LMS (Learning Management System) what is it and how can it help your business?

What to look for in a Learning Management System (LMS)

Background

Twenty years ago, I was in a corporate training role and was asked to explore LMS providers in order to identify a learning management system (LMS) for the business. This was an engineering and technology business that was reliant on traditional training methods and classroom learning. As someone who prefers an active learning process I was less than inspired by the LMS software that I came across. Particularly the quality of the learning content and training materials that seemed so dry and miles away from the engaging learning experiences that my colleagues and I prided ourselves on delivering face to face.

Technology Today

However, time has moved on and most importantly so has technology that now allows you to create engaging training content and learning activities, understand training requirements, track progress and reduce training costs by using learning management software. The top learning management systems out there are worlds apart from the clunky online learning platforms that I remember. One important change for me (as someone who is not a fan of e-learning) is the way in which e-learning creation tools have freed up the designers to use a diverse range of content. In fact e-learning course creation is somewhat of an art form now using a range of content and approaches from video to virtual reality. Online learning can now be more interactive, with regular quiz’s that assist learners to test their knowledge and the best learning management systems enable collaborative learning and make training management easy.

Of course the other game changing factor that made LMS systems top of many business wish lists was the pandemic. This steep learning curve taught us all to use communication technology and become more comfortable with online learning. In fact, employee training or taking online courses was one of the few things that people could do when furloughed or just unable to go into the office. Of course delivering engaging training face to face was impossible during lockdown but people still wanted human contact so we became far more accepting of using technology to create collaborative learning opportunities. This brought in a different type of blended learning as the best learning management systems were able to host great quality learning materials, manage virtual training courses and act as a unified learning platform pulling everything together.

Future Proof

Thankfully, we have moved on from the pandemic and none of us want to spend all day, every day on online courses or virtual training programmes. So what should you be looking for in a learning management platform that is going to future proof your organisation over the coming years? It’s important to remember, particularly in small and medium businesses how vital it is to keep investing in the skills of your people. Not only does this provide you with a competitive advantage, it also creates loyalty and boosts engagement. With many of us still working in hybrid roles it is important to select the right learning management system that supports social learning, can automate compliance training and makes managing the training process simple. We’ve been working hard on Actus LMS to do this and here are my thoughts.

1. User friendly interface

A user friendly interface is paramount for both administrators and learners. A complex or cluttered interface can deter engagement and hinder the learning experience. Look for learning management systems that offer a clean design, easy navigation, and accessible features. An intuitive user interface ensures that people can focus on the virtual learning content without being bogged down by technical difficulties. Ideally the LMS should also offer a mobile app or be mobile friendly to support learning on the move.

2. Content Management, Course Creation and Delivery

The effectiveness of a LMS platform largely depends on its content management capabilities and course creation tools. Ensure that the system supports a variety of content formats, including videos, documents, quizzes, and interactive modules. Additionally, the LMS should facilitate easy content creation, uploading, and organisation. Features like content tagging and categorisation aid in efficient content retrieval and management. The system also needs to enable you to manage courses and events including waiting lists and automated invites or cancellations.

3. Integration Capabilities

The best learning management software does not operate in isolation within an organisation’s ecosystem. It should seamlessly integrate with other existing systems such as your HRIS platform, performance management functionality, and compliance training or reporting. From an HR process perspective your performance and learning management processes should be aligned or even fully integrated as they are fully synergistic. It makes sense therefore to manage both on the same platform. The term Performance Learning Management System (PLMS) is becoming more well known. Actus would be seen as one of these.

4. Reporting and Analytics

Robust reporting and analytics features are essential to monitor learner progress, course completion rates, and overall training effectiveness. An effective LMS should offer customisable reports and dashboards that track learner progress and can identify areas for improvement. These data-driven insights enable informed decision-making and strategic planning for future training initiatives.

5. Compliance Training and Certification Management

Following on from the last point around reporting, for industries with regulatory requirements, LMS software that supports compliance training and certification management is vital. The system should facilitate the assignment of mandatory courses, track completion statuses, and manage certification renewals. This is a notoriously challenging area that even the best learning management systems tend to fall down on. Actus offers an integrated compliance module Actus Comply and has been working with clients in the financial services sector since 2019. We have created fully integrated reports and analytics that can automate compliance training through an intuitive admin user interface.

6. Scalability, Configurability and Proprietary Restrictions

As your organisation grows, your LMS should be able to scale accordingly. Consider whether the system can accommodate an increasing number of users, expanding content libraries and diverse learning materials without compromising performance. Ensure that the LMS can be configured to offer different learning activities to different user groups. As your learning management system costs can be increased if you have to pay blanket licence fees for access to learning materials that may not even be relevant to some audiences and therefore won’t be used.

Beware of learning management providers that are tied to proprietary learning content or course providers. This can really limit your options if you are tied into one provider’s learning content, especially if you feel it doesn’t fully meet the needs of your learners. Review LMS providers who are ‘content agnostic’ like Actus. This means that you can shop around for the best content for your needs and this can significantly reduce your learning management system cost as a result

7. Social Learning and Collaboration

Learning is often enhanced through social interactions and collaboration especially when so much of it is now carried out remotely or online. It sounds obvious but the best learning management systems enable this by incorporating social learning features such as discussion forums, peer reviews, and collaborative projects which foster a community learning environment. These features encourage knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving, enriching the overall learning and development experience.

8. Customer Support Services

Reliable customer support and training resources are crucial for the successful implementation and ongoing use of a LMS platform. It sounds obvious, but make sure that your system offers cloud based learning management. i.e. they can access the system and support you fully remotely. The days of engineers on site should be long gone. You want to select an LMS provider who is going to truly understand what you need from your LMS platform and support you accordingly.

There are so many nuances around learning management and the importance of accurate reporting always stems back to how well the system or courses have been set up in the first place. Avoid providers that are going to keep you at arms length or have extremely high consultancy/support prices. We work with many clients who have migrated from the largest LMS providers and are constantly shocked by the cost of basic support services that don’t meet their needs.

Ensure that the provider you select offers comprehensive support services. Including interactive self services support, user manuals, training sessions, and responsive helpdesk assistance. This support infrastructure aids in addressing technical issues promptly and empowers administrators and learners to utilise the system effectively.

Conclusion

Selecting the right Learning Management System is a strategic decision that will significantly impact your organisation’s learning and development outcomes. Prioritising user-friendliness, customisation, robust content management, mobile accessibility, integration capabilities, insightful analytics, scalability, compliance features, social learning, and dependable support. You can choose a LMS that not only meets your current needs but also evolves with your organisation’s growth. Investing in the right LMS lays a solid foundation for a culture of continuous learning and performance excellence. Actus are a trusted provider in the Performance and Learning Management space. Why don’t you get in touch to find out more?         

Actus Performance Management Systems                                                                                                                                                                              

Our software is designed to provide a complete people performance solution that scales with your requirements. Delivering a continuous performance, learning and talent management process. Many of our customers have seen how our effective Performance Learning Management System has driven managing learning and performance, combined with real-time reporting of performance metrics.

We offer more than just free HR resources and exceptional HR software. Our team of organisational development consultants are on hand to help meet your performance management and learning management technology requirements for culture change. If you would like to find out more about this service, why not get in touch by contacting us here.