Two constants occur when developing online courses. First, teaching online is different than teaching in a traditional classroom. Second, you, as the online instructor, will make changes in how you construct your students' learning process. Even with the differences and changes you will make, teaching online does have similarities.
Flexibility is key to the success of an online course.
Be flexible how you do things. Change if something is not working. Ask students for regular feedback to find out what is working and what is not working. Many traditional courses follow a model whereby the teacher organizes learning materials into a package, transmits it to the students often via lecture and in a linear format, supports learning in class via discussion, and provides activities to individuals and groups of students to extend the learning. The learner in this environment often assumes a somewhat passive position of a knowledge recipient rather than an active participant in the construction of meaning.