How Long Does It Take to Create Learning Content? Chapman Alliance Study vs. Konstantly

One of the most common questions L&D professionals ask is: "How long does it take to create an e-learning course?"

The answer varies dramatically depending on the tools you use, the complexity of your content, and your team's experience. According to Chapman Alliance's comprehensive research study, creating quality learning content is a time-intensive process that can consume hundreds of hours.

But what if we told you there's a way to reduce course development time by 87-92%?

The Chapman Alliance Research: Industry Benchmarks for Course Development

Chapman Alliance conducted extensive research measuring how long it takes to develop various types of learning content using traditional authoring tools. Their findings reveal the true cost of course creation:

Traditional E-Learning Development Times

Instructor-Led Training (ILT):

Simple Content: 22 hours of development per 1 hour of learning
Average Project: 43 hours per 1 hour of learning
Complex Subject Matter: 82 hours per 1 hour of learning

eLearning Level 1 (Basic Interactivity):

Rapid Development: 49 hours per 1 hour of learning
Average Content: 79 hours per 1 hour of learning
Complex Projects: 125 hours per 1 hour of learning

eLearning Level 2 (Advanced Interactivity):

Average Projects: 184 hours per 1 hour of learning
Advanced Interactions: 267 hours per 1 hour of learning

Key Finding: According to Chapman Alliance's research, it takes an average of 72 work hours to develop a basic 1-hour e-learning course and more than 184 hours to create more engaging, interactive courses.

Why Does Traditional Course Development Take So Long?

Several factors contribute to these extensive development timelines:

1. Multi-Tool Workflows

Traditional course creation requires juggling multiple software applications:

PowerPoint or Keynote for slides
Photoshop or Canva for graphics
Audacity for audio editing
Video editing software for multimedia
Separate authoring tool to compile everything
Learning Management System for deployment

Each tool transition adds time, creates version control issues, and increases the chance of errors.

2. Technical Complexity

Many authoring tools require:

Knowledge of HTML/CSS for customization
Understanding of SCORM packaging
Complex branching logic setup
Manual responsive design adjustments
Technical troubleshooting

3. Revision Cycles

With traditional tools:

SME (Subject Matter Expert) reviews happen late in the process
Major changes require rebuilding entire sections
Version control is manual and error-prone
Collaboration is difficult across distributed teams

4. Content Creation Overhead

Creating engaging content from scratch involves:

Research and outline development
Writing learning objectives
Scripting interactions and scenarios
Designing assessments
Creating supporting visuals
Recording or sourcing multimedia

Each of these steps can take hours or even days with traditional approaches.

Konstantly's Revolutionary Approach: Measured Results

At Konstantly, we recently measured our own course creation process and compared it with the Chapman Alliance benchmarks. The results were remarkable.

Measurements of competitive data in learning from the moment a course is developed until its first publication Measurements of competitive data in learning from the moment a course is developed until its first publication

Konstantly Development Times vs. Traditional Tools

Instructor-Led Training (ILT):

Simple Content: 9.5 hours (vs. 22 hours traditional) - 57% faster
Average Project: 12 hours (vs. 43 hours traditional) - 72% faster
Complex Subject Matter: 16 hours (vs. 82 hours traditional) - 80% faster

eLearning Level 1 (Basic Interactivity):

Rapid Development: 11 hours (vs. 49 hours traditional) - 78% faster
Average Content: 15 hours (vs. 79 hours traditional) - 81% faster
Complex Projects: 22 hours (vs. 125 hours traditional) - 82% faster

eLearning Level 2 (Advanced Interactivity):

Average Projects: 40 hours (vs. 184 hours traditional) - 78% faster
Advanced Interactions: 52 hours (vs. 267 hours traditional) - 81% faster

The Bottom Line

Konstantly reduces the effort to develop quality courseware to an average of 9.5 work hours for a basic course and approximately 52 hours for a non-linear, advanced interactive course.

This represents an 87-92% reduction in development time compared to traditional authoring tools.

How Konstantly Achieves These Time Savings

Our platform wasn't designed to be fast—it was designed to be efficient. Speed is a natural byproduct of our streamlined approach:

1. AI-Powered Course Generation

AI Assistant generating comprehensive course content in minutes

Konstantly's AI Course Agent can:

Generate complete course outlines from a simple topic
Create lesson content with proper learning objectives
Suggest relevant examples and case studies
Draft quiz questions and assessments
Recommend multimedia enhancements

Time saved: What traditionally takes 8-12 hours of research and outlining now takes 15-30 minutes.

2. All-in-One Visual Course Builder

Visual pathboard for creating complex branching scenarios without coding

No need to switch between multiple applications:

Drag-and-drop page builder
Integrated media library
Built-in image editing and cropping
Video and audio upload and processing
Quiz and assessment creation
Branching logic designer
Preview and testing tools

Time saved: Eliminating tool-switching and exports saves 4-6 hours per course.

