Templates are a must-have if you want to complete your deliverable in record time. Here's the skinny on templates and how you can use them to get your project done faster without compromising content or quality...

What is a template? 
A template is a shell that houses your content. For example, if you are creating an e-learning course, the template is the basic structure for placing your content. 

When do I use templates?
Every phase of a learning solution project can use templates! Here are a few (but not all) examples:

• Storyboards for eLearning: Use a Microsoft™ PowerPoint template to get your eLearning course off to a quick start! Typical starting slides include Course Title, Agenda, Learning Objectives, Lesson Introduction (for each lesson), Lesson Content (different slide styles), Activity, Lesson Summary, Course Summary.

• Leader and Participant Guides: Templates built in Microsoft™ Word are most often used for classroom learning. These templates typically include a Lesson Title page, legal info, Table of Contents, Course Overview, Lesson Intro, Lesson Content, and Lesson/Course Summary.
• Design documents: I have literally hundreds of Design Document templates that I've used over the years because I always end up customizing the template for each client. To create my template, I first work with the client to determine how deep the Design needs to be, then build either a Microsoft™ Word or Excel template to meet their needs.

Why use templates?
Templates help you with:

• Working smart. When you are developing content, you get into a rhythm, and templates are at the root of your rhythm! For example, if you are moving content from a Design Document to your template, you will know exactly where to place content such as learning objectives, estimated learning time, and even source content, because your template will already have these items, either as placeholders or sometimes with sample content that you can replace.
• Consistent look and feel. For example, if you are using a Word template, you can create custom Styles and use those to make sure headings, bullets, tables, and numbered lists use the same formatting. 
• Looking professional. Look at styles, graphics, fonts, and formats that appeal to you. Adjust your templates to look like what you enjoy seeing. Assuming you have good taste :), others will like your content if only because it looks good!
• Visual organization. A template follows a set of repeating visual cues. For example, the beginning of each lesson in a course might begin with the lesson title, estimated time to complete, lesson objectives, and lesson topics. Learners will "learn" the structure of your content, and thus learn faster because they can locate information more quickly!

Where do I find templates?
You can find great templates online. Just query on the app (e.g., Articulate) and "templates" and you'll see what's available for public use. As I create D3 University courses about rapid prototyping and using templates, I will provide templates that are ready to use.

Your best templates will be the ones you've used in the past for other projects, but just about all apps and software you use have pre-built templates. I rarely use those because they are too basic for my needs, but I sometimes use them to establish the look and feel of my template.

WARNING: Do NOT take the work you've done for one client or employer to use for someone else!  It's OK to look at the layout you've used to create projects for others and borrow ideas for your current client or project, but you cannot use someone else's branding (color schemes, logos, proprietary fonts, graphics) for a different client/employer.

Every project I've ever done had one common characteristic: the need for speed. It affects everything including project cost, content, delivery options, number of resources needed to get the job done,  and amount of content included in the course, just to name a few.

The question we're tackling in this series is how can we speed up the design/development process? To begin answering this question, I'll start with a strategy that has worked well for most projects.

Break it down. 
If the project scope seems too vast or broad, or impossible given the time constraints, work with your team to break it into phases. 

Scenario
Your company provides cellular services and is launching a new product in the third quarter.  It's now the end of the first quarter.  All employees must be trained to support this product, such as Sales, Service, Billing, and Technical Support.


Challenges:

• The product is still in beta mode
• Marketing still has not completed its product packaging for customer-facing materials (e.g., product name and key features and benefits)

Solution

1. List your target audiences. Generate a list of each group that needs to be trained. 
2. List what each target needs to know about the product. To generate this list quickly, look back at previous product launches (or similar learning solutions as your case may be) and see what topics each audience needed in the past. I call this a Core Competency list. 
3. Sort the list first by topic, and secondarily by target audience.  Now you can see which target audiences need to know the same things. Your overwhelming task has has gotten smaller because you'll be able to deliver the same content to multiple target audiences! 
4. Schedule your design/development tasks. Now look at your calendar and look at how much time you have to develop your learning solution. Select delivery strategies that seem realistic given the schedule. Also, is it absolutely essential to have every target audience trained on every topic on day one of project launch? Probably not. Focus on developing the content/competencies that 1)  the most target audiences have in common, and 2) are highest on the need-to-know list. Work with your stakeholders to figure out the "must-haves,"  Negotiate a phased approach by identifying content that can be included in a later revision of the learning solution - strip down the current "phase" to the need-to-know-now info.
   
5. Build communication pipelines and structured processes with your key Subject Matter Experts. Structured communication is the key to "breaking it down" when you're working with your SMEs. In this scenario, you might liaison with the supplier of the new product so that you are getting your info from the source. Ask them to provide you with each new development of the beta product, and also to give you continued updates as to when the product will be final. Work with them to establish standardized communication processes such as daily updates via a structured email, or a template that makes it easy for them to communicate changes and new info to you. 
6. Be proactive when working through challenges - have a plan! Do not let challenges lie dormant hoping they'll go away, because they won't! In this scenario, your goal should be to only use content that truly is final, but be warned: what is final today is never really final! That's why we have product versions! Break down the challenges by first identifying them, then working with your stakeholders, partners, and team members to agree on a plan that minimizes or overcomes the challenges.  Set firm parameters that everyone agrees is a realistic solution to the challenge. In this scenario, you must agree on a final date and say, "What we have from you on x date is what we are going include in our materials. Further changes will go into our next revision." Reassure those who are providing you information that you will update the learning solution to keep up with product changes, and updated information will go in the next version. Learning solutions have versions, too!