Target Population

In order to build any kind of training course—elearning or otherwise, it’s crucial to know your target population. You know, the folks that this training course is intended for. Things like, age, language capabilities, ethnicity, skill level, gender and background experience all have to be factored into your course planning to ensure that your course is relevant to the student. Realizing that most of your students may be forced to take your training as part of a job requirement or just generally have limited time to participate, when they do participate, your course has to be on target and beneficial for them. Make their learning experience enjoyable by offering quality content and great functionality. Remember, don’t give them any reason to click away!

Lets take for example a situation where you are well aware that your TPOP may have difficulty with your chosen language for a given course. This is a great example of when video and a strong use of graphics may be warranted. Reading text on a screen could be unnecessarily frustrating for the learner, while a video or graphics would convey your message easily. 

This post is not intended as an encyclopedia on learning outcomes, but when it comes to elearning if you’re having difficulty understanding your target population, it may be worth while to take a few minutes to write a brief summary of who they are so you can gain some clarity on your students and use the information to fine tune your course material.

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