In today's fast-paced business world, a robust Learning Management System (LMS) is no longer a nice-to-have—it's a must-have. But how do you know if your LMS is truly delivering on its promises? Our team at Knowledge Anywhere has created a guide for three foolproof ways for you to gauge whether your LMS is making the grade.

 

1. Gather Qualitative Feedback

One of the most effective methods to assess the functionality and effectiveness of your LMS is by gathering qualitative feedback. This approach will provide you with firsthand insights about user experience and satisfaction levels.

Start by conducting regular surveys and interviews. Ask your learners about their experiences with the platform. Is it easy to navigate? Are the course materials engaging? Do they feel that the training they're receiving is improving their skills and competencies?

Such feedback is incredibly valuable. It highlights areas where the LMS is succeeding, and perhaps more importantly, where it may be falling short. Those looking to transition to a new vendor can leverage this information to ensure their next LMS will address all their needs.

Ask your learners exactly how the courses are working, through these three mechanisms:

  1. Surveys: Allows you to get snapshot answers and general quantitative ratings.
  2. Focus groups: Both in-person and online focus groups help you get in-depth answers and insight into greater themes of what works and what does not.
  3. Interviews: Interviews provide the deepest and most comprehensive way to get qualitative information on your training and its effectiveness.

Each of these options brings awareness to a different dimension of your training. Do not just rely on one of these methods. Instead, use a combination of all three to make sure that you get both the information to see obvious improvements and in-depth suggestions for more effective options in the future.

 

2. Check the List of Quantifiable Data Metrics

Data speaks volumes, and the right data can tell you a lot about the performance of your LMS. Key metrics to consider include course completion rates, average time spent on training, test scores, and user engagement levels.

If your current LMS doesn't offer you easy access to these metrics, you may not be aware of underlying issues affecting your training program's efficacy. Regularly reviewing and analyzing these metrics can help you identify and address these hidden problems.

Why is Learning Management System (LMS) data is essential?

  1. It helps track learning in a tangible way
  2. It groups all data in one, centralized location
  3. It allows find blind spots in user knowledge and act on them
  4. It gives metrics to define success by
  5. It identifies progress/talent and rewards good behavior
     

Frequency of Data Checking
One question we frequently hear is “how often should I be looking at my eLearning analytics data?” Think of watching LMS analytics like watching an investment portfolio – it shouldn’t be looked at every day. If it’s watched too frequently, it becomes difficult to truly evaluate the effectiveness of your online training. Say you’ve just adapted one of your courses from a document into a video, to accommodate different types of learners. It may take some time for people to discover and take the course. Before they do, you may incorrectly conclude your first version was more popular. Check-in with your data about once or twice a month for a more accurate assessment.

Where to Find LMS Data
Let’s look into some of the avenues where you can track data within an LMS. Usually, these include a dashboard, reports, or an analytics tab, although it may be located in different places depending on which eLearning system you use. These reports may include data on:

  • Course completions
  • Course hours completed
  • Time spent per course
  • Geo-location of users
  • Certificates or badges reports
  • The popularity of learning materials
  • Amount of users
  • Inactive vs. active users
  • New users
  • Due dates for courses
  • Quiz reports
  • Credit reports
  • eLearning transcript
  • Surveys
  • Course reviews and comments

 

What Data Questions Should Be Asked During A Demo? 
When researching about implementing an LMS, make sure you are asking the right questions. Pertaining to data, you may want to ask:

  • What types of metrics does the eLearning company track?
  • Where are metrics located within the system?
  • How customizable is the data?
  • Can it be segmented by all end users?
  • Can it be segmented by specific teams?
    • Can it be segmented by specific departments?
    • Can it be segmented by individual learners?
    • Can administrators choose the date range of their data?
    • Can administrators choose how they prefer metrics to be displayed?

The more you know about how your data is tracked, implemented, and analyzed, the better. 

 

3. Analysis of LMS Support and Responsiveness

The last, but certainly not least, way to evaluate the effectiveness of your LMS is by assessing the quality of the support you're receiving from your provider. How quickly do they respond to queries? Do they provide assistance with training and onboarding? Are they proactive in their customer support approach?

Quality customer support can significantly contribute to your overall satisfaction with your LMS. That's why at Knowledge Anywhere, we've prioritized creating a responsive and supportive customer service culture. Our average response time is just one hour, and we maintain a 98% satisfaction score.

 

Conclusion

In summary, determining whether your LMS is truly working for you can be accomplished by gathering qualitative feedback, checking a list of quantifiable data metrics, and analyzing your LMS provider's support and responsiveness. If your current LMS is falling short in any of these areas, it may be time for a change.

Knowledge Anywhere, with over a quarter-century in the eLearning industry, offers a comprehensive training ecosystem that delivers on all these fronts. Consider us as your partner in empowering your organization with effective, tailored, and supported eLearning solutions. Schedule a free consultation with an eLearning pro today or sign up for a free 14 day trial here

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