Key takeaways
- Outsource when you need specialist skills, extra capacity or faster delivery than your internal team can provide.
- You can outsource the whole project or only parts of it, such as instructional design, development, media, localization or LMS work.
- Choose an engagement model that fits your scope: fixed price, time and materials, a dedicated team or staff augmentation.
- A clear brief, sample work, a paid pilot and agreed review rounds prevent most outsourcing problems.
- Make sure the contract covers ownership of source files, SCORM/xAPI testing in your LMS and support after launch.
When outsourcing makes sense
- You have more training to build than your team can deliver on time.
- You need skills you do not have in-house, such as animation, simulations, game-based learning or LMS development.
- Demand is uneven, so hiring permanent staff would leave people idle between projects.
- You want to convert or localize a large library of existing courses.
- You have no learning and development (L&D) team, or a very small one.
What you can outsource
Outsourcing does not have to be all or nothing. Common splits are:
- Full projects: analysis, instructional design, development, media, testing and LMS upload.
- Development only: your team writes the storyboard and the vendor builds it in your chosen authoring tool.
- Media: training videos, animation, illustration and voice-over.
- Specialist services: localization, Flash to HTML5 conversion and multi-device QA.
- Platforms: Moodle and LMS implementation, portals and integrations.
Choose an engagement model
| Model | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | Well-defined courses with a clear scope and storyboard | Changes in scope need a change request |
| Time and materials | Projects where scope will evolve, such as pilots or new formats | Needs regular tracking of hours against budget |
| Dedicated team | Ongoing pipelines of courses or long-term programmes | Requires steady work to keep the team busy |
| Staff augmentation | Adding designers or developers to your own team for a period | You manage the work and priorities |
The outsourcing process in 8 steps
- Define goals. What must learners do differently, and how will you measure it?
- Gather content. Collect source material and confirm which SMEs will review.
- Write a brief or RFP. Audience, scope, length, interactivity, tools, standards, languages, timeline and budget range.
- Shortlist vendors. Look for relevant samples, references and experience with your tools and LMS.
- Run a pilot. A small paid module shows quality, communication and speed before you commit.
- Agree the statement of work. Deliverables, review rounds, acceptance criteria, ownership and support.
- Kick off and review. Storyboard first, then alpha, beta and final builds with consolidated feedback.
- Test and launch. Check the course on devices and in your LMS, then plan updates.
RFP checklist: what to include in your brief
- Business goal and learning objectives
- Audience: roles, locations, languages, devices and accessibility needs
- Estimated length and level of interactivity
- Source content available and SME availability
- Preferred authoring tool, or the freedom to recommend one
- LMS and tracking standard (SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, xAPI or cmi5)
- Branding, style guide and media expectations
- Number of review rounds and who signs off
- Timeline, budget range and payment milestones
- Deliverables, including source files, and post-launch support
How to evaluate vendors
| Criterion | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Relevant experience | Samples in your industry or format and client references |
| Instructional design | How they turn content into objectives, practice and assessment |
| Tools and standards | Experience with your authoring tool, LMS and SCORM/xAPI testing |
| Process and communication | Project manager, review tools, reporting and meeting cadence |
| Quality assurance | Device, browser, accessibility and LMS testing before delivery |
| Security and IP | NDA, data handling, and who owns the source files |
| Scalability | Ability to add designers, developers or languages as needed |
Working well with an offshore team
Offshore teams, for example in India, can deliver strong quality at lower cost when the collaboration is set up well:
- Agree a few hours of overlapping working time for calls and quick questions.
- Use an online review tool so feedback is attached to the exact screen.
- Consolidate feedback from all stakeholders into one list per round.
- Share a style guide and a finished sample early so expectations are clear.
- Ask for regular builds instead of a single delivery at the end.
Red flags to avoid
- No relevant samples, or samples they cannot explain in detail.
- A quote with no breakdown of scope, interactivity or review rounds.
- No testing in your LMS before delivery.
- Unclear ownership of source files and media.
- One person promising to do everything, from design to animation to LMS administration.
Tell us about your project, and we will suggest a scope, engagement model and plan.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to outsource eLearning development?
Often, yes. You avoid hiring, training and tool costs, and pay only for the work needed. Offshore teams can reduce costs further when communication and reviews are well organised.
What should an eLearning RFP include?
Goals and objectives, audience, length, interactivity, source content, authoring tool, LMS and tracking standard, branding, review rounds, timeline, budget range, deliverables and support.
Who owns the course after outsourcing?
Ownership depends on the contract. Make sure the statement of work says you receive the published course and the editable source files and media.
Should we run a pilot project first?
Yes. A small paid pilot module is the best way to check a vendor's quality, communication and speed before committing to a larger programme.
Can we outsource only part of the work?
Yes. Many teams keep instructional design in-house and outsource development, media, localization, testing or LMS work.
Planning to outsource eLearning?
Tell us about your project, and we will suggest a scope, engagement model and plan.
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