eLearning Development Services – Top UK Content Developers

Choosing the right elearning development services provider is key to a successful online training project – Content is King after all – and will continue to be throughout 2023 and well beyond.

Assuming you are not going to build the materials in-house, here is Learning Light’s guide to some of the best elearning content development companies in the UK – experts who deal with clients nationwide and worldwide. There are also explanations of why we like what they do.

 

 

Our advice when procuring bespoke elearning solutions is to make a list of companies to evaluate, and we hope this list helps. When making your shortlist, have in mind what your requirements are, how you would like the developer to present their ideas to you, and have in mind some key metrics to measure developers and their work.

We have conducted reviews of content from all these companies, and have a good understanding of their capabilities.  We look at Full Service content development companies, as well as specialist developers for specific niches.

 

Full service elearning content developers

The full service elearning developers below offer a wide range of development services and very often LMS solutions as well. They are well-used to large and complex projects, and can work closely with L&D or HR teams to align learning to performance, as well as providing ongoing support during the implementation stage.

 

Day One Technologies

Experts in immersive learning – this is one of the very best elearning content development companies in 2023. True experts in Bespoke Content Development, Scenario-Based Training and Simulations.

Day One Technologies is an elearning development company that has built very considerable expertise in content, scenario-based training, and system simulations. They have an impressive client base across a wide range of sectors, including Health, Finance, Retail and Industrial and many more.

However, their bespoke elearning content solutions could be of great benefit in any environment, and we’d like to see companies from more industries making use of their elearning capabilities to increase employee engagement and improve training outcomes though immersive learning experiences.

The Day One simulation training solutions that we’ve seen them implement for the likes of healthcare, pharma and leading financial services providers, can replicate multiple and interlinked platforms within highly complex environments.

Day One, while experts in system simulation, have also developed considerable expertise in creating elearning content for complex topics, such as in corporate governance and anti-corruption, where their ability in high-level learning design comes to the fore.

Day One Technologies Limited
Batley Business and Technology Centre
Grange Road
Batley
West Yorkshire WF17 6ER
Tel: 01924 510 524
Web: www.dayonetech.com

 

Learning Pool

Learning Pool have built very good elearning content for some time now, but what really excites us is the development of the Adapt learning framework.

Learning Pool has undoubtedly high quality development skills and has pioneered the use of Adapt to build out some very effective mobile-enabled elearning materials.

The Adapt builder tool, which we have spent some time evaluating (lookout for a detailed view soon) allows for the learning to be updated or customised for the individual user or by the user. This is a trend that we identified as being in demand in our 2012 research into what the customer wants. Full marks to Learning Pool for this development!

Learning Pool offer LMS solutions and a library of off-the-shelf content, much of which is suitable to be modified by Adapt.

Learning Pool
The City Factory
100 Patrick Street
Derry
Northern Ireland
BT48 7EL
Telephone Number: 0207 101 9383
Website: www.learningpool.com/

 

Walkgrove

Walkgrove have been building elearning courses since the 1990s and they have a reputation that is hard to beat. They have many very loyal customers and for good reason.

Walkgrove have expertise in building elearning that is exceptional. We reviewed some materials they built several years ago and found them to be of very good quality indeed, but their solutions have developed since to keep pace with, and make great use of, the latest technologies and multimedia content tools available.

Walkgrove listen to their clients very closely and are able to come up with imaginative and effective learner-centric learning designs, then execute the development of the chosen design with a well-defined process and absolute transparency.

Walkgrove pride themselves in delivering training content design and development solutions that make a real difference to the individual learner and toward the business goals of the organisation. Based on what what we have seen, we think they do an outstanding job.

Walkgrove Limited
7 Maisies Way
South Normanton
Alfreton
Derbyshire DE55 2DS
Telephone: +44 (0)1773 864 640

 

DESQ

Based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, DESQ are reinventing the way people learn, challenging conventional methods and constantly exploring new ways to help people achieve more. The company designs and develops creative, digital solutions to learning and engagement problems.

