The icing on the cake is: QUALITY

Previously, we learned a bit more about the Instructional Design and Programming areas, but now it is important to refer to the Quality area.

This area focuses on the final product, that is, the product that will be delivered to the client. Therefore, it could be said that it is the face towards the client. Consequently, it plays an essential role in determining the success or failure of a company. In other words, the importance of the Quality area lies in verifying that each stage of production complies with established standards and specific requirements of each client.

Because of the aforementioned, at Captura, the Quality area is made up of professionals from different fields who share a common factor: they are extremely meticulous when performing their tasks. They need to pay attention to the smallest details of the image, text, and interaction. However, the most enriching aspect is that they are not only detail-oriented but also aware that each section of the material is part of a whole. In other words, they must ensure that each part is articulated in a way that tells an attractive, understandable story and generates active learning in the user. To do this, they need to understand the client: their preferences, goals, and particularities.

Regarding the organization or workflow, in Captura E-learning, each area involved in the development of an e-learning material has its own Quality area. Therefore, at the end of each stage, the work goes through its respective quality evaluation. This evaluation is conducted through three initial filters: the first filter is the quality of the instructional script, the second refers to the design of vectors, animations, and image selection. After that, it would go through the programming quality evaluation, the third filter.

However, when the product is already scripted, designed, and programmed, it undergoes an additional quality control: the integral control. In this final stage, the material is verified in its entirety. For this, emphasis is placed on concise writing, images closely related to the text, and appropriate interactions for the information being presented.

To know that the course is ready, our professionals take a user perspective and ask themselves:

• Did I get bored during the course?
• Did I understand the information provided?
• Did the proposed interactions facilitate my understanding of the data?
• Did I identify the relationship each image had with the central idea of the text?

Based on the answers obtained, they can identify if there are still areas for improvement in the course or if it is ready to be delivered.

Since these are virtual courses and do not have a live instructor, it is necessary for the Quality area to ensure the following aspects:

Ensuring that interactions allow the user to interact with the information. That is, they assume an active role in their own learning to ensure comprehension of the material. This is because you can fall into the mistake of presenting only static blocks of information where the user only has to scroll down.

Ensuring that the images are closely related to the main idea of the text is important, as they reinforce it and allow for a deeper understanding. Likewise, it is necessary to ensure that if the graphics contain text, it is completely visible to the student, as the material should be viewable from any technological resource. This last point refers to the need to guarantee that all the information and images presented are suitable for different technological devices, as viewing the course on a computer is not the same as viewing it on a cellphone.

Having a quality process in e-learning course production ensures that each course undergoes rigorous review and is personalized to the requirements and objectives of each client. It also ensures that the material can be understood by the student and allows for active learning. Additionally, it ensures that the course has a storytelling element that engages the student.

However, it is also important to mention that there are some disadvantages, as it can mean more time and resources invested in each course or material, as sometimes sections of the course are reworked to ensure standards.

In conclusion, the Quality area is a fundamental process in any company, as it ensures that the course meets the standards of the company and the client. It also involves the collaboration of different highly meticulous professionals who are committed to their work and understand that a course is not just about presenting information but about linking all sections of the material to form a cohesive whole that enables comprehensive understanding.