Your organization is looking to adopt an e-learning management system. How do you know which one to choose?

When an organization intends to adopt and use Learning Management Systems (LMSs), several needs and dimensions should be considered. These include the ability to configure the LMS to meet specific course requirements, the option to import and export courses in different formats, the choice between on-premises or cloud hosting, regular patching and updates, and the cost associated with the LMS.

There are many good LMS platforms. It comes down to specific needs for the business and those will vary. However, one big mistake many organizations make is not to include eLearning content in the evaluation, cost and ROI equation. You can have the greatest LMS in the world but if all you have in it are home grown powerpoints and compliance courses. Set your expectations low. Content is King!

Almost beyond the platform itself, I believe the team you engage with from a supplier is a huge indicator of the success of the implementation and adoption moving forward. If you are being pitched features and a wealth of functionality, walk away. This is all about the delivery capability you need in your organisation; what your teams need to know about skill, how they can skill up, how they can get help, how leaders know their capability to deliver against their KPIs. Once you know what you need to deliver as a business, then you can go shopping!

It is always important to define your business and user needs while considering a learning management systems. Companies should review Hands-on use, technical limitations and licensing needs thoroughly by outlining various personas that will be impacted by implementing this learning management systems.

Target audience is most important to define and what kind of learning environment they want. A recent survey by LearningNews.com revealed that employees are dissatisfied with the online learning provided by their employers, giving it an average NEGATIVE 29 NPS! On top of that, a massive 40% of them said they wanted gamification added to their training content, with most saying they would change jobs in order to access more engaging learning & development content. This is essential to consider, especially when doing needs analysis for Millenial and Gen-Z employees who are demanding something different!

Carry out a survey with studrnts and teachers on the ones that are most teacher and learner friendly. Choose the best performers from the survey

The submission and grading system for assignments should be given high priority. It should be user-friendly for both students and instructors, allowing for flexibility in updating grades and assignment details without requiring extensive effort. Additionally, the learning management system should offer a mobile app that enables quick assessment and grading of assignments.

Mobile friendly and must exist in the cloud. Should have integration of video conferencing functionality (eg. Zoom, teams). Portability of data during migration- must follow standards

The learning strategy should be underpinned by a sound pedagogical approach. It's pedagogy that defines the learning approach, its contents and learning outcomes. The tool should serve the learner and enable her/him to achieve the learning outcomes. It is through pedagogy that the learner can get a better insight into how the learning happens and thus improve her/his understanding of learning to learn. This is still very much underestimated in today's learning strategies.

Most LMS platforms don't offer integrated reporting to meet the needs of the organization, and data is often not stored in a way that facilitates this reporting. A good data warehouse and reporting service can help monitor the learning process, identify areas for improvement, and track the effectiveness of learning initiatives. A data warehousing service can also combine LMS data with data from other educational technology systems. When choosing an LMS, look for interoperability with learning analytics systems, including defined data API or access tools. Check the cost, if any, of using these interfaces.

Demos, free trials, and the like will only get you so far. Prior to even testing the usability of the system, user journeys should be built for those groups that will interact with the system. From there, specific use cases should be created and taken into the conversations with vendors. I personally like to follow the format of, "We do X, and we need Y, so show me specifically how your platform will do the thing we need." This goes beyond basic functionality and gives you a true way to evaluate fit versus the dog-and-pony show that happens in a sales pitch. Additionally, considering usability should come before feature assessment, in my opinion.

From my experience comparing LMS solutions—I’ve found it’s incredibly difficult to realistically test a system you’re considering deploying. Even beyond the limited demo/sandbox capabilities of most LMS providers, uncovering how you’re preferred training delivery model is best executed in a new (and mostly unknown) environment takes far more time than is usually available in the selection process. That’s not to say UX isn’t critical and that shouldn’t take advantage of whatever testing options you have available to you; but, it is to say that LMS solutions are getting more homogenous in their feature sets, and your learners can be served well by just about any of them. Make a decision. Deal with the headaches. Create engaging coursework.

When selecting a Learning Management System (LMS), prioritizing usability and user experience is paramount. The LMS should provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface, catering to both administrators and learners. Assessing usability can be accomplished by requesting a demo or opting for a free trial, allowing firsthand exploration of the platform's features. User reviews and ratings offer valuable insights into the experiences of other institutions or educators, while references and testimonials provide an additional layer of credibility. Accessibility is key, ensuring the LMS accommodates users with varying levels of technical proficiency.

Cognitive load must be low on the user. Simple interface with maximal functionality. Social media like environment. Fully functional trail facility to be allowed for a cohort of users for a semester atleast.

Look for an LMS with an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for both administrators and learners to navigate through the system. Conduct user testing or request demonstrations to evaluate the ease of use.

In my experience having a skills and competency framework is crucial. As it allows one to define a skills & competence set by profile (professional context) and having different levels of expertise or attainment. It also allows to ascertain progression in a more objective manner when used for instance in a peer learning process. Learners can self assess and/or self evaluate themselves in a more objective manner.

Look for an LMS with a very strong user community. Review common topics of discussion in this community and note dates for how long it takes to resolve issues. Consider how well the community is able to suggest ways to work around or solve problems that the platform vendor is unable or unwilling to address directly. Support for open-source extensions to the platform can be especially helpful in customizing the platform to meet specific institutional needs.

When reviewing support and training options, it's important to assess the quality of customer support and training resources offered by the LMS vendor. Several factors that need to be considered include the availability of documentation, online tutorials, help forums, technical support channels, and training programs tailored for administrators and instructors. It is also important to check compliance and security measures to ensure that the LMS adheres to industry standards and regulations, particularly in heavily regulated sectors like healthcare or finance. Prioritizing data security and privacy features is essential for safeguarding sensitive learner information.

Make sure to consider factors such as technological features, user experience, customisation, compatibility, and support, to be equipped with everything you need to make an informed decision.

Choose an LMS provider with responsive technical support, friendly customer service, effective training, and seamless updates. Ensure scalability, data security, and compatibility with devices. Consider user reviews and transparent pricing for a successful partnership.

You can choose the best LMS in the world but it will not work if your associates are not prepared to use it. The internal culture needs to be prepared to support a full use of this system, otherwise you will just spend a lot of money away. I know big companies where they invested a lot and the usage was less than 10%..

Watch out for other teams that also may need an LMS. If you have a customer training team, sales enablement, or teams across the globe that require different content or setups, it would be wise to think these through BEFORE you make a decision for an L&D-exclusive learning portal. It could be that you are able to mix one, or more, of these options together.

Data analytics to the teacher as well as learner is essential. Admin level controls of the user experience is also important. Flexibility in offerings, portability/ transferability of learning credentials, will be helpful.

Budget is a crucial factor to consider. If you have limited funds but possess some technical expertise, exploring open-source platforms like Moodle is a viable option. Conversely, if your budget allows, you can opt for more user-friendly tools.

Before even starting your search, you need to make clear what the reason and need is for an e-learning management system. From this higher goal, you need to create smaller goals and look at what the functionalities are. Do we need this or is this a nice to have? Make a list of need to have and nice to have. After making sure you have this list complete (ask other members of the team or other domains), you can start your search. Create a Excel sheet with the demands, consider a point system if a vendor does score or not. And penalties if not. After considering all the vendors and giving the points, you can make a list of vendors for a demo. After the demo again evaluate and make a choice that fits the needs the best.