Content development, one step of the production process, often includes collaboration and partnering with others at Cultivate Learning including project managers and the resource development production teams.

Connecting early and often with resource development (RD) teams helps to ensure:

• The content production process goes smoothly, and deliverables are met on-time.
• Content is expressed in varied ways, increasing accessibility.
• Content is being written for the platform and/or format needed.
• Quality assurance criteria is met for deliverables.
• Problems or changes that impact the timeline can be communicated and problem solved.

Inviting RD to project kick offs and other internal meetings is one way to ensure this collaboration. Below you will find other tips, various examples, and links to request forms that will be helpful for content development.

Teaming with the Project Manager

The project manager helps support the team to ensure the project deliverables are met. At times, content developers will also be the project manager. There is often flexibility within projects for how the teams will work together.

A Few Key Roles of the Project Manager

• Form the project team in collaboration with team leads.
• Maintain Asana workflow. Assign tasks to RD managers, in necessary, while the project team is being determined.
• Collaborate about and communicate team roles and responsibilities.
• Develop the project charter with the team. Continue to update the charter over the duration of the project.
• Ensure the project follows the workflow production processes and collaborates with other resource development team members.
• Ensure all files are accessible to the resource production team. Include links in the Asana project.
• Develop the deliverable timeline and help prioritize and adapt timelines, when needed.
• Develop and communicate file locations to all project team members.
• Guide the project through our external partner processes.
• Manage reporting.
• Plan, facilitate, and document meetings. These might include internal, external, and partner meetings.

Tools for Project Management

• The Resource Development Portal Toolkits include guidance for most production processes.
• Asana is our project management tool. This is how the project teams communicate, stay on task, and manage workflows. The use of Asana is determined by each Cultivate Learning unit. To inquire about an account, first check with your unit lead or supervisor. For Asana user training, reach out to the Resource Development Production Manager.

Teaming With the Integrated Learning Team (Instructional Design)

The role of the instructional designer (ID) is to design and develop the learning experience of a course or training module in an online or hybrid environment. The ID works in close collaboration with the content developer and media team to build courses and training modules.

Team Structure/Roles

One or more of these roles may be part of the project team and work closely in content production:

• Instructional Design Manager
• Instructional Designers
• Quality Assurance specialist
• Biliterate Instructional Designer
• Adult Learning Specialist

Summary of Instructional Design Tasks

• Reviewing and refining the course goals and learning objectives in collaboration with the content developer
• Making sure that the learning activities and content match the learning objectives
• Assessing how the learning objectives and activities support the course goals
• Partnering with the content and media teams to actively engage learners
• Evaluating and advising on the use of learning technologies
• Creating learning interactive activities that use learning technologies (Articulate, h5p, etc.)
• Structuring the flow of the learning content and activities
• Providing feedback on the use of graphics and photograph
• Advising on the use of accessible content and activities
• Providing a consistent learning experience in the course design
• Incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its evidence-based practices
• Incorporating all the course elements and functionality to different Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Quick tips

• Shorten your titles, headings, subheadings when possible. Try to use descriptive titles when possible.
• Content developers will be responsible for coordinating the development of the content for the modules. They also coordinate work with the media and graphics team to produce all the videos and graphics that are not part of the interactions. Additionally, the content developer team will coordinate editorial reviews.
• The instructional design team will coordinate the production of the interactives. They will check the content for coherency, clarity, what to emphasize, what to put as interactive if the text gets too heavy, and how to engage the learner. Also, they will be responsible for handling the student Learning experience (interface design, content/learning flow in LMS, learning objectives check by Module), get some basic user testing,  populate the content in Canvas, check that all the assets are in the modules, and QA course.
• Refer to the Bloom’s taxonomy when writing Course Objectives and Learning Objectives for each module or session.

Tools and Resources

Explore the Learning Design Toolkit on the Resource Development Portal to see many tools and examples that are helpful for online course creation and content development. Work with your instructional designer and project manager to determine what tools you need to use.

Teaming With the Graphic Design Team

The graphic design team strategically displays visual content within our products. This includes building layouts for print and digital publications, developing infographics that effectively convey information as well as creating custom illustrations/animations that reinforce understanding. The design team is also the go-to source for all things related to branding.

The design team creates and maintains the template library. For example, if you are building out a PowerPoint slide deck, the design team can help ensure you are using the right template, create a new template, or adapt a template as needed.

The design team does a form and function review as part of the final phase of development. The design team will fix items that fall within the design scope. This may include accessibility related to graphics, templates, and a few other things content writers may not have the software to edit.

