April 8, 2024 6 min read
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A robust eLearning program is a primary way for your organization to keep your team prepared, to stay compliant, and to invest in the professional development of your employees. That being said, implementing training across an entire organization can come with some challenges. One of the best ways to mitigate those challenges is to invest in an effective learning management system (LMS); one that can not only deliver a diverse range of courses to your learners, but will also give you the ability to centralize your training program in one convenient location, to revise and update content easily, to track learner progress and due dates, as well as to evaluate their competencies and areas that still may need growth.
First and foremost, you should take a close look at your specific training needs to evaluate the LMS features that would most benefit your people and organization. This will be greatly determined by whatever industry you are in, how many people you are serving, compliance training requirements and needs, as well as the amount of control and customization you would like to get out of an LMS.
For instance, at Vector Solutions, we tailor our technology solutions to match the specific training needs of our customers. Once you determine what those specific needs are, you’re ready to evaluate the available options and find the right LMS for your company. Here are some of the main considerations you’ll need to make as you choose your LMS.
When you’re selecting the best LMS for your organization, you will need to consider scalability. This means evaluating the ability of a particular LMS to accommodate an increasing (or decreasing) workload. You should ask yourself how you plan to use your LMS: Will it be at just one site or do you have dozens of sites all over the country – or even across the world – that will need to use this LMS? Don’t stop at just thinking about your current needs- you should also consider the future of your business and whether or not your LMS will be able to grow with your company.
An LMS that doesn’t match the user experience needs of your team should be a deal breaker. Ultimately, by selecting an LMS with a greater user experience, you will also be able to boost learner engagement, increase learning retention, and get more out of your training program than you otherwise would. As you consider the end-user’s needs and their interaction with your LMS, you should evaluate things like accessibility; how intuitive the interface is; whether or not the visual design is appealing and consistent; and, most importantly, how easy it is to use in terms of customer support, understandability, content management functionality, ability to integrate with other apps, and customizations.
Some of the best features of a great LMS are easy access and use flexibility. If an LMS has limited functionality or stipulations placed on when and how people can access learning, that will interfere with achieving better learning outcomes. An effective LMS will not only have online access for your team, but it should also have mobile access. This will allow learners to engage with training materials wherever they are, regardless of spotty or nonexistent Wifi access. Additionally, training should be accessible to your team at any time of the day or night. This will help empower your learners to accomplish their training whenever and wherever is most convenient and effective for them.
Depending on the other programs and apps you use, you may wish to invest in an LMS that can be easily integrated with other software systems. This may include a human resources information system, safety incident software, evaluation tools, and more. Additionally, when you’re selecting the best LMS to meet your needs, you may be able to bundle it with other technology solutions that will help you take your training program to the next level.
Considering the cost of an LMS is an important factor as you choose the one that is right for your company. Pricing can also be somewhat confusing so you need to make sure that you are aware of all the components that will be factored into the cost. Partly, this means taking time to make an informed decision by asking questions and comparing your options. You will want to know if the pricing is subscription-based or if you are expected to pay by user amount. What extra tools and software will you need to purchase to make this particular LMS functional for your needs? In addition to the upfront costs, annual licensing charges, and ongoing maintenance fees or other charges that may pop up later.
When it comes to training records, learner credentials, and other sensitive data, understanding how a specific LMS secures that data is an important part of the selection process when you’re choosing an LMS for your organization. If possible, ask for a detailed explanation of the security measures included with the LMS to protect against any possible security risks or data breaches. There are many potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited, which means that you will want to confirm the LMS vendors take these issues seriously and that their technology solutions include secure access points, effective verification and user authentication processes, unwanted modification protection, and sections with restricted access.
Most companies have a certain amount of compliance training that has to be completed each year. Topics may include subjects like sexual harassment prevention, DEI, OSHA, HIPAA, and other relevant issues. A great LMS will help ensure that you and your team meet all regulatory training requirements. The right learning management system for your organization will simplify how you deliver, track, and manage compliance training programs. This might include features like training material that is in a centralized location, automated tracking and reporting, risk mitigation capabilities, and more. When looking for the right LMS for your organization, be sure you understand your compliance training needs and how a specific LMS can help you meet those requirements.
Another important feature you should consider as you’re searching for the right LMS is how comprehensive the system and provider are. For instance, depending on your specific training needs, you may be looking for a wide variety of course offerings and topics. Is your LMS provider a one-stop shop that can give you all the great, relevant content you need for your learners? If not, then you may be forced to deal with multiple vendors, operating under different systems, just so that you can cobble together the kind of training catalog you need. Finding an LMS provider that is capable of meeting all of your training needs – rather than just some of them – will help simplify and improve the learning process for everyone.
The bedrock of a great learning and development program is a great learning management system. Finding the perfect LMS to suit your needs takes time, careful consideration, and research, but it is an investment that will give you a great return. By evaluating the specific needs of your industry and team, and by asking lots of questions, you will be able to empower your learners with an LMS that will support their professional development goals, keep your data and training records secure, help you achieve regulatory compliance with ease, integrate with other programs and apps, and, most importantly, boost learner engagement and material retention.
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