How To Organise and Structure Your Online Course Content

If you’ve been following along for the last 5 steps of course creation, I just want to say ‘great job’ because most people never finish anything they start.

It’s even reported that 63% of people who start a book never finish it… crazy right?

I know from my own experience and also from coaching my clients that the guaranteed path to success is not quitting.  It truly is that simple.

People always ask me ‘how did you do it?’, ‘what strategies did you use?’ – as if I was entrusted with a great secret to attain my business success.

But the answer is quite simply ‘I just didn’t stop trying’.  

Even in the face of absolute defeat (which happens a lot in business), you just have to find the strength to get up and get back to storming forward.

If you never quit at something, you’ll eventually get enough experience and get good enough at it that you’ll attain all the success you desire.

It’s been true in my own journey and it’s true among my most successful clients and students…

And it’ll be true for you too.

You are here reading this, so there is clearly a fire in your belly – and that is ALL you need!

How To Organise and Structure Your Course Content

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO: >>  https://youtu.be/XTSZMJEAMP4

Now that we have all of our content planned out (or when you do), it’s time to organise it in a way that is:

• Logical
• Progressive
• Engaging
• Efficient

This step is about putting all of your course lessons into order to make them easily digestible and ensures that it all ‘flows’ for your learners.

Step 1: Group Similar Tips into Modules

Brain Dump: Cluster, Chunk, Sequence Existing Content

Time to visit your wall of post-it notes! 

((NOTE* I am a total NERD for seeing courses come to life so PLEASE take a photo of your post-it-note wall and share it in my Facebook group ‘Entrepreneur To Edupreneur – Course Creators’.  I LOVE seeing these!))

With all of your post-it notes now in front of you, try to see if you have any similar ‘groupings’ or ‘families’ of tips.

Move your post-it notes around to group together tips that feel like they naturally fit together either because of a common theme, or even just because ‘it feels right’.

These ‘groups’ are going to be your MODULES.

NOTE: Modules do NOT need to be equal sizes! You do NOT need to have the same amount of lessons in each module. Some of your modules might have 2 lessons in it. Some might have 10. That’s totally ok.

Then, look at your modules and decide if they should go in a certain order.

Now reposition your post-it note clusters (modules) into their sequential order and add another post-it note to mark them ‘Module 1, Module 2, Module 3, Module 4’ etc.

(See picture below)…

Step 2 : Order Your Lessons Within Each Module

Now that you have got your modules together, and then put your modules in order; the next step is to put the TIPS in an order.

Your tips are going to be your LESSONS.

Your lessons will either need to come in a certain order, or they won’t – it just depends on what you are teaching.

Here is an example:

A ‘PROGRESSIVE’ FLOW – ORDER DEPENDANT

• Lesson 1: How to do step 1

• Lesson 2: How to do step 2

• Lesson 3: How to do step 3

A COLLECTION OF TIPS – NOT ORDER DEPENDANT

• Lesson 1: Tip 1

• Lesson 2: Tip 2

• Lesson 3: Tip 3

You see, it all depends on what you’re teaching.

Now go back to your post-it notes, and move each tip around so that they are positioned in what you feel is the most natural order.

You may realise when you look at them in this order that you have missed a step or a tip, so do add in any extra tips that you feel need to be added in to make the flow or order work better.

When you are happy with your order, get a black marker and label each ‘tip’ with a number to show their order (in case they fall off the wall).

You have now ordered your lessons!

Transfer Your Content into Your ‘Course Plan Template’.

Having a formal Course Plan is extremely important for lots of reasons, but some include:

• Ensures that you meet your aims, objectives and outcomes
• Being able to clearly see the flow and content of your course and to optimise the learning experience
• Organising your content and avoiding duplication of teaching
• Keeps you clear and organised when filming
• Organising your videos and other teaching resources
• Assist with the formulation of your sales page
• To help any staff or contractors assist you

This stage is all about taking your planned tips and transferring the modules and lessons into that Course Plan Outline to formalise and finalise your course.

I have a very specific course plan template I personally coach all of my Concept To Course 30 Day Coaching Program clients through completing to make sure you get this critical step right.

If you’d like to create a quality course of your own, get all of my templates and coaching – to turn your idea into a published course ready to sell in just 30 days, CLICK HERE to join us.

So there you go, we are now done with Step 6: Putting Your Modules and Lessons in Order

The next step of course creation is Step 7: Determine the Most Engaging and Effective Delivery Methods for Each Lesson.

Sarah x

………………………………………..