Hanover creates bespoke e-learning by thinking outside the box : Cost-effective training labelled “an amazing use of resources”

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to observe how members of the Hanover Housing Association’s learning and development team who could not afford the cost of bespoke e-learning trained themselves in instructional design instead. Design/methodology/approach – Explains the reasons for the training, the form it takes and the results it has achieved. Findings – Reveals that outsourcing to external developers, at £6,000 for each 30-minute course, was too expensive, so the housing association trained three members of its learning and development team to become in-house e-learning designers instead. Practical implications – Details how a training investment of £5,000 has so far saved £80,000 – an amount that grows with every e-learning course the team creates. Social implications – Presents a list of dos and don’ts for effective e-learning. Originality/value – Reveals how organizations can create their own e-learning rather than spending money on expensive courses designed by others.