Things To Consider When Choosing An LMS For Your Business
LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report discovered that most employees yearn for learning opportunities to level up their careers and remain abreast of industry developments.
This desire stems from more than internal motivations. It encompasses the evolving workplace skill requirements, which have changed by roughly 25% since 2015. Yet just 35% of said employees were actually encouraged to learn by their managers in the last six months.
The takeaway? The need for a learning management system (LMS) is evident. But it’s imperative that you choose the right one for your business. Otherwise, your managers and employees won’t have the features necessary to better themselves and the organisation.
Traditionally, LMS platforms fulfilled all corporate training needs. However, today’s ever-changing learner expectations and accelerated technological advancements mean these once-adored systems fall short.
Consider the seven factors below to rethink your approach to learning and pick the perfect LMS for your business.
Ease of Use and User Experience
An intuitive interface on both mobile and desktop is crucial for training managers and learners and directly contributes to the LMS’ success.
A user-friendly design allows managers and educators to access much-needed data, seamlessly track learner progress, and efficiently manage courses without flow-ruining obstacles. Likewise, learners reap the benefits of a streamlined experience that lets them engage in activities, track their own progress, and consume course materials.
Without a satisfying user experience, your employees will struggle to engage with the content, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of any tutorial or course you roll out.
Features and Functionality
Many essential LMS features today are similar to those of traditional platforms, such as reporting, progress tracking, course creation, and assessments. However, the modern learner demands more from the system, expecting gamification to pique their interest and retain their attention.
Advanced features like collaborative learning, social learning, AI-powered learning paths, and integrations with third-party tools are also beneficial in our digitally focused world. They not only increase the effectiveness of your courses but guarantee no learning barriers, regardless of the assistive technologies used, ability, screen size, and input device.
Additionally, the ability to reflect your branding in your LMS is a powerful tool that establishes familiarity and continuity, aligning the learning environment with your business’ culture and crafting cohesion.
Scalability and Flexibility
Whether your business is growing slowly or quickly, or going global or staying local, the learning management system you choose needs to grow with you. No matter your industry, you probably aren’t looking to stay the same. So, look into multi-language and localisation capabilities to ensure you can tackle any market with ease.
But it isn’t just about scalability — flexibility is equally as important.
Your employees won’t all learn the same thing. Some will prefer bite-sized, video-based lessons, while others learn best by getting stuck into course materials for a few hours at a time. Therefore, your LMS needs to support different learning models, allowing for self-paced, micro, blending, and other learning styles.
Integration with Other Systems
Effortless connection with other essential business tools like CRM, HR management, content authoring, and video conferencing software greatly boosts workflow efficiency. By working synergistically with tools already used by your business, an LMS will enhance vital information exchange, streamline processes, and limit the mind-numbing need for manual data entry — and it does all that while offering a detailed look at learner performance and engagement!
The best platforms also include single sign-on (SSO) capabilities that allow users to log in once to view multiple systems, enhancing security, user management, and user experience.
Total Cost of Ownership
A LMS’ pricing model is arguably one of the most important aspects to consider. The most common are:
- Subscription-based, where you pay an ongoing amount every month or year to use the platform;
- Per-user, where you pay a fee based on the number of individuals who user the system; and
- Open-source, where you get the software code for free and can self-host and customise the system to your liking.
However, be aware that this may not be the full cost of ownership. Some platforms have hidden costs like maintenance upgrades, implementation fees, and customer support charges. It’s vital to balance your budget with features and the long-term ROI of your purchase.
Security and Compliance
A learning management system houses a wealth of sensitive data, from user profiles to integrations. Thus, you must select a platform that encrypts and secures said information according to industry standards while considering data privacy laws and regulations, including GDPR in the EU, CCPA in the US, and HIPAA in the US medical field.
A LMS should also have authentication measures to distinguish user identities and protect against unauthorised access. Look for role-based access control mechanisms that ensure information is only provided on a need-to-know basis.
Customer Support and Training
The LMS you choose should come with high-quality onboarding and training materials to ensure you can get up and running as quickly as possible. Platforms with around-the-clock customer support, live chat, and knowledge base resources are generally higher quality, guaranteeing you get the help necessary whatever the time of day.
How To Choose A LMS For Your Business
Selecting the right LMS isn’t easy. But by considering user experience, features, total cost of ownership, system integrations, security, compliance, and customer support, you’ll streamline the process and choose the best platform for your organisation.
Get in touch today to learn about Weanywhere and how our bespoke LMS solutions can help your organisation.