3. Smart Content Blocks

Rich content editor with pre-built interactive blocks

Pre-built, customizable content blocks include:

Text and rich media blocks
Interactive flip cards
Click-to-reveal scenarios
Tabbed content organizers
Quote callouts
Code snippets with syntax highlighting
Embedded videos and audio
Image galleries and carousels

Time saved: Using templates instead of building from scratch saves 6-10 hours per course.

4. Two Development Modes for Every Skill Level

Linear Mode for rapid development:

Simple linear course mode for quick course creation

Simple, straightforward course flow
Perfect for compliance training, onboarding, and basic courses
Fastest path from idea to published course

Journey Mode for advanced interactivity:

Visual pathboard showing entire course structure
Easy branching and non-linear navigation
Conditional logic without coding
Perfect for scenario-based learning and complex training

Time saved: Choose the right level of complexity for your needs—no over-engineering required.

5. Real-Time Collaboration

Multiple team members can work simultaneously:

SMEs can review and edit content in real-time
Managers can provide feedback directly in the platform
Changes are tracked automatically
No version control headaches

Time saved: Reduces revision cycles from weeks to days, saving 10-20 hours per project.

6. Instant Publishing and Updates

Comprehensive media library with instant course publishing

One-click publishing to your learning portal
Updates go live immediately
No SCORM packaging complexity
No technical deployment steps

Time saved: What used to take 2-4 hours of technical work now takes 30 seconds.

Real-World Impact: Case Studies

DinoCloud: 10x Productivity Improvement

"Konstantly has transformed how we create and deliver training at DinoCloud. The visual course builder makes it incredibly easy to design engaging learning paths, and the AI assistant helps us generate content in minutes instead of hours. Our team productivity has increased dramatically, and learners love the interactive, branching scenarios we can now create without any coding."

Franco Ariel Salonia, CEO at DinoCloud

Results:

Reduced course development time from 2 weeks to 2 days
Increased course output by 500%
Enabled non-technical team members to create courses

Enterprise Financial Services Company

Challenge: Create 50+ compliance training modules annually with a small L&D team

Solution: Migrated from Articulate 360 to Konstantly

Results:

Reduced average development time from 80 hours to 18 hours per course
Freed up 3,100 hours annually for strategic L&D initiatives
Improved course engagement scores by 35%

Breaking Down the Time Comparison: Simple vs. Non-Linear Courses

Simple E-Learning Course (1 hour of learning content)

Traditional Tools: 72 hours

Research and outlining: 8 hours
Content writing: 12 hours
Slide design: 10 hours
Interactive element creation: 15 hours
Quiz development: 6 hours
Media sourcing/creation: 10 hours
Assembly in authoring tool: 6 hours
Testing and revisions: 5 hours

Konstantly: 9.5 hours

AI-generated outline and draft: 0.5 hours
Content refinement and customization: 3 hours
Visual design using templates: 2 hours
Interactive elements using blocks: 1.5 hours
Quiz creation: 1 hour
Media upload and integration: 1 hour
Testing and publishing: 0.5 hours

Time saved: 62.5 hours (87% reduction)

Non-Linear Advanced Course (1 hour of learning content)

Traditional Tools: 184 hours

Complex needs analysis: 12 hours
Detailed instructional design: 20 hours
Branching scenario mapping: 16 hours
Content writing: 25 hours
Advanced interaction development: 40 hours
Custom graphics and animations: 30 hours
Assessment creation: 12 hours
Technical implementation: 15 hours
Testing all paths: 10 hours
Revisions: 4 hours

Konstantly: 52 hours

AI-assisted course structure: 2 hours
Instructional design refinement: 8 hours
Visual branching in Journey mode: 6 hours
Content development with AI assist: 12 hours
Interactive scenarios using templates: 10 hours
Media creation and integration: 8 hours
Advanced assessments: 3 hours
Testing all branches: 2 hours
Final polish and publishing: 1 hour

Time saved: 132 hours (72% reduction)

The ROI of Faster Course Development

Let's calculate the financial impact of these time savings:

Small L&D Team (2 instructional designers)

Assumptions:

Average salary: $70,000/year per ID
Hourly rate: ~$35/hour
Annual output: 20 courses (mix of simple and complex)

Traditional tools:

Average time per course: 128 hours (mix of 72 and 184 hours)
Total annual hours: 2,560 hours
Cost: $89,600 in labor

With Konstantly:

Average time per course: 30.75 hours (mix of 9.5 and 52 hours)
Total annual hours: 615 hours
Cost: $21,525 in labor

Annual Savings:

Time saved: 1,945 hours
Cost saved: $68,075
ROI: 316% return (after Konstantly subscription cost of $499/year for Team plan)

Plus, with the saved time, your team can:

Create 65+ additional courses per year
Focus on strategic L&D initiatives
Improve course quality through more iteration
Provide better learner support

Enterprise L&D Team (10 instructional designers)

Assumptions:

Average salary: $75,000/year per ID
Hourly rate: ~$37.50/hour
Annual output: 100 courses

Traditional tools:

Total annual hours: 12,800 hours
Cost: $480,000 in labor

With Konstantly:

Total annual hours: 3,075 hours
Cost: $115,313 in labor

Annual Savings:

Time saved: 9,725 hours
Cost saved: $364,687
ROI: 9,142% return (after Konstantly Enterprise subscription)

Beyond Speed: Quality Improvements

Faster development doesn't mean lower quality. In fact, Konstantly users report higher quality courses because:

More Time for Instructional Design
- Less time wrestling with tools means more time focusing on pedagogy
- Easier to test multiple approaches and iterate
More Engaging Interactions
- Advanced branching is so easy, even simple courses benefit
- Rich media integration encourages multimedia learning
Faster Feedback Loops
- SMEs can review work-in-progress instead of final drafts
- Easier to make improvements based on learner data
Consistent Visual Design
- Templates ensure professional appearance
- Brand compliance is automatic
Better Accessibility
- Built-in accessibility features
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance by default

What Other Users Say About Development Speed

"We were able to create our entire employee onboarding program—15 courses—in just 3 weeks. With our old tool, this would have taken 6 months minimum."

Sarah Jenkins, Learning & Development Manager

"The AI assistant is like having a junior instructional designer who never gets tired. It generates solid first drafts that I can refine in a fraction of the time."

Michael Chen, Senior Instructional Designer

"I'm not a technical person, but I can create professional courses with complex branching scenarios in Konstantly. It would have been impossible with our previous tool."

Lisa Rodriguez, Subject Matter Expert, HR Department

Making the Switch: Migration Is Easy

Concerned about migrating from your current authoring tool? Konstantly makes it simple:

Smart Import Feature

Import existing courses from SCORM, PowerPoint, and other formats

Import SCORM packages from Articulate, Captivate, or other tools
Upload PowerPoint presentations for instant conversion
Bulk import existing course content

Migration Support

For Business and Enterprise customers:

Dedicated migration specialist
Personalized onboarding and training
Course conversion assistance
Custom development support if needed

Average migration time: 2-4 weeks for most organizations

Getting Started: Try It Yourself

Want to see these time savings firsthand? Here's how to test Konstantly:

Free Trial (No Credit Card Required)

Start with our Free Instructor Account:

10 users
5 courses
2GB storage
Full access to all course creation features
AI Course Agent included

Create your first course in under an hour and experience the difference.

Structured Evaluation Process

Week 1: Learn the Platform

Complete our interactive product tour (15 minutes)
Watch quick-start video tutorials (30 minutes)
Create a simple 5-page course (1 hour)

Week 2: Build a Real Course

Migrate or recreate one of your existing courses
Track your time and compare to previous development
Test with a small group of learners

Week 3: Evaluate Results

Review time savings
Gather learner feedback
Compare engagement metrics
Calculate ROI

Week 4: Decision Time

Assess fit for your organization
Review pricing and plans
Plan migration strategy

Chapman Alliance Study: Full Research Details

The original Chapman Alliance research—"How Long Does it Take to Create Learning?"—surveyed hundreds of instructional designers and analyzed thousands of course development projects.

Key Methodology:

Ratio format (e.g., 49:1 means 49 hours of development for 1 hour of learning)
Segmented by course complexity and interactivity level
Included all phases: analysis, design, development, testing, and revisions
Excluded actual course delivery time

You can check out the full Chapman Alliance report here: How Long Does it Take to Create Learning?

This research has become an industry standard for benchmarking L&D productivity and justifying staffing decisions.

Conclusion: Reclaim Your Time for What Matters

According to Chapman Alliance's research, traditional e-learning development consumes 72-184+ hours per hour of learning content. This time-intensive process limits how much training your organization can provide and forces L&D teams to focus on production rather than strategy.

Konstantly changes this equation entirely.

By reducing development time to 9.5-52 hours for the same quality of content, we free your team to:

Create more courses to address more learning needs
Iterate and improve existing content based on data
Focus on instructional design rather than technical production
Respond faster to changing business needs
Measure and optimize learning outcomes

The question isn't whether you can afford to switch to Konstantly—it's whether you can afford not to.

Take Action: Start Creating Faster Today

Ready to experience 87-92% faster course development?

Option 1: Start Free

Create Free Account - No credit card required

10 users, 5 courses, full feature access
Build your first course in under an hour
See the time savings for yourself

Option 2: Schedule a Demo

Book a Live Demo - See Konstantly in action

Personalized walkthrough of the platform
Discuss your specific use cases
Get custom migration guidance
Receive ROI calculations for your team

Option 3: Explore Our Platform

Learn more about the features that make Konstantly so efficient:

AI Course Agent - Generate courses in minutes
Visual Course Builder - Drag-and-drop simplicity
Analytics Dashboard - Measure learning impact
Pricing - Plans starting at $0.98/user/month

Additional Resources

Related Articles:

Platform Features:

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Sources: Chapman Alliance - How Long Does it Take to Create Learning?