10 Tips for Tracking Your eLearning Development Time
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One challenge with developing eLearning content is figuring out how to estimate the time it will take to create a course. It varies based on the amount of interactivity and the length of the course. I still get anxious when a client asks, “How long is that going to take?” Sometimes I overestimate the time and other times I overestimate it.
Recently, I started using an application called Clockify. Since I’ve been using it, I have become diligent about tracking my time on every single project for every client. I even document the time it takes to do a specific task for a specific project. It has not been easy but I am getting better at it. Here’s what I what I did.
10 Tips for Tracking Your eLearning Development Time
1. Download the Clockify application to your phone just in case you need it. You will probably use the laptop version but sometimes I use the smartphone version because it’s easier to access at the moment.
2. Start the Clockify application each time you start working on a project. The more you do this the more automatic it becomes. Practice. Practice. Practice.
3. Create a separate entry for each client and each project.
4. Use a different color identification for each client and each project. This will make it easier to see your projects when you look at the dashboard.
5. Run a weekly report by client and project, so you have a detailed look of how many hours you’re working and on each project.
6. Use the Dashboard to get a quick glance of how many hours you’ve worked for each client for the week.
7. If you forget to start the tracker, start it as soon as you remember. Try to estimate the amount of time you’ve been working, and on which projects and clients. This is about practice. The more you practice, the more natural it becomes.
8. If you have team members, encourage them to use the tracker too and add them to your account.
9. Set up different work spaces for different organizations. You may use one for your business, another for your Facebook group and a third for volunteer work you do with your favorite non-profit.
10. Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for your progress and take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments.
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What tips and tricks do you use to track and estimate your eLearning development time?
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