The 10 Most Wanted Features in Tools to Create Online Courses

In the early days of e-learning, content developers had few choices regarding the tools they could use to create courseware. Although the features found in these early programs were limited by today's standards, training content developers did the best that they could with what they had. Today, hundreds of tools are available to developers of online training content. Best of all, today's authoring tools are rich in features and easy to use.

The fact that there are so many authoring tools on the market is a clear indication that different organizations have different needs. It's also an indication that many organizations are creating different types of e-learning content.

What are the most common business and technical requirements for people selecting an authoring tool? Based on our research, the following are the top ten things people want:

1. Novice friendly, yet still has underlying extensibility for complex interaction types.
2. No plug-in required (with the exception of Flash output).
3. Adherence to SCORM specification and AICC standards. (The real need is full interoperability with many LMS solutions.)
4. Short learning curve for new content developers.
5. Extensive library of very interactive question types (beyond multiple choice and true/false).
6. Robust testing engine (with features such as randomization, drawing from a test item pool, etc.).
7. Rich media support.
   Ability to repurpose content quickly from other sources, such as PowerPoint, Word, and specialty authoring tools (i.e., simulation tools).
8. Minimal time spent creating navigational control structures (i.e., navigation buttons, menus, etc.).
9. Low cost (for stand-alone authoring tools).

source: BrandonHall.