Our Process

This is where we define the learner needs the program will address, the professional roles it prepares students for, and what will make it distinctive among similar offerings. 

 Together we identify the intended audience, understand what they're bringing with them, and get clear on the transformation they should experience by the time they complete the program.

We ensure the program's stated outcomes connect directly to its mission and vision, and identify any credentials, certifications, or licensure requirements that need to be built into the design. 

This is where we work through the practical questions — how long each course runs, what modality makes sense, how often students and faculty connect live, and how the program balances conceptual learning with applied practice. We also establish the assessment strategy early, designing with the end in mind so that every learning experience builds purposefully toward the knowledge, skills, and abilities the program is designed to develop. 

Great programs are built with the end in mind. We establish how effectiveness will be measured, what data needs to be collected, and what success actually looks like for students, faculty, and the school. 

We establish the design standards that will carry across every course in the program, including course templates, how video and interactive elements will be used, and how accessibility requirements will be met from the start, not added on at the end. 

We define roles and responsibilities for everyone involved: faculty, vendors, and OEDI, along with communication expectations and a development roadmap that keeps the program two semesters ahead of delivery. 

For programs that require additional development support, this is where we review vendor capabilities and select the right partner for the project — drawing on our vetted pool of trusted vendors to find the best fit. 

Designing a great online course takes real investment — from both of us. Most faculty spend around 4–6 hours per week during active development, and we're with you every step of the way. It's also important to recognize that development is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time effort. Regular check-ins are scheduled throughout each phase to maintain progress, strengthen collaboration, and ensure the work continues to move forward with shared purpose.

To sustain momentum and keep the project on track, a feedback schedule is established at the outset and revisited throughout development. Adhering to agreed-upon review windows ensures that timely responses prevent bottlenecks and allow the team to move forward with confidence.

The reward is a course that's structured, clear, and genuinely engaging. It is one that runs more smoothly when you're teaching it and gives you more time for the interactions that matter most.  

One of the most common questions we get is how UVA's credit hour policy translates into an online course — especially when synchronous sessions are part of the mix. The short answer: every credit hour requires approximately three hours of academic work per week. For a more complete breakdown of what this looks like in practice, see our guide in Guides & Resources. 

Sometimes the scope of a project calls for additional support — and that's where our vendor partnerships come in. We handle everything: vetting, contracting, onboarding, and day-to-day management. Faculty get the benefit of expanded capacity and specialized expertise without the administrative burden of managing an outside relationship. Throughout the project, an OEDI team member remains engaged as the bridge between faculty and vendor — ensuring the work stays true to the program's vision at every stage. 

This is where the course takes shape on paper before anything gets built. We work with faculty to clarify learning outcomes, design the summative assessment, and map the course structure module by module. The result is a shared framework that guides everything that follows, preventing costly changes later in development. 

Before building the full course, we develop one complete prototype module. This module sets the standard for everything that follows — establishing the design foundation, tone, media approach, and LMS template that will carry through the entire program. Stakeholder review and approval at this stage means we move into full development with confidence and alignment. 

With the prototype approved, we build out the remaining modules using it as our model. Content is drafted, media is produced, assessments are integrated, and everything is implemented in the LMS with consistency in design and navigation. Faculty review content as it develops, and we conduct midpoint and final checks to keep quality high throughout. 

Before anything reaches a student, it goes through a structured quality assurance review. We evaluate every course against our design standards rubric, checking for accessibility, functionality, and alignment with program goals. Faculty are part of this process too, reviewing and signing off before the course goes live. 

Launching a course is a milestone — not a finish line. Before a course goes live, we conduct a final quality assurance review, ensure all course materials are copied into the live section, and confirm the course meets our design and accessibility standards. Our support doesn't stop at launch.  

During the first teach, we're available to address any issues, make minor updates, and help faculty feel confident in the course environment. We also encourage gathering student feedback early — not just to improve the course, but to understand how well the design is supporting learning in practice. 

After each project, we invite faculty and program leaders to share their experience through our OEDI Experience Survey. Their feedback shapes how we work, not just on the next project, but across everything we do. 

Great courses evolve. Beyond the initial support period, we work with faculty through scheduled refresh cycles to update content, integrate new tools, and respond to what students and the field are telling us."