What is Capacity Building and Why is it Important?
Capacity building is the process of developing the skills, knowledge, tools and resources an organisation needs to perform more effectively and sustainably. In a learning and development context, it means strengthening your organisation’s ability to deliver impactful training, adapt to change, and achieve strategic goals.
As a learning and development professional, supporting organisational growth is second nature to you. But when resources are stretched or skills gaps emerge, capacity building becomes essential - both to maintain quality and to keep momentum going.
Posted 11 August 2022
What is capacity building?
You may already have highly-skilled in-house instructional and graphic designers, but sometimes, during busy periods, when deadlines are tight, you might need to supplement your internal team’s capacity. Or it could be that, from time to time, you need certain skills which you don’t have in-house.
In either case, making use of external resources from a trusted partner, will enable you to deliver on-point learning materials in a timely way - helping your learners develop their skills, instincts, abilities and performance.
Here are some common reasons why L&D teams seek external capacity building support:
- To manage temporary spikes in workload or tight project deadlines
- To access specialist skills not available in-house (e.g. animation or accessibility expertise)
- To speed up content development or rollout
- To ensure continuity when internal staff are unavailable
- To bring an external perspective to learning strategy or design
Boosting internal capacity and skills
You may already have highly-skilled in-house instructional and graphic designers, but sometimes, during busy periods, when deadlines are tight, you might need to supplement your internal team’s capacity. Or it could be that, from time to time, you need certain skills which you don’t have in-house.
In either case, making use of external resources from a trusted partner, will enable you to deliver on-point learning materials in a timely way - helping your learners develop their skills, instincts, abilities and performance.
Adapting legacy content
You may want external support to help you adapt, reconfigure, or update legacy eLearning content to make it more modern and relevant. If this is you, choosing a partner who will help you consider what good would look like, before revising your existing content, or developing new content to fit the brief, is key.
Delivering content at scale
Or you might need support to scale your efforts or speed up the rollout of eLearning resources. In which case, you’ll need a partner with strong project management skills. And since you’ll be speaking with them on a regular basis, you’re looking for someone with clear, effective communication skills.
Supporting eLearning capacity building
If you need support to get one, or more, of your capacity building projects over the line, working with a partner who takes the time to really understand your organization, the goals you’ve set have and what you’re trying to achieve is key. This will ensure you’ll get eLearning that is fully aligned with those objectives so that the end result will support their achievement. And it also helps if you enjoy working with them too.
Frequently asked questions about capacity building
In L&D, capacity building refers to improving an organisation’s ability to design, deliver and sustain effective learning programmes - often by developing internal skills or using external partners.
It ensures your organisation can respond quickly to new challenges, scale learning efforts, and continuously improve performance and outcomes.
eLearning makes it easier to deliver consistent, high-quality training at scale, regardless of learners’ location or schedule. It also allows for flexible updates and faster turnaround.
When facing skills gaps, resource constraints, or the need to scale quickly, external support can help you maintain momentum without compromising quality.
Recent Posts
Turning AI into potential gainSeamless HR Integration: Streamlining workforce enrolment with eCom's eNet Product Suite
eCom Learning Solutions: Staying ahead in a constantly evolving landscape
Is your work changing, or just your tools? A question for the modern workforce
What is competency? And why it matters in the workplace
