Free Online Course Planner Template
An online course planner breaks course creation into stages, from discovery and writing through recording, LMS build, QA, and launch handover.
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A course outline looks fine on paper, then recording starts and the gaps show up, edits snowball, and the platform build drags on longer than anyone expected. The online course planner keeps the work moving in an order that makes sense, so the next step is always visible before the project turns into a pile of loose notes.
The board runs left to right through Kickoff & discovery, Writing & design, Recording & editing, LMS build & QA, and Pilot & handover, with 24 cards already written for the steps that usually get missed. Amber accents and Space Grotesk headings keep the stages readable when the work shifts from lesson scripts to video edits to uploads, and each card names the handoff, review, or approval that closes that part out... so nobody has to guess what “done” means this week.
- Kickoff & discovery Cards cover gathering existing materials, a kickoff meeting, learning outcomes, and a confirmed module map before any writing starts.
- Writing & design Cards move from lesson objectives into scripts, shot lists, client feedback, and approved slides and worksheets.
- Recording & editing Cards track the recording plan, video edits, captions, downloads, and final edits delivered for review.
- LMS build & QA Cards cover course setup in the chosen LMS, uploads, quizzes and certificates, then functional QA and fixes.
- Pilot & handover Cards run a pilot, capture feedback, implement revisions, deliver final files and a launch checklist, and close out with a final invoice.
Once the board is in your workspace, you add your own dates and assign the tasks to whoever’s doing the work, then run the project by moving cards across as each step clears. The result is one place to track what’s drafted, what’s waiting on feedback, what’s ready to publish, and what still needs a final QA pass before launch.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
What is on this board
5 columns carrying 24 cards. Adding it builds the whole thing as a project in your workspace, with every column and card in place.
| Column | What is in it |
|---|---|
Kickoff & discovery | Defines the starting line: existing materials, a kickoff meeting, and a module map that gets confirmed before anything gets produced.
|
Writing & design | Moves lesson by lesson through objectives, scripts, shot lists, slide decks, worksheets, and the approval steps that lock them in.
|
Recording & editing | Tracks recording, edits, captions, and downloadable files, then hands final edits over for review.
|
LMS build & QA | Builds the course inside the LMS, uploads the assets, configures quizzes and certificates, and runs QA with a final fix pass.
|
Pilot & handover | Runs a pilot with onboarded students, applies revisions, delivers final course files and a launch checklist, then closes the project.
|
What happens when you install it
- A project is created with its board, 5 columns and 24 cards already there.
- Nothing carries a due date, because a board holds the order the work runs in rather than a calendar. The dates go on once you know when the job starts.
- Every card opens as a task with its own description, assignee, dates, subtasks and files, and columns are renamed, reordered or deleted like any other.
Who it is for
Course creators, instructional designers, and course studios building course creation projects that include writing, recording, and an LMS launch.
Questions about this project template
What do you need before you can start building a course?
Most builds start by gathering any existing material, holding a kickoff, and mapping learning outcomes into modules. This board includes cards for that discovery work and for confirming the module map before moving into writing.
What are the main stages of course creation?
This planner uses five stages: kickoff and discovery, writing and design, recording and editing, LMS build and QA, then pilot and handover. Each stage has cards for the steps and reviews that move the work forward.
Does course planning include scripts and slide decks?
Course planning often covers lesson-level objectives, scripts, and the design pieces that support the lessons. The writing and design column includes cards for drafting scripts and shot lists, producing slide decks and worksheets, and getting final approval.
Do you handle captions and downloadable files when building a course?
Captions and downloads usually get handled during recording and editing, alongside the video edit itself. The recording and editing column includes cards for creating captions and downloadable files before final edits are delivered for review.
What gets checked during LMS QA for an online course?
QA checks that the course structure, uploads, quizzes, assignments, and certificates work as intended. The LMS build and QA column includes cards for functional QA and a final fix pass.
How do you run a pilot for an online course?
A pilot usually means recruiting and onboarding a small group, collecting feedback, then applying revisions before launch. The pilot and handover column includes cards for each of those steps, plus delivering final files and a launch checklist.
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