The secret to launching your first online course
This weekend I convinced my sister Mavis to attend a hackathon with me.
What is a hackathon? A hackathon is an event where teams of programmers, designers, and enthusiasts spend days (or at least 12 hours) collaborating to build a prototype — typically an app.
Why would we spend our entire Saturday huddled in a large room?
- It’s so much fun!
- You can win money — in this case; there was a $10,000 grand prize.
- The idea you’ve talked about with every friend, family or anyone that will listen can finally become an actual product.
We didn’t win, but my sister, who is an attorney had great takeaways that I think will be helpful for you.
#1- Every time I tell someone what I do, they always tell me about their course idea. In reality, 99% never move to the next step. A #hackathon is a running clock. You only have 12–28 hours before you showcase your minimum viable product to a panel of judges. In other words, you are forced to turn your idea into something tangible.
#2- Mavis and I were paired with two developers. Mavis had the app concept, I designed it, and the developers wrote the code. Something that was rewarding for her (and the team) was the instant gratification that the idea was doable and well received by others.
I think Mavis’ takeaways are easily transferrable to creating your first online course or training. Create a hackathon experience so that you’re forced to move from ideation to product.
Here are a few ways to get started
Organize a hackathon. Invite friends or other people in your network that need a little help with launching their idea.
Set your own rules. You can establish what should be the end product after the hackathon. For example, if everyone is creating their first online course, use the Udemy course quality checklist as a product guideline.
Make a mini-hackathon by shortening the time. The goal is to create pressure on yourself and others to have something tangible.
Have an incentive — whether you have a solo hackathon or a group of friends, make sure people are rewarded! A bottle of wine?
Let me know if you need help with planning your eLearning hackathon!
