Selecting the right LMS for your business is essential, especially if you wish to deliver effective online learning for your employees. However, with a lot of great options out there, the choice can feel slightly overwhelming. The wrong LMS can lead to a whole range of problems, like limited functionality and poor user experience. This might lead you to wonder how to choose an LMS that is right for your business.
Here at Instinct Resourcing, we specialise in connecting talented professionals with leading organisations within the digital learning and technology space. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the essential steps to identify your needs and how to choose the right LMS that will help your organisation thrive! We’re already dedicated to recruiting the best LMS administrator jobs and finding suitable candidates.
Let’s dive into it…
What is a learning management system (LMS?)
First of all, it might be beneficial for you to understand what an LMS actually is. Essentially, an LMS (Learning Management System) is a digital platform that is designed to create, deliver, and manage learning experiences for your employees. A good LMS for businesses is equipped to make the learning and development team’s job easier by automating different administrative tasks and ensuring that the entire learning process is efficient, accessible, and measurable.
For your organisation, some of the benefits of an LMS include:
- Cost and time savings
- Improved onboarding
- Consistency and compliance across all employees
- Improved scalability
How to choose the right LMS for your business: 4 crucial steps
Picking the right LMS means that you’re powering learning experiences in your business for a long time, and there are plenty of other benefits you can learn about. If you choose incorrectly, then it’ll leave you scrambling to find another vendor. Thankfully, we’ve put together some top tips when it comes to choosing so that you make the right decision.
Let’s have a look at them in a bit more detail.
1. Define your goals and audience
Start out by asking yourself who is going to be using your LMS and what goals you want it to achieve. The main things to think about when it comes to your audience are:
- How old are they?
- How many learners are you going to have?
- What skill levels do your employees have?
The kind of learners that you’ll have will affect your learning strategy and the type of content that you’ll need to make. Next up, you’ll need to think about your company goals. While building a learning culture is nice, don’t forget that it has to be in the service of a measurable business goal.
Ask yourself what you want to achieve with your training strategy. Diving deeper into your goals can tell you which LMS features you’ll need to look out for.
2. Define your desired features
Now that you know who your audience is and what your goals are, it’s time to define the requirements and features of your new LMS. We’d recommend creating a list of requirements that you want. You can split these into ‘must-haves’ and ‘desirables’ to prioritise. Some important features to consider include:
- Ease of use – An easy interface for both learners and administrators is essential.
- Reporting & analytics – The ability to track progress and completion is a core function of an LMS.
- Mobile accessibility – Can learners use the platform on their mobile devices?
- Integration – Will the LMS be able to integrate with your existing software, such as your HRIS (Human Resources Information System) or CRM?
- Security & compliance – Ensure your LMS platform meets data privacy standards like GDPR and other industry standards.
- Artificial intelligence – The AI revolution is well and truly underway, and is already set up in many cloud-based LMSs like Docebo, for example. Having AI features can help automate menial tasks such as enrollment and provide a better user experience.
Discover more about the future of AI by reading our blog, AI & Automation in Learning Tech.
3. Research potential vendors
You’ll now have a pretty good understanding of what you want to get out of your LMS. The next step is to research potential vendors that fit the bill. Since there are so many out there, it’s a good idea to make a spreadsheet or have a list to refer back to. Here’s a list of the world’s top 50 LMS systems to get you started.
If you’ve got a long list, find ways to shorten it. Ask peers in your industry about their experiences with LMSs to gain insight into how a platform performs in real-world situations and what the everyday learner experience is like. To manage the list even further, look into your vendor’s track record. Look into things like whether they have any industry awards, and how many years they have been in business. You can also look at their user reviews on platforms like Trustpilot.
4. Evaluate your costs
LMS prices vary widely, with some asking for a per-user fee or even a custom quote. Make sure that you get a clear breakdown of all costs, including the implementation fees, maintenance, and support. You should also assess the level of support that the vendor offers. What are their response times like? Do they offer an account manager? Having a reliable support system can be just as important as the software itself.
Then, it’s time to make your choice. Picking an LMS is no easy task, and there are so many options out there that all offer different things. Approach your selection carefully, and create a detailed implementation plan once you’ve made your choice. Remember, a smooth launch depends not only on the software, but also on a well-executed strategy and the right team to lead the process.
Build your dream digital team with Instinct Resourcing
Hopefully, this blog has taught you how to choose an LMS. Deciding on the right one is a great investment for your business and acts as a powerful engine for employee development and your overall success. By following our tips above, you’ll be confident in the choice that you make.
Remember, here at Instinct Resourcing, we specialise in connecting businesses with exceptional digital learning professionals. So, whether you’re a talented eLearning designer or a strategic developer, we have a network of top-tier talent ready to help you unlock the potential of your new platform.
Please submit your CV or get in touch with us today.
Related Posts
