To stay competitive in your market, you need competent employees with relevant and up-to-date skills and knowledge. Today’s fast-paced environment will leave anyone behind if continuous education in your respective industry is not pursued. Some organizations stay current by training their staff about their new products, developments and corporate directions.
In an age of instant communications and access to real time updates, pen and paper materials for learning may no longer be the most effective method for your employees. Fortunately, the internet offers not only connectivity through social media and the like, but also gave to eLearning platforms popularly called LMS.
What is LMS?
Learning management systems, or LMS, are web-based applications used for managing aspects of effective learning, documentation, and tracking. eLearning platforms started to gain traction in the 2000s, and since then, many versions of LMS have become available on the market. It can be overwhelming to choose and decide which one is suitable for you and your company. In the following, we’ll discuss the important factors to consider before selecting a software that can change the way that learning is approached and tracked in your organization.
Know Your Needs
It is important to know your objective in buying LMS. You need to be fully aware of the what, why, how, and who questions before settling in for a eLearning product. Your needs will answer the question of why it is a necessity. The demand for the product usually stems from a problem or challenges faced by a corporation. Is it about disseminating information or introducing a new product in your line? It can be both, and you need to ensure that the software you choose will affect your desired outcome.
You need to be mindful of the possible users of LMS, be it your employees, students or yourself. Ask them what they expect from the platform. The user interface of different software varies, and the kind of employees you have can impact the effectivity of LMS. Some products are designed to be fun and engaging that are perfect for young people; others offer straightforward and easily navigated features that caters to older demographics.
Make sure to list down your company’s challenges. That way, you get to see the best LMS products that offer effective solutions to solve your problem. Know which part of your organization needs the most aid. For example, if you are struggling with your sales department and its introduction of new products, you should focus on software that specializes in sales instruction and implementation.
Be aware of the skills that you aim to build for your team. A fitting LMS should offer your organization a utilization that is functional, creative, effective and fitting for the human skills and talents that you want to develop.
The nature of your business is an obvious deciding factor. Imagine buying an LMS platform that is designed for educational institutions, but your company is about marketing or sales. It will likely derail your intentions for development and growth.
Know The Provider
They say nothing in this world is free, but a notable exception, and one you should definitely take advantage of in LMS selection, is a free trial. It is normal for most for LMS providers to offer free trials, so do not hesitate to take it, as it provides a chance to explore and see the fit of the system to your organization. You experience first hand, without paying, how the strengths and weaknesses of a system