Team Structure/Roles

• The Graphic Design Manager coordinates the various design-related work happening at Cultivate Learning. The manager should be included in the project kick-off and included in additional meetings if there are significant changes to the project over time. Connect early with the graphic design manager to:
  • Communicate about upcoming project needs.
  • Ensure the appropriate designer is on the project.
• The Graphic/Multimedia Designer works closely with the project team to create any visual materials needed for a project.
  • Partner early with the designer by including them in the project kick-off.
  • The assigned designer is the project team’s primary contact for design needs within the project from conception through revisions to distribution.

Tips for Effective Partnering

• Include the designer and manager in project kick-offs. Communicate often with the designer about project status and needs.
• Communicate with the design team manager if there are significant changes to work scope, timeline, etc. after kick-off.
• Use provided templates as intended. Templates have been created to support consistency, proper branding, and accessibility.
• Before submitting for the final form and function review:
  • Complete the Content Quality Check  tool in the Reviewing our Work section and apply edits, if needed. This will ensure materials are not sent back to the content developer for further review and edits.
  • Ensure all text has been copy edited.
• Communicate all copyright information related to custom graphic requests. This is especially imporant when adapting material produced by other sources than Cultivate Learning. The design team follows legal requirements on image copyright.

Tools, Resources, and Request Forms

• Explore the Get Inspired: Examples page on the Resource Development Portal to see examples of how graphic design helps to visually convey content including different styles and types of products created in the past.
• Browse logos, letterhead, PPT presentations, templates, and more in the Brand Lines folder. (Webdam > Graphics > Brand Lines)
• Work with the project’s project manager to determine who submits graphic design requests and how. The Multimedia Request Form is typically used for one-off graphic design requests that are not part of an existing Asana project. The Multimedia Tracking Sheet (link to chapter) is also used to track graphic design requests linked to a task in Asana.

Teaming With the Media Liaison

The media liaison works closely with content developers, media producers, instructional design, and the digital asset specialist to determine what media is needed to demonstrate high quality practices, recruit programs for filming, and act as a subject matter expert when filming happens. The media liaison is familiar with all the waivers and other needs for folks participating in filming with us. Be sure to communicate with them if you plan to do any filming.

 Tips for Effective Partnering + Tools and Request Forms

• Invite the Media Liaison (ML) to the project kickoff meeting. This will help the ML begin to think about what media we already have that aligns with the project needs and what we may need.
• Search Webdam before requesting new media and work with your media producer to adapt what we have whenever possible.
• Acquiring new media can take several months. Then. media production to create new videos adds more time. Think about what media you may need as early in the project as possible. Some content developers begin searching webdam and submitting requests as part of the outline phase.
• When requesting new media:
  • Use the Filming Request form to request new media.
  • Set up a time to meet with the media liaison (Bookings page)
  • Be specific, provide examples, and share as much information as needed.
  • Be clear about what languages the media is needed in.
• Complete the Interview Question Template for any interview requests.

Teaming With the Media Team

Media producers will film, photograph, and edit relevant media for a variety of projects and content topics. Many projects will have a media producer as part of the team who will support the team/project’s media production. Work with your project manager or supervisor to determine if your project should have a media producer assigned to the project.

The media producers help to tell the story of our content. Consider them your creative partner in content and media co-development. Media supports the project outcomes and goals by helping to convey content in a visual and interactive way, ensuring different ways to access the content. Plan to partner early and often with the media team.

Partner with media for:

• Storyboarding
• Script writing tips and processes
• Video production and editing
• Using photos to tell the story
• Multilingual media production

Team Structure/Roles

• Manager of Media Production manages the team of media producers and assigns relevant projects to producers.
• Media producers support all media production processes.
• There may be a producer assigned from start to finish of a project or the work might be divided among several producers depending on the project.

Tips for Effective Partnering

• Invite the project’s media producer to the project kick off meeting. This helps the team to partner and collaborate about how to share content in different ways.
• Use the Multimedia Tracking Sheet. Review the Multimedia Tracking Sheet chapter for more guidance.
• Communicate regularly with the media producer. Plan regular creative meetings to discuss media needs and ideas.
• Use the project charter to understand media needs for a project. This will also indicate any specific criterual for the media being used.
• Work with the media producer and project manager to determine necessary credits and attributions for video projects.

Tools, Resources, and Request Forms

• Resource Development Portal has many resources and tools for you:
  • Explore the Get Inspired: Examples page to see examples of how media has helped to convey content including different styles and types of products.
  • The Multimedia Toolkit has many resources that might be used for video development and collaboration, including guidance about our multilingual video approach.
  • See additional tips and strategies in the Storytelling Toolkit. 
  • Refer to the Remote Recording Toolkit for tips and processes for recording video and audio remotely.
• Work with the project’s project manager to determine who submits requests and how. The Multimedia Request Form is typically used for one-off video editing requests that are not part of an existing Asana project. Content developers complete the Multimedia Tracking Sheet so it can be linked to in the request form. Read moreabout this tracking sheet in the Multimedia Tracking Sheet chapter.