Hello again! In this lesson we’re going to talk about content creation and three common formats you can use for your lessons.
Lessons won’t be the only type of content in your course, but the format you pick for those will inevitably affect how people think about your course.
Before I reveal the three formats though, there’s a question still dangling from the last lesson.
How Good Is “Good Enough”?
In the opening lesson we talked about the merits of building a course prototype that’s just complete enough and just good enough for launching a beta version to start gathering feedback from your target market.
And the big takeaway was: don’t over-engineer the first version of your course. Parts of it may need to change or even discarded based on feedback you receive.
But what does it mean to create content that’s not over-engineered but isn’t so half-baked and scrappy that it reflects badly on you and your brand?
It really means simplifying the delivery without dumbing down the underlying ideas.
My Guiding Principle for Pragmatic Prototypers
In fact, I’m guided by this principle:
It’s better to aim for something simple and do it well, than for something more elaborate and do it poorly.
Because simple just means uncomplicated. A meal doesn’t have to be fancy to be filling, tasty and nutritious. It can just combine a few ingredients in an effective way.
Likewise a lesson doesn’t need to be “Netflix slick” to be engaging, enjoyable and informative. It can just combine a few simple elements and techniques in a way that’s good enough to communicate the ideas it needs to get across.
And crucially, good enough to get people the end result you promised.
The key to that is picking a format that lends itself to simplicity, but also suits you as a content creator.
3 Criteria Your “Go-to” Content Format Should Meet
So let’s look at some criteria for your “go to” content format:
- It should be relatively quick and easy for you to create (or at least become so with a little practice)
- It should provide a “good enough” learning experience for your first batch of students (i.e., the basic format doesn’t distract from the underlying ideas)
- It should keep the final format in mind (e.g., if you know your final course will be video-based, consider using a simple form of video for your prototype)
With those criteria in mind, let’s look at three formats for creating content for your prototype.
Note: We’re talking about the lesson format here. Exercises and assignments may just be a list of instructions. A resource’s best format will depend on the resource.
Lesson Format #1: Video (a.k.a., Selfie Mode)
When people think about online course content, they often picture an instructor speaking directly to the camera.
It’s a common choice for course creators. However, doing it really well takes a certain amount of technical expertise and equipment.
This “talking head” style has a number of advantages though. It’s an engaging format that allows your personality to shine through. It also satisfies the common expectation that online courses use video.
Fortunately for us, the rise of “social” video means people are much more accustomed to watching videos with lower production values.
So instead of studio-quality video, this format option aims for the “good enough” quality achievable with a webcam or smartphone.
If you’re comfortable in front of a camera, this could be the format for you.
And if you’re wondering how to stay on track, you can use some off-camera notes or a script and then use simple editing tools to remove any major mistakes.
Lesson Format #2: Slides (a.k.a., Presenter Mode)
This lesson format uses a slide deck (e.g., PowerPoint or Keynote) with added narration and it has several advantages.
For instance, it suits multiple learning styles since the slides cater to visual learners while the voiceover suits auditory learners. And the slides themselves make great downloads for your students.
Also, it’s easier to create a professional looking result without lots of technical skills or a professional studio: with a good microphone, some screen capture software, and a little post-production you can create very slick results.
Delivery-wise you can narrate the slides spontaneously like a normal presentation, work from notes, or even script everything out in advance. It’s up to you.
Note: If you also record your webcam while narrating your slides, you have the option of including a small “keyhole” video in the corner to boost engagement.
Content Format #3: Text (a.k.a., Blogger Mode)
The final lesson format is the simplest of them all: text.
That’s words plus a few supporting assets like images and even the occasional video. I call this “blogger mode” because lessons end up looking like blog posts.
While basic, this format has some advantages all of its own.
For instance, it’s the most easily-adaptable content format. If you decide one of your lessons needs an extra example after publishing it, you can just edit it and republish within a few minutes. It’s very convenient.
Also, students can easily self-pace by stopping and re-reading sections if they need to. And some students love that they can print out the lessons, highlight key sentences, scribble notes, and so on.
If you love writing, this could be the lesson format for you!
Ready to Move On?
Looking at these options, you may already know which will suit you best. Or you may need to try a couple of options out before finding your sweet spot.
Either way, there’s one more possibility I want you to consider before making your decision. It’s not another format exactly, but a different way of doing things.