Training Development Breakdown: Steps, Time, and Costs (Yes, with Pricing!) to Build or Refresh a Course

Thinking about building a course or refreshing an old one? Wondering how long it will take—or how much it will cost? You’re in the right place. Let’s break it down from the perspective of a Training Developer, the behind-the-scenes magician who turns your subject matter into engaging, effective learning content.

Whether you're launching an onboarding course, a product training, or a series of compliance modules, this guide will help you plan your project and your budget.

🧠 First, What Does a Training Developer Do?

A Training Developer takes information from subject matter experts (SMEs), adds instructional strategy, structures it for learning, and then delivers it in the right format—PowerPoint, eLearning, workshops, or even a giant laminated wall chart (yes, those still exist). Think of them as the translator between technical know-how and learner-friendly content.

⏱️ How Long Does It Take?

Let’s be real—"It depends" is always the answer no one wants. So we’ll give you some estimates.

🛠️ Development Time (per finished hour of training):

Type of Training	Time to Develop (Approx.)
Instructor-Led (ILT)	40–60 hours per hour of content
Virtual Instructor-Led (vILT)	40–70 hours
eLearning (basic)	80–150 hours
eLearning (interactive/media-rich)	150–250+ hours

These estimates include working with SMEs, writing content, building visuals, testing, and tweaking until it’s just right.

💵 How Much Does It Cost?

Costs vary based on experience level, content complexity, and delivery method. Here’s a ballpark:

Project Type	Rate Range (Hourly)	Fixed Pricing Available?
Training Developer (General)	$65–$125/hour	Yes, for defined scopes
eLearning Module (basic 15-min)	$3,000–$5,000	Yes
ILT Slide Deck + Instructor Guide	$2,500–$4,500	Yes
Full Course Package (60-min)	$8,000–$15,000+	Yes

Want the budget to go further? Supply a clear scope, existing materials (even if messy), and assign a decision-maker to keep the review cycle lean.

🧩 Steps in the Process

A Training Developer typically follows this path:

1. Discovery & Planning – What’s the goal? Who’s the learner?

2. Content Gathering – Interviews with SMEs, gathering existing docs, or auditing past training

3. Design – Building outlines, writing scripts, creating storyboards or decks

4. Development – Creating eLearning, finalizing visuals, prepping facilitator guides or handouts

5. Review & Revisions – Rinse and repeat (but hopefully just once)

6. Delivery or Handoff – Files are packaged, hosted, or delivered to the LMS

   
   
   
   

🧭 Tips to Save Time and Money

• Know your audience. Training for salespeople? Engineers? Interns? One size might not fit all.

• Have a point person. Review cycles balloon when feedback comes from six different voices.

• Share what you’ve got. Old slides, meeting recordings, even napkin notes help jumpstart the project.

  
  

🎯 Thoughts

A good Training Developer doesn’t just make slides—they build learning experiences that work. And if your team is short on time, staff, or you just want to get it right the first time, bringing in a seasoned pro (ahem... like the ones at Writer Resource) is a smart investment.

Want help scoping your project or getting a realistic quote? Let’s chat!