What To Ponder Before Selecting A Learning Management System
The growth of the learning tech industry shows no signs of slowing, and it's essential that your organization makes the most of it. Choosing an efficient Learning Management System is a long-term investment. However, it gives you the power to streamline the onboarding process while ensuring that your seasoned employees are active learners: up-to-date and high-skilled. But you may not know where to start. These are the most vital questions to ponder before selecting a Learning Management System.
4 Questions To Help You Select The Right LMS
1. What Is The Nature Of Your Training Curriculum?
Whether you already have a course planned out or have just begun designing your curriculum, it's never too late to implement an LMS. If you have decided that your courses will contain heavy multimedia files, like videos or interactive charts and diagrams, make sure that you select a Learning Management System that supports them. If most of your workforce operates remotely, this also comes into play, as you may need additional tech to support your initiatives. Can your employee's equipment handle the LMS of your choosing? Every aspect of planning a training curriculum has to factor into your final decision. If you don't know the specifics yet, you can choose a system that includes tools to simplify training development and course design. To get started, look for one with an adjustable layout or an interactive User Interface (UI) that can aid in the personalization of each module, as well as advanced analytics tools to track your team's progress along the learning path.
2. What Are Your Tech Requirements?
Have you determined your exact requirements for an LMS? Do you need a cloud-based, AI-powered, or open-source LMS? For example, an open-source LMS is budget-friendly, as you can find free or low-cost plans. It's installed on the company's server, so backups, updates, and maintenance are taken care of in-house. But can you really accommodate that? Would it be best to go with an LMS that offers IT support? Consider the nature of your training course again, and take those needs into account when you're weighing the options. Do you need an LMS that comes fully equipped with a built-in toolkit or a content editor that would allow you to modify your course content? Do you want a system that integrates seamlessly with third-party platforms and plugins to customize your employees' experience and learning path? Which skills gaps do you want to fill?
3. What Is Your LMS/Training Budget?
To fully develop a training budget plan, you must first understand the value of having well-trained staff. After that, outline how much your organization is willing to pay to train its employees, then decide how much money you need to invest in a Learning Management System. After you've set a spending limit, start your research with a set of well-defined search criteria. Make sure that you have your training needs categorized to make this process even easier. You can also contact vendors to find out if they have additional tools within your budget.
Some additional questions to ponder may include: Is customer support included in the initial price? Does the platform offer IT maintenance? This is crucial because you may not want to add more to your in-house IT team's plate, and it might be better to outsource, especially if it's included in the price. Are there any hidden costs for more advanced tools or plugins you know you'll definitely need? Reach out to your shortlisted vendors whose product reflects everything you want your LMS to look like and make your final decision without compromising on value for money.
4. What Does Your Staff Need?
After shortlisting your candidates to choose the best Learning Management System, compare each pricing plan and offered features. Don't make any decisions alone; find out what your staff thinks. Revisit the L&D areas for improvement and determine how they respond to different learning methods. What do they want to learn? What material do they need to improve their job performance? Which vendors offer supplemental training tools for those requiring additional support? It's important to focus on employee experience. Most LMS options out there include a free trial or a demo to give customers a feel for their platform and toolkit before coming to a final decision. Include your workforce in this stage; ask them to test-drive a few of the demos you have collected and compile their reviews. Not only do you show interest in their thoughts and opinion, but you also avoid selecting an LMS that isn't easy for your target audience to navigate.
Conclusion
By taking into account all the answers to the questions above, ask this final (and most important) question: Which LMS fits your needs exactly? You have gathered detailed information on each vendor and how their system fits into your organization's needs. You've looked over their pricing plans and compared them with your LMS budget. You've even asked your staff to weigh in on your decision, so you have detailed in-house reviews to ponder as well. Now it's up to the decision-makers of your company. Include all the info you've collected in a detailed presentation to your board to make your business case. Be sure to include all of the benefits of having an efficient Learning Management System to increase ROI and employee retention rates.
There are hundreds of platforms available, but only a select few are the ideal fit for your organization. Use our Best Learning Management Systems list to find the ideal solution for your team.
