pair interactivity with genuine practice opportunities.
Add Interactivity That Rehearses the Real Task
- Run knowledge checks after each concept before learners move on
- Build branching scenarios tied to real job decisions
- Add clickable elements that reveal detail on demand
Don't Skip Accessibility
Build these in from the storyboard stage, not as an afterthought:
- Captions for all prerecorded and live video (WCAG 2.2, Level A/AA)
- Text alternatives for non-text content
- Full keyboard navigation
- Screen reader–compatible labels and controls The W3C's WCAG 2.2 standard became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023 — it's the current baseline for compliant course design.
Step 3: Test, Publish, and Track Results
A course that hasn't been piloted is a guess dressed up as a finished product.
Pilot Before Full Launch
- Run a stakeholder review: managers and compliance leads check accuracy
- Pilot with a small group: 10–20 learners is usually enough to surface problems
- Check completion, scoring, and accessibility: mobile behavior, resume functionality, and scoring paths
Export in the Right Format
- SCORM: best for a single, conventional LMS launch
- xAPI: better when you need activity data across multiple systems
SCORM keeps data inside your LMS, while xAPI can track learning activity across platforms — pick based on your reporting needs, not habit.
Track What Actually Matters
Completion rates alone don't prove impact. ATD's 2023 research found that 87% of organizations struggled to isolate training's business impact. A 2025 follow-up found only 43% reported alignment between learning and business goals.
Track:
- Completion rates
- Quiz and assessment scores
- Engagement data (time on task, drop-off points)
- A tied business metric — turnover, error rates, or safety incidents
Build a Feedback Loop
Policies and systems change. If content doesn't keep pace, those metrics above stop meaning much.
Keep the course current with a simple loop:
- Schedule a content review every 6–12 months (sooner after policy or system changes)
- Assign an owner—usually L&D or the process SME—not "everyone"
- Pull learner feedback and drop-off data into each revision cycle
- Version and retire outdated modules so people never train on stale rules
Choosing the Right Tools and Platforms
Authoring tools and LMS platforms solve different problems — don't confuse them.
| Tool Type | Purpose | Example Capability |
|---|---|---|
| Authoring tool | Build screens, media, and assessments | Exportable SCORM/xAPI package |
| LMS | Deliver, assign, and track | Enrollment, certifications, reporting |
Small teams can often start with free-tier tools; larger organizations typically need enterprise LMS platforms with AI-driven personalization and deeper analytics.
Konnect's KonnectEd platform, powered by Absorb, fits between those two ends. It centralizes compliance training, leadership development, and skills courses with assigned learning paths, progress tracking, and certification management. There are no implementation costs.
When evaluating any tool, weigh:
- Prioritize ease of use for admins and learners
- Confirm integration with your existing HR systems
- Match total cost to your actual course volume
When to Build In-House vs. Bring in HR Expertise
Most small and mid-sized businesses don't have a dedicated L&D team. Course creation often becomes a side project between other HR duties, and quality slips.
Build in-house when:
- Someone on the team already has instructional design skill
- Content is simple, stable, and company-specific (culture, tools, SOPs)
- Volume stays low enough that upkeep won’t crowd out core HR work
Bring in HR expertise when:
- You need compliance-accurate modules (harassment prevention, workplace safety, data privacy)
- Training must support retention, engagement, or multi-state rules
- Your team can deliver sessions but lacks time or skill to design the curriculum
A Center of Excellence model fills that gap. Konnect ties course design to retention, engagement, and compliance goals instead of treating each course as a one-off task.
What external support typically includes:
- Custom courses inside a centralized LMS
- Instructor-led training for skills that need live practice
- Assessments (Strengths, EQ, DiSC) to map development needs before you build
- Compliance library access for harassment prevention, workplace safety, and data privacy
Konnect maps this to service tiers. Standard stays advisory: you keep execution. Advanced adds day-to-day HR support but does not include L&D by default. Elite folds L&D into an embedded HR partnership, where full training-program support lives.
Outsource strategy and design when you need structure and compliance accuracy; keep delivery and day-to-day management with your internal team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire someone to create online training for employees?
Yes. Freelance instructional designers, agencies, and HR consulting firms all build training content for hire. This works well when internal bandwidth or design expertise is limited.
What is the best platform to create online training for employees?
It depends on your size. Small teams often do fine with free or low-cost authoring tools, while larger organizations benefit from full LMS platforms with analytics and AI features. It depends on your size. Small teams often do fine with free or low-cost authoring tools, while larger organizations benefit from full LMS platforms with analytics and AI features — including options like KonnectEd for compliance and skills training.
How long does it take to build an online training course?
Timelines vary by complexity. A simple compliance module might take a few days, while an interactive, multi-module course can take several weeks.
Do I need instructional design experience to create employee training?
It helps, but it's not required. Modern authoring tools come with templates that let non-experts build effective, structured courses.
How much does it cost to create online employee training?
Costs range from free, using no-cost authoring tools, to several thousand dollars depending on software subscriptions, content complexity, or hiring outside help. ATD reported organizations spent an average of $1,283 per employee on workplace learning in 2023, though that's a program-wide benchmark, not a per-course quote.
How often should employee training content be updated?
Review content regularly, especially whenever policies, systems, or compliance requirements change. Outdated training creates real compliance risk.
