What are the best practices for organizing scorm manifest elements?

1 What is a SCORM manifest?

A SCORM manifest is an XML file that defines the structure, metadata, and resources of your SCORM package. It tells the LMS how to launch, sequence, and communicate with your course. It also contains information about the learning objectives, prerequisites, completion criteria, and navigation options of your course. A SCORM manifest is required for any SCORM package to be valid and interoperable.

2 How to structure your SCORM manifest?

The SCORM manifest follows a hierarchical structure that consists of four main elements: <manifest>, <organizations>, <resources>, and <metadata>. The <manifest> element is the root element that contains the identifier, version, and schema of your SCORM package. The <organizations> element contains one or more <organization> elements that represent the logical units of your course, such as modules, lessons, or topics. Each <organization> element contains one or more <item> elements that represent the individual activities or pages of your course, such as quizzes, simulations, or videos. Each <item> element has a reference to a <resource> element that specifies the location and type of the actual content file, such as HTML, PDF, or MP4. The <resources> element contains all the <resource> elements that are used by your course. The <metadata> element contains optional information about your SCORM package, such as title, description, keywords, or author.

3 How to optimize your SCORM manifest?

To optimize your SCORM manifest, you should follow some best practices that can improve the compatibility, usability, and performance of your SCORM package. Utilize a unique and consistent identifier for your <manifest>, <organization>, <item>, and <resource> elements, as this will enable the LMS to recognize and manage your SCORM package correctly. Additionally, use a valid and appropriate schema and version for your <manifest> element to guarantee that your SCORM package adheres to the specifications of the SCORM standard. Moreover, use descriptive and relevant metadata for your <manifest>, <organization>, <item>, and <resource> elements to assist the LMS in displaying and indexing your SCORM package accurately. Furthermore, utilize relative paths for your <resource> elements to make your SCORM package portable and adaptable to different LMSs and platforms. Lastly, use the minimum number of <resource> elements necessary for your course to reduce the size of your SCORM package and enhance its loading speed. Additionally, use the sequencing and navigation features of the SCORM standard to control the flow of your course in order to provide a consistent learning experience for learners.

4 How to test your SCORM manifest?

Before you publish or distribute your SCORM package, you should test your SCORM manifest to ensure that it is valid, compliant, and functional. To do this, you can use a SCORM validator tool to check the syntax and structure of your XML code. Additionally, a SCORM conformance test suite can be used to verify compatibility and interoperability with different SCORM versions and LMSs. Finally, a SCORM debug tool can be used to check the runtime and data exchange of your SCORM package with the LMS, allowing you to monitor and troubleshoot any issues or problems in your course logic or interaction.

5 How to update your SCORM manifest?

Updating or modifying your SCORM package requires you to update or modify your SCORM manifest as well. To preserve the integrity and functionality of your SCORM package, it is recommended to use a version control system to track and manage changes in the manifest. Additionally, use a consistent naming convention for the manifest and content files to easily organize and locate them. Finally, using a manifest editor tool will help you avoid any manual errors or typos in your XML code and ensure that your SCORM manifest is valid and compliant.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?