A new elearning creation platform could be set to provide a new direction in the area as its creators say it will boost the volume and speed of content output while cutting costs.

Launched by learning content and consultancy specialist CM Group, Luminosity is a web-based rapid development elearning platform. This means the author can work either online or offline and to publish the content to users via websites, a SCORM compliant LMS, to SharePoint or to other intranet sites, or to a mobile device.

Once published, the content can be updated and re-published by the author themselves in minutes, a task which has historically been protracted and often costly.

Tim Buff, managing director, CM Group explains: “elearning has the potential to transform an organisation’s training strategy. But it is a potential that often goes unfulfilled due to the high costs and length of time associated with the traditional approach to producing elearning content.

“Most people outsource elearning development and have to put up with production cycles of up to three months. These long drawn out cycles tie up their own staff in frequent iterations and usually end up costing many thousands of pounds per course.

“The old way of producing elearning has become cumbersome and expensive. Today organisations demand the rapid, cost effective delivery of relevant and up-to-date materials. Luminosity enables the development and deployment of large amounts of high quality learning materials – very quickly.”

Luminosity provides a collaborative authoring environment with built in workflow. The intuitive user interface works on two levels; firstly allowing authors to create high quality engaging learning content with much less involvement from the design team than is traditional.

Secondly, it removes the need for companies to outsource to third party instructional design and elearning production companies. This transforms the speed of learning creation and slashes the cost whilst at the same time making content updates fast and easy.