Learning Content: Catalog vs. Custom

When considering what type of learning content you want to provide for your training program, it can be challenging to find what you are looking for all in one place.

There are a few ways you can source your training material and courses. One way is through an off-the-shelf catalog, and the other is through a custom build selection.

What's the Difference?

When we talk about off-the-shelf solutions or catalog options, we are speaking of content that has been pre-selected and is offered by other learning companies.

These courses are typically built to keep the general needs of the customers in mind by creating more requested or sought-after content. Catalogs are an excellent option for companies who need something quickly that they don't need to spend much time developing and can be a great option for those who need basic training materials and coursework. In addition, they tend to be more budget-friendly and can offer a more straightforward way to train your staff. 

Custom learning content is created based on the specific needs of an organization. Depending on the positions, industry, and regulatory requirements, a company may find they need content more geared toward their audience.

For instance, your sales team could use improvement on upselling or closing a deal. Or your HR team may need guidance on selecting proper candidates for open positions. Depending on your staff's skill level and needs, you can build a learning program that enhances current skills and creates new ones.  

How to Choose What Content You Need

With organizations in different industries having different needs and reasons for the type of content they gravitate toward, there is no one size fits all solution. 

Instead, each company should take the time to know what they want out of the content, whom the content will serve, and what the goal is once training is completed. Looking at it in this way will give you a better view of the type of content you should consider for your training solution. 

And if you don't know exactly what you need in your learning and development programs, we can help by providing an in-depth analysis based on your company objectives. Then, we can create a valuable solution for your needs with research and planning. 

What's great about the content that we produce for our clients is that we use a method that considers each user type as we build our learning programs. In this way, we can provide more well-rounded training material that is engaging for your audience and tailored to their needs. In addition, our content lab covers subjects that would benefit your employee's growth. 

What to Consider as You Decide

You will want to keep in mind as you look into catalog versus custom options if these courses are user-friendly. It doesn't help if the content or courses you invest in do not function in the way you need them to. Therefore, it is vital that whatever you choose is efficient and effective for the user.

Along with making sure your learning content is user-friendly, you want to choose the right type of content and select a suitable contributor for the task. Any vendor that you use to source learning material for training purposes should be knowledgeable in the coursework needed to convey the information in a simple yet thorough way. 

Keep Updated with Ease

The benefit of having access to custom training content is knowing your learning materials can/will be continuously updated. For example, rules and regulations change every year, sometimes without much notice. 

With a custom solution, you can keep all of your content up to date. For example, when creating a learning and development program with us, we ensure that our content lab includes materials and themes that are current to employee training needs. 

We aim to produce relevant content to ensure we are always evolving the effectiveness of your training programs. This helps organizations keep their training fresh as well as interesting. 

With new content generated regularly, you will significantly impact your employees' engagement with the program. New content provides a way for your employees to increase their skills, pushing your company toward its objectives, and leaving a positive impact on overall growth. 

Amedia is Here for Your Training Content Needs

Deciding whether you require a custom solution or content from an established catalog will depend on various factors which should be researched and implemented with your organization's goals in mind. 

There is no correct answer, and there are many options you can choose from, including implementing a combination of both. Our content lab offers several courses for your needs, all of which have been packaged into smaller time frames to make learning enjoyable. Looking for content for your training program? Check out what we have to offer!