Supplemental Resources for Designing E-Learning: Preparing a Project History File

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Preparing a Project History File

A project history file is a repository of all key information about the development of an online learning program. This information can be used in a number of different ways.

Records of the time and cost of each completed activity can be used as tools to estimate the schedule and budget of future projects; the more you base future estimates on past performance, the more accurate they are likely to become.
Records of proposals and needs analyses can be used as input to future projects. In some cases, the information can be re-used as is and can reduce the time needed to conduct an analysis. In others, it serves as one of many sources of input for the project.
Design plans can be re-used, or serve as a framework for building designs of new learning programs (much like architects base designs for future outlets of franchised fast-food restaurants on previous ones).
Lessons learned can be used to improve the overall management of a project.

Although each organization needs different information in a project file, some common elements include:

Project proposal.
Report of the needs analysis.
Design plans.
Prototypes.
Copies of each draft.
Feedback from any tests of pilot tests.
Copies of comments submitted for each plan and draft.
Copies of the planned and actual budgets and schedules.
At least two copies of the finished learning program, as well as any accompanying material. In many instances, organizations might store printouts of the program should anything happen to electronic copies.
Minutes of the post-mortem meeting and other “lessons learned.”
Names of contact people.

The history file is usually saved in a secure place. If your company has an offsite archive, the paper version of the history file might be stored there, in addition to maintaining a copy at your location. Many organizations also maintain electronic copies of the history file, which would be available on a server with archives or another source available to many employees, but with some sort of password control.