DESQ’s tailored digital learning, blended programmes and learning games help drive their clients’ businesses by:

• creating learning experiences tailored to business culture and brand that deliver results. They help companies welcome new people, retain talent, and motivate and inform their teams.
• blending their digital learning with existing learning and training programmes to create a ‘digital backbone’ that makes learning more effective, meets the needs and lifestyles of modern learners, and increases impact and retention.
• selecting the right game mechanics to motivate and immerse people in topics they might struggle to understand or apply in normal circumstances.

For quality of design and alignment to your learning needs DESQ have a terrific track record of producing digital learning solutions that really do deliver results. The materials and feedback we have been privileged to look at over the years indicate a company that absolutely delights in exceeding clients expectations.

DESQ Ltd
Sum Studios
1 Hartley Street
Sheffield
South Yorkshire S2 3AQ
Telephone Number: 0114 399 1010
Website: www.desq.co.uk/

 

Virtual College

Virtual College are one of the UK’s leading development houses with some very strong specialisms in food, healthcare, defence, manufacturing and local government.

We have reviewed their courses and design and development methodologies and find they combine great value for money with very high production values. They have a very capable development team and solid quality assurance processes which coupled with good learning design skills ensures that clients do get the great courses they want at a price that is attractive.

We have been particularly impressed with the diabetes awareness courses which are used across the NHS. They are genuinely excellent pieces of learning that will save lives.

Virtual College are of course a full service e-learning provider with an excellent newly-updated LMS, Enable.

Virtual College are the market leaders in delivering full service academies to organisations encompassing LMS, bespoke and off-the-shelf content with first-line learner support. Virtual College have several hundred off-the-shelf elearning courses available.

Virtual College Limited
Marsel House
Stephensons Way
Ilkley
West Yorkshire LS29 8DD
Tel: 01943 605 976
Visit: www.virtual-college.co.uk/

 

City and Guilds Kineo

We reviewed some materials built by Kineo for their Essentials offer using the Adapt Framework. We were very impressed with the quality of the elearning produced.

Kineo has undoubted expertise in designing elearning courses and have a very strong creative learning design team and offer full service provision.

Kineo are well versed in dealing with complex learning conundrums for clients and are able to design and develop learning programmes that deliver real organisational change. For large organisations with challenging learning requirements, Kineo offer a wealth of expertise and undoubted ability.

Kineo offer the Totara LMS solution and a very good library of off the shelf courses “essentials”.

City & Guilds Kineo
Sovereign House
Church Street
Brighton
East Sussex BN1 1SS
Telephone: +44 (0)1273 764070
Web: www.kineo.com

 

Specialist elearning development companies

Specialist elearning content developers are companies who have focused tightly on specific genres of learning and can develop materials using one or more of video, gaming, virtual reality or system simulation, for example. The vendors listed are not only capable of developing in their chosen genre, but crucially understanding the learning theories that underpin the genre, and can provide invaluable advice and insight into their effective usage.

 

Virtual Reality – eLearning studios

eLearning studios are a well-established development house with a strong streak of innovation combined with excellent learning design skills. They are capable of producing some wonderfully engaging e-learning materials.

We are particularly impressed with the Virtual Reality materials being produced by eLearning studios as they continue to push the boundaries. VR courses built creating a new market segment in premium compliance courses and will be hugely impactful in leadership and management skills as well.

We are also delighted to note that the VR materials have been integrated and aligned to a Learning Record Store (Watershed) allowing for the xAPI driven learning statements to be recorded.

The 3 VR courses we sampled are excellent indeed and quite breath taking (and vertigo inducing in one case) and really have brought this genre to life with proven learning efficacy.

eLearning Studios Ltd
Office DC2.3
Design Hub
Technology Park
Coventry
West Midlands CV1 2TT
Telephone Number: +44 (0)24 7652 5550
Visit: www.e-learningstudios.com

 

eCom Learning Solutions

Some very impressive elearning courses have been built by eCom Learning Solutions (formerly eCom Scotland). Their work with the RNIB, which we have closely reviewed, demonstrates a commitment to accessibility that is excellent and augments the overall learning experience.

eCom have also developed a considerable expertise in engineering and manufacturing and their learning materials in these areas are extremely well made. The attention to design detail impressed us greatly.

With eNetAuthor they have good mobile elearning development capability as well, and eCom are a full service provider offering LMS and the very capable eNetenterprise which is a full scale talent and people development platform.

This is a capable company with strong innovation and development heritage that continues to produce elearning content of great quality.

eCom Learning Solutions
18b Dickson Street
Dunfermline
Fife KY12 7SL
Telephone: 0845 643 1344
Web: ecomlearningsolutions.com/

 

Serious Games – Totem Learning

Creators of some of the most exciting, immersive learning experiences we have seen, Totem is our go-to developer when it comes to serious games for elearning. Totem have some of the UK’s leading experts in this genre of learning on their team and have produced some excellent results.

We highlighted Totem in previous previews of the Learning Technologies event as one of the companies we were most looking forward to seeing – and they did not disappoint. Helen Routledge is one of the world’s leading experts in games based learning, and her book – Why Games are Good for Business – is highly recommended.

Totem Learning’s online course The Business Game is an example of effective use of gaming in learning and one that still impresses.

The Totem team is unique in having built up a serious evidence base of how gaming improves learning. Totem offer amazing off-the-shelf games-based learning material, specific development skills,  and excellent simulation skills courses in areas such as welding.

Totem Learning
Top Floor, 6 The Cable Yard
Electric Wharf
Coventry
West Midlands CV1 4HA
Tel: +44 (0)2476 555 904
Web: www.totemlearning.com

 

Corporate Learning & Development – WillowDNA

Bristol based company WillowDNA are one of the most highly regarded elearning developers we know. They develop learning materials with a high degree of diligence that is designed to deliver change.

The team are ex-large corporate and with this experience in mind they have transformed into a bespoke elearning development company that really understands and aligns to the challenges of corporate learning.

WillowDNA offer a highly personalised approach to the development process and bring huge amounts of innovation and personal attention. WillowDNA were the UK pioneers of social and peer-to-peer learning as well as fusing knowledge management and elearning together very effectively.

Willow Learning Ltd
Bristol & Bath Science Park
Dirac Crescent
Emersons Green
Bristol BS16 7FR
Tel: +44 (0)117 370 7735
Visit: www.willowdna.com/

 

Multimedia and Comedy – elearningWMB

An amazingly innovative company when it comes to elearning content development who bring the use of video, pictures and 3D to the fore. elearningWMB also offer comedy-enhanced e-learning development (Comed) which is unique and not surprisingly incredibly effective and engaging.

elearningWMB’s 3D learning puts the learning into great context as well as offering video presenters to customise the e-learning. Clients have a choice of customising and adapting existing elearning from elearning WMB’s large library of content or having courses built for them using the unique and innovative elearningWMB approach which is very effective indeed.

eLearning WMB
Merlin House
Reading
Berkshire RG7 4AB
Phone: +44 (0)118 902 6825
Web: www.elearningwmb.com

If you want to provide your staff with an online learning experience that they will complete, and maybe even love doing, then bespoke content, tailored to their unique roles and needs will really help. We hope that this list of top elearning development companies in the UK will point you to the right provider for your needs.

Let us know how you get on and if you’d like any further help or advice, learn about Learning Light Consultancy services.

Based outside the UK? Many of the companies above could meet your needs and already work with global clients. However, we also created a list of the best custom elearning development companies worldwide.

Running an elearning company? Get in touch if you’d like some advice or run a company that you would like to be included.