Before we begin content development, we'd like to take the time to introduce you to our process to ensure that your DataCamp experience and your content are as successful and enjoyable as possible.

The first step in the course creation process is course spec, where a detailed blueprint for your course is built. During this phase, SMEs will work with Curriculum Managers (CMs) who will ensure that the course is aligned with our curriculum goals and the technology taught (keeping the virtual machine limitations in mind) is supported on DataCamp's platform.

During the course design phase, the SME will design the course spec, which is housed in the README file of the course GitHub repo. In addition to helping SMEs brainstorm topics for the course, the course audience will be defined, a high-level outline for the course will be written, and a sample lesson and capstone exercises will be created.

Once the course spec is complete, it will be sent to a Content Developer (CD) for review. SMEs are then given feedback and are given the opportunity to incorporate changes before moving on to the next phase: course development. Once the CD has approved the course specs, there will be an official handoff where the course and the SME transition over to the CD's care and course development begins!

Once course design has been completed, the SME and the course are handed over to a Content Developer (CD), who will work closely with the SME on implementation until the course is ready for launch.

During course development, the SME is responsible for building a course. This includes creating the slides, scripts, exercise files, and exercises that make up the course. The SME is further responsible for fixing typos, formatting slides and exercises, and resizing images.

Throughout course development, every SME will work with a CD who will guide them through the process, ensure the course is high quality by providing content reviews, and write the Submission Correctness Tests that will assess the student submissions when the course is live.

To keep the course on track and within a reasonable development, the first step of the course development process will require that the SME and CD agree on a delivery schedule. It is a CD's responsibility to manage the course to keep up with the deadlines. However, it is on the SME to preemptively inform a CD when there is a change to their schedule that will prevent them from making a deadline.

Courses are built lesson-by-lesson and chapter-by-chapter to provide both a clear workflow and a clear narrative. It will be much easier for your CD to provide helpful feedback on Chapter 3 if they already know the content of Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.

Finally, once the course has reached a production-ready state, the CD will prepare the course for launch using DataCamp's course launch system. Once the launch button is hit, a course is available on datacamp.com to all our data science students!

During course creation, you will interact with the following people at DataCamp: