Phase one: Plan & Curate

Lay the foundation

The smooth and successful launch of a training program begins with planning. 

1. Set clear goals.
   • Use our goal-setting worksheet (PDF) to define what success will look like for your program, visualize it, and track your progress.
   • If your organization uses Key Progress Indicators (KPIs), find a template in our guide to KPIs.
2. Create a timeline. See our example project timeline (PDF) for an overview of the process.
   • The example includes steps with an OpenSesame Customer Success Manager (CSM).
   • If you don't have a CSM, adapt the example for your organization.
3. Decide on delivery. How will you deliver courses to your learners? 
   • If you use a learning platform, such as a learning management system (LMS), determine whether you can use one of OpenSesame’s integrations* or if you will download course packages from OpenSesame and upload them to your platform. 
   • Phase Two covers configuration.
4. Ensure system compatibility.
   • Review the OpenSesame system requirements and share them with your IT team to ensure smooth course playback and accurate progress tracking.
   • If your organization’s network is protected by a firewall, see the required firewall domains and share them with your IT team. (If you’re unsure if allowing domains is needed, test in Phase Two, then work with IT as necessary.)

* For integration eligibility, check with your OpenSesame sales representative.

Select and organize courses

Next, develop the heart of your training program by curating content for your learners. The following tools can assist.

1. Discover and choose courses.
   • Explore the catalog. Use search filters to tailor the results to your learners. For more information, see How to use the OpenSesame catalog’s search tools.
   • Use the Curation Assistant. Tell the assistant what you need, then receive personalized recommendations. For more information, see How to use the Curation Assistant.
   • Create Smart Lists. Use machine learning to get instant suggestions for courses aligned with your organization’s needs. For more information, see How to use Smart Lists.
   • Use Curated Lists. Our content experts build learning paths on popular subjects for your convenience. For more information, see How to use Curated Lists.
2. Refine your selections.
   • Organize your picks. Use List tools to group, rearrange, add, or remove courses from your List.
   • Collaborate and review. Share a List with stakeholders to collect feedback, or preview courses from the List. For more information, see How to collaborate on Lists.
   • Learn about the publishers. The OpenSesame Plus publisher overview (PDF) profiles our leading content creators—their specialties, top courses, and a representative screenshot.

Develop your curation expertise

To learn more about selecting relevant content and increasing learner satisfaction, see our curation framework ebook (PDF).

To dig even deeper, consider becoming an OpenSesame Certified Digital Learning Content Creator. The program offers a certificate and two credit hours for maintaining certification with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) or the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

Phase one checklist

❏  Create a project timeline and identify your goals.
❏  Decide how you’ll deliver courses to your audience and whether you’ll use an OpenSesame integration.
❏  Review the OpenSesame system requirements, share them with your IT team, and (if needed) discuss the firewall requirements.
❏  Explore the OpenSesame catalog and start choosing courses.
❏  Use List tools to organize, review, and refine your choices.

 

Next up

When you’re ready to continue, see Phase two: Configure & Test.

If you have questions, use the search bar to find answers in this Knowledge Base or contact OpenSesame Support at support@opensesame.com.