Creating effective eLearning material requires planning ahead. This process can be simplified by considering the following things when developing content with eLearning translation and localization in mind:
Content Size and Text Expansion
If a course is going to be localized, ensure that on-screen content is structured in a way that allows for the resizing of text. This is crucial because many languages create pronounced text expansion that may ruin formatting if not allowed for during creation. If the text doesn’t fit on a page, reduce the font size (be careful to keep it large enough to be readable) or split the content into two pages. Keep in mind, however, that these tactics will cost extra time and energy, and if possible, it is more efficient to develop content with localization in mind from the beginning.
Graphics
Graphics and additional visual information help create more engaging eLearning content. If your course contains visuals, remember to keep all source files for both graphics and media. This saves time when you need to localize content, especially if there is text inside the graphics that will need to be localized or translated.
Video
Audio expansion must be taken into account when videos are used for eLearning. If avatars are used in eLearning content, the mouth will likely need to be synced to match other languages during export. For these reasons, still images are generally a better choice. Still images accommodate text expansion more easily and allow for the inclusion of long audio. If you choose to use videos, ensure that you’re leaving space around ideas to accommodate audio expansion.
Formatting
In order to facilitate translation, formatting needs to be consistent throughout all eLearning material. Style guides address questions from font size and family to what browser should be used to test content. Style guides also ensure that all terminology used is consistent with guides written in other languages and also helps your translation vendor understand your overall preferences for localization.
Progress Tracking and Quizzes
In order to develop effective eLearning content, you need to track progress and user knowledge. This can be done by adding knowledge checks and quizzes to course material. These things can help ensure companies are developing quality content and tracking users accurately.
Responsive Design
Finally, eLearning content must be optimized for different devices. HTML5 will work on all mobile platforms and make eLearning translation easier. It will also assist with localization and ensure that the content supports characters other than Latin-based characters.
When developing eLearning content, translation and localization are important considerations, and planning ahead for factors like text and audio expansion and compatibility with mobile devices can make your content creation process easier and more effective.
