This resource was developed by the 2002 LearnScope "Educational Design for E-learning" team based at OTEN NSW. Many thanks to the team for contributing this resource to the community.

Purpose:  This proforma can be used by a Project Manager to capture the necessary information and details required to inform the planning or initiation and specifications phases of an e-learning/online project. The information collected at an initial planning meeting (see Checklist: How to plan/scope your elearning project) should be fed into this document. This document will then form the basis for signing-off by the project’s stakeholders of the planning or initiation and specifications phases of a project’s life cycle.

Assumptions: The project is externally funded and involves a joint and collaborative effort of partnering Institutes and the applicable Educational Services Division. As such it is ideally suited to TAFE Connect and ANTA Toolbox project preparations.

Title, project details and funding

• Provide the name of the project as a succinct overview of the nature and scope of the project, the number that the funding body will appoint to your specific project, the project number that your Institute/RTO will allocate to the project (if available), the name of the Project Manager and contact name of person at funding body (if available).
  
• Include a project synopsis. Determine the nature and context of the learning resource: will it train people for a specific job (job-oriented) or is it aimed at educating learners about a particular subject area (subject-oriented)? Also include a general statement about the project management methodology, quality assurance processes, risk management and consultation that will be used in the development of the resource/product.
  
• Specify the funding source and any conditions that apply. Identify the need for or existence of any additional/alternative funding.

Feasibility study and strategic relevance

• Describe the researched market needs and demands. Provide evidence of demand for the product and present the factors that will lead to a significant usage and/or demand of the resource/product. Provide evidence of industry support and demand for the product including consultation with the relevant national ITAB. 

Rationale and purpose

• Include a summary of the rationale for and purpose of the learning resource, including references to strategic priorities and target areas that project aligns with (eg. VET, TAFE, Training Division, RTO).
  
• Provide an outline of the desired outcomes of the project in relation to learners/users and stakeholders. Identify the intended teaching or learning outcomes/elements of competence to be developed. Explain why the particular units of competence/modules were chosen and how they are suited to online delivery. Include a description of the Training Package/TAFE course descriptor and its associated course with the corresponding face-to-face equivalence in hours along with the specific names and numbers of units of competence and/or modules being developed or catered for.

Stakeholder involvement and collaborative approach

• Construct a profile of the stakeholders (DET, TAFE, other?) with a description of their acceptance criteria for evaluating/signing-off resources/product. Outline the role proposed for the national ITAB in the conduct of the project.
  
• Include a statement with details of the collaborative effort between the parties involved. Describe the elements of understanding that have been negotiated between the parties that comprise the Collaborative/Reference Group.

Target audience and learner/user profile

• Describe the target audience and its preparedness for online delivery and explain why online delivery is appropriate for its needs.
  
• Provide as profile of the product users (students, teachers, other?) including characteristics such as cognitive (learning style), personality (interests and beliefs), social (culture and education level) and physical (age and visual abilities) with a description of the implications for the educational design.

Requirements specifications

• Include a general description or list of the minimum hardware/software requirements for users to effectively access the online learning resources and study in the online learning environment.
  
• Provide a general description or list of the essential or key product features, as required by the Project Team, stakeholders and customers and funding body eg. cross-platform, browser compatibility, use of/independent of any proprietary learning management system (Janison Toolbox, WebCT, Blackboard), accessibility, and metadata tagging etc.

Deliverables

• Include a general statement about the resource/product, suggested learning strategies and supporting material required for the delivery of the materials. Include a description and justification of any special features of resources/product or project management that will differ from TAFE Connect/ANTA Toolbox standards and procedures.
  
• Provide specific information about the nature and delivery format of components (such as learners guide, teacher guide, number of student modules/unit/sets, materials outline or overview, online materials, supplementary materials, number of audiotapes, CD-ROMs, kits).

Educational, structural and interface design and assessment approach

• Include a description of the intended educational model or conceptual framework that will inform the development of the resources (relate to one or more learning theories). Explain the key teaching and learning principles that underpin the project and show how these will be applied in the resources/product to make use of the opportunities of the online environment.
  
• Also include a statement/illustration of the learning cycle or sequence that will underpin the design or describe a sample learning sequence from the intended product that applies the principle/s explained. Describe the activities expected of the learner and outline the learning resources to be provided. Indicate how this sample would be treated in the Teacher Guide. Include a description of the intended approach to the assessment requirements for the course or modules.
  
• Incorporate a description and/or prototype of the intended structural and interface design that will inform the development of the resources. This will entail both a structure map and sample screens of the project to illustrate the treatment as to the ‘look and feel’ of the interface (sometimes referred to as ‘proof of concept’).
  
• Explain how the structure of the resource/product ensures that it can be customised and used flexibly. Describe the features of the resource/product that provide for portability. Justify the use of a database, video component or CD ROM (for student use) if any of these are planned.

Project management and iterative development

A general statement about the project management methodology that will be used in the development of the project. Include details of related areas, such a

• reporting strategy
  
• timelines/milestones
  
• budget and expenditure
  
• project team and professional development
  
• special equipment or resources.

• Provide a statement on the intended communication and liaison between the Project Manager and the Collaborative/Reference Group. Also include a statement on the roles of the Project Manager and the various project team members and the reporting structure that will ensue.
  
• Include a general statement about the duration of the project. Identify major phases and milestones in the project (such as stage completion, evaluation points) and component sign-off points. Indicate a date or proposed number of weeks/months or other time indicator with an indication as to the percentage completion for each of the stages.
  
• Ascertain the costs (based on a duration and/or costing standard) for the various roles, processes or consumables that will be used to create the resource/product and indicate the overall expenditure pattern for the project’s various phases.

Project team, responsibilities and professional development

• Provide a general statement about the values that will drive the project team and their efforts.
  
• Incorporate, preferably in table form, information about the team members involved in the project. Roles and responsibilities could be described using titles or other identifiers (for example, Project Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Learning Facilitator, Mentor, Subject Matter Expert/Writer/Asset Creator, Reviewer, Content Manager/Information Designer, Instructional Designer/Online Learning Designer, Graphic/Animation/Interface Designer, Multimedia Specialist, Editor, Copyright Officer, Metadata Tagger, IT Support etc).
  
• Also include information on any required professional development for the project team and/or teachers and staff.

Quality assurance

• Include a statement on the quality management systems in place to ensure that resource/product developed meets with the standards of the funding body, the stakeholders and audience, and that delivery of courses and other support learning services comply with documented quality conformance processes and procedures.

Risk management

• Include a statement on the risk management to put in place to ensure that the resource/product is developed to the appropriate standards. Include the risk factors and strategies for their management.

Review and evaluation

• Include a description of how the resource/product will be tested and reviewed by both internal and external experts as part of the iterative development cycle.
  
• Also provide a description of how and when the project deliverables and the project process will be evaluated, and how this information will be reported and used.

Implementation, delivery and maintenance

• Include a description of the implementation, delivery and maintenance strategies including reference to delivery formats/platforms to suit all Institutes/RTOs.

Other issues

• Provide a description of any other issues that may impinge on the project as deemed necessary.

Attachments

• If required, supporting information may be appended to this document.