Content Authoring Tool Planning Template

Use a third-party framework. Building a rich text editor from scratch is one of the most underestimated engineering efforts in software. Libraries like TipTap (based on ProseMirror), Slate.js, or Editor.js give you a solid foundation. Customize the block library and toolbar, but do not build the cursor management, selection handling, or undo/redo system yourself. Budget 2-4 months for customization on top of a framework vs 12-18 months to build from scratch.

Export content as SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004 packages. SCORM is outdated but still required by most corporate LMS platforms. Build the SCORM wrapper as an export layer, not as a core constraint. Author content in your native format and generate SCORM packages on demand. Include completion tracking, score reporting, and bookmark data in the SCORM manifest. Test against the top 5 LMS platforms your enterprise customers use (Cornerstone, Workday Learning, SAP SuccessFactors, Docebo, Absorb).

A block-based editor with text, image, video, and quiz blocks. Add a simple publish button that makes content live. Skip collaboration, version control, templates, and advanced media processing for v1. The goal is to get authors producing content. You will learn what they actually need from watching them use the MVP. Most teams over-spec the authoring tool and under-spec the learner experience.

Give them guided templates, not a blank editor. A SME staring at an empty page with 20 block types will freeze. Instead, provide a "Lecture Lesson" template that starts with a pre-filled structure: overview, key concepts, examples, summary, quiz. The SME fills in content within the structure. Add inline guidance ("Add 3-5 key concepts here, each with a definition and example"). This approach produces consistent content without requiring the SME to learn your editor's full capabilities.

Store content as structured JSON (the block model) and render it to HTML/Markdown/SCORM as needed. A block-based JSON model gives you maximum flexibility for rendering across formats and devices. Each block has a type, properties, and content. The rendering layer converts blocks to HTML for the web, to JSON for mobile, and to SCORM for enterprise export. Never store raw HTML as your source of truth. It becomes unmaintainable at scale.