Course Creation Roadmap
Step 3 - Course Content
Now that you have a clear course strategy, and you’ve mapped out your key lessons and learning objectives, it’s time to start building the content.
(Wait… don’t have your course strategy or mapping yet? This process will be much easier if you are prepare. Read more about Course Strategy here or Course Mapping here).
Content Content = explaining, guiding, practicing, reinforcing, and supporting implementation.
What is your Course Content?
Many course creators think “course content = videos” when in reality it’s a whole ecosystem. Your course content is ALL of the different bits and pieces that helps your student reach the learning objective.
It will often be composed of your core content, including
- Video lessons
- Audio lessons or private podcast episodes
- Written lessons or article-style pages
- Slide presentations
- Demonstration videos
- Screen recordings or tutorials
- Live training either online or face to face
And then a range of supporting materials.
You’re ready for building your course content if…
- You’ve thought about your strategy (the who, what and why of your course)
- You’ve mapped out what you are trying to achieve, and created a Course Map so that you don’t get lost along the way
Most course creators get started with the content first. You have an idea, a sudden burst of motivation, and before you know if you’re writing out content or creating presentations… and while that’s fine at the beginning, barrelling in headfirst without stopping to create the strategy and the mapping is the reason that most course creators get stuck along the way.
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Your supporting content
Effective learning experiences are usually built from a mix of different content types, each one designed to support a different stage of the learning process.
PLEASE NOTE:
You do not need to include ALL of the suggestions from the list below.
Less is more when it comes to content. We want the most effective range of content, delivered in a way that makes sense… not just “lots”!
Visual Learning Aids
These help explain complex ideas quickly and clearly.
Examples:
- Diagrams
- Infographics
- Process maps
- Framework visuals
- Comparison charts
- Annotated screenshots
These are especially useful when you’re explaining systems, frameworks, or step-by-step processes.
Worksheets and Workbooks
These help learners apply the ideas to their own situation.
Examples:
- Reflection worksheets
- Planning templates
- Decision-making prompts
- Strategy workbooks
- Self-assessment tools
These turn passive learning into active thinking and planning.
Templates and Tools
Templates reduce friction and help learners implement faster.
Examples:
- Checklists
- Planning templates
- Fill-in-the-blank frameworks
- Swipe files
- Scripts or prompts
- Notion / spreadsheet templates
Templates are often some of the most valued resources in a practical course.
Practice Activities
These give learners the opportunity to build skill through action.
Examples:
- Exercises
- Case studies
- Scenario challenges
- Mini projects
- Role play activities
Practice is where learning starts to become real capability.
Implementation Guides
These help learners turn learning into real-world action.
Examples:
- Step-by-step guides
- Action plans
- Roadmaps
- Weekly implementation schedules
- Project planners
These help prevent the “I learned something but didn’t actually do it” problem.
Feedback and Reflection Tools
These help learners check their progress and deepen their understanding.
Examples:
- Self-assessment quizzes
- Knowledge checks
- Reflection prompts
- Journaling exercises
- Progress trackers
Reflection is a key part of solidifying learning.
Bite Sized Chunks…
Ideally, your lessons should exist as bite sized chunks.
You want each lesson to stand alone, with a clear start, an activity or reflection, a clear objective, and a end that leads you nicely on to the next lesson.
The size of your “bite” really depends on your audience. Think about concepts like:
- How much time are they dedicating to the course?
- How long will the lesson take to complete… not just to consume your content, but to complete any learning activities as well?
- If they get interrupted, how difficult will it be to started again, or come back to what they were doing?
- Will they need support to get the best results from this chunk?
Questions to ask at this stage...
- What’s the content needed for each lesson?
- How can you break that into clear, manageable sections?
- Can you match the format to your learners’ needs?
- How can you make each lesson engaging and interactive?
- How will you keep students involved rather than just watching or reading?
- How can you make the content easy to follow?
- Are you using clear language and short segments?
- Have you added visuals, examples, or stories?
- Would templates, worksheets, or guides help them apply what they learn?
The content creation stage can feel overwhelming (and it’s the bit that realistically takes the most time) but, you’ve got this!
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Book a chat…
Book in for a course chat and the team can point you in the right direction for getting started or provide with a quote for a specific project.