LMS IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES, Part 1: The Plan

by Ann Crane

Corporate learning initiatives almost always include the need for a Learning Management System (LMS). Given that LMSs run the gamut from free to tens of thousands of dollars, a little prior planning is in order before running out and purchasing the first LMS you find.

 

In this series, I’m going to share some of the top LMS implementation strategies provided by LMS experts from across the globe. 

 

Sharath Ramaswamy is an LMS implementation expert who has helped more than 100 companies, each with their own unique challenges and expectations, successfully set up their LMSs. 

 

According to Ramaswamy, one of the most important first steps to implementing an LMS is defining the expectations for the learning initiative. 

 

Defining expectations is crucial because those expectations are the scaffolding that binds the learning program goals to measurable business goals,” said Ramaswamy.

 

Ramaswamy went on to say that “one must review the business strategies which motivated the purchase of the LMS in the first place, identify the overall business objectives, identify the key stakeholders and draft a plan with an intent to illustrate how the learning plan objectives match with and contribute to the business objectives.” 

 

“This will determine your definition of success,” exclaimed Ramaswamy. “If you want to be considered a partner in the business, and not just seen as part of a support function, it is crucial to tie your learning program goals as tightly as possible to the pre-defined business goals.” 

 

Business goals can be vast in scope. Perhaps your company plans to double its annual profits worldwide by leveraging a fast-growing innovation in the industry. How do you, as a member of the Learning and Development team, take a large corporate goal and break it down? For starters, identify the stakeholders and understand what, exactly, they have defined as success. 

 

For example, a manager has a business goal of adding new products to the corporate portfolio. One appropriately mapped learning program goal would be to offer role-based certifications on the new products. 

 

Here’s another example: The head of Global Sales has a goal to sell into new markets. The learning program goal would be to ensure an online learning model supports a globally-distributed workforce and offers localized training

 

Another crucial pre-implementation strategy is to identify organizational roadblocks that have hindered learning in the past and develop supportive strategies offset them. For example, if a known obstacle to learning has been “no time,” ensure that short eLearning modules are used in the course (lessons that don’t play for more than a few minutes). If the criticism “no communication” was voiced, define an internal marketing plan and a communication strategy in advance of the roll-out.

 

Next time: Learn how to build exactly the right team for your implementation, who to choose, and why! 

 

***

Note: Join Ann on Thursday, September 25, 2018, 2 p.m. Eastern live online and see the power, flexibility, and ease of use of Adobe Captivate Prime. Ann will also be showcasing some of the assets in the new Content Library (where you can find courses on Business Skills, Workplace Compliance, and more).

 

***

Ann Crane, Engage Systems, LLC., is an Adobe Captivate Prime and Adobe Connect expert. Based in San Francisco, California, Ann serves as an eLearning consultant and virtual experience guide, quickly transitioning clients to digital collaboration concepts and technologies.

 

See also: Part 2 of this series.