Elearning companies have to make some selections before they decide to get an authoring tool.

Well there are some points on which such authoring tools can be compared

Hosting of the authoring tool 

Where is the authoring tool hosted? Is it hosted on the cloud so that you can access it from anywhere? Or you are going to install it on your local server so that everyone in the office can work on it. You should also make sure that the elearning tool is compliant with the specifications of your local PC’s so that there are no compatibility issues.

For example, there can be compatibility issues when you already have an LMS and you need a SCORM authoring tool that can go with the same.

SCORM stands for the shareable content object reference model. It includes standards as to how communication will happen between a client-side computer accessing the server where the elearning authoring tool is hosted. However, such communications happen through an LMS. 

Support for multimedia 

Modern learners want multimedia to be a part of their learning experience. Therefore, the elearning tool must have support for multimedia which can ensure that the created elearning content is interesting for the learners. There should be support for creating simulations, games like drag and drop etc which can ensure that the learner grabs the maximum knowledge from the elearning video. Also, you must be able to import audio sound into the video by recording it. This can make sure you can have a full-fledged video experience. 

Presence of stock assets 

There are many stock assets in elearning tools. Such stock assets include character images etc. This way you can compare how one elearning tool is better than the other. There are also various emotions of the character included in the elearning tool. So, you have to check whether the elearning tool only has some images or whether you have the option to expand the usability of the tool by purchasing more assets. There are also sound clips added in some authoring tools. So, these assets can help you consider why you should choose one authoring tool over another. 

Support of vendors of elearning 

What kind of support is provided by the seller of the elearning solution. The software provider has to ensure that there must be availability 24/7 via phone. Apart from that, there should be video demos so that users don’t have any trouble in using the elearning tool to develop the course. There should also be a website or a forum where the queries of users are answered. This is only possible when the authoring tool has many users to answer on the forum or when the service associates of the vendor answer the questions. Another possibility is that the software buyers must be able to log on to the website and get their queries answered through a live chat. There can also be technical documentation made available to the users when they get the product.

This is how elearning companies can make decisions about whether they must get one elearning tool rather than another.