Choosing a learning management system
Choosing a learning platform is a big decision, given it will be a centrepiece to your organisation’s training and development strategy. In this article, I’ll outline how I can help you choose a platform most suitable to your needs.
Needs analysis
There are hundreds of learning management systems (LMS) and learning experience platforms (LXP) on the market, so it’s key to start with a well-defined search criterion. We’ll scope out exactly what you need from your system and how it can help you reach your business objectives. Who will be using the LMS and what do you want them to do?
We’ll review your current learning and development goals, strategy, courses and content to see what is working effectively and what needs to be improved.
We’ll also think for the future. A new learning management system needs to serve your objectives for the next several years.
Defining requirements
Next, we’ll review what basic features are required in your learning solutions and courses to achieve this. For example, just to name a few considerations:
Should users be able to generate their own content and have course or resources recommended to them?
Do you need to sell courses?
Does the LMS need to function in other languages?
Do you need Teams or Zoom integration?
Is integration with other software or single sign on required?
Do you want to embed surveys?
What level of reporting do you require?
We’ll involve your managers and staff, including course creators and learners, asking for about their honest opinion about your current training strategy. How do they want to use the platform? What are must-have and desired features for them in the new system?
At the end of this process, we’ll have a list of must-have features and functionality for your platform.
Creating a short list
Based on the list of requirements, the next step is to create a short list of solutions from the hundreds of options on the market.
As a starting point, you can generally place LMSs into one or more of three categories:
Corporate: Usually used by businesses to train their own staff.
Commercial: Designed to sell courses to external clients.
Academic: Often used in a higher ed or school environment.
I’ll review 15-20 systems looking for those with the right focus, all the necessary features, but without too many options you don’t need.
The goal would be to get to a “short-list” of 3 or 4 systems.
Testing different systems
To choose the right platform for you, we’ll comprehensively test each of the shortlisted LMSs with a trial to make sure that they do what the vendors say. How the LMS user interface and experience work is a crucial part of this step.
We’ll test various scenarios that you and your users will most likely experience in the platform, so we know exactly how the platform will function for you. For example:
I’ll upload materials to the platform, assign them to users, and make sure everything works fine. Then I’ll test all extra features that form part of your usage scenario.
I’ll pay attention to the interface. If it’s difficult to add users or assign content to them or perform other key, routine tasks, the system won’t be a good fit.
Cost is also important. We’ll consider how much the platform will cost for your predicted numbers of learners, and uncover any additional or hidden costs, such as hosting, installation, updates or technical support.
Finally, I’ll evaluate the support the platform provides and contact the support team to see how quickly they respond, and how knowledgeable, efficient and easy to deal with they are. We’ll also review the written support and documentation and see how well this would support your team.
Making a final decision
To settle on a final platform, we’ll consider answers to all the above criterion, such as features, usability, support and pricing. We’ll involve the IT team to ensure the system meets their requirements for security, stability, and scalability.
Based on our testing and communication with the vendors, we’ll compare the results and select the vendor who suits you best.
Final thoughts
Choosing the right LMS is crucial for your organisation's learning success. A methodical approach—analysing needs, defining requirements, shortlisting candidates, and conducting thorough tests—ensures the selected LMS aligns with your goals and user needs.
This careful selection process will ensure the chosen system not only meets immediate needs but also supports your organisation's development and learning effectiveness into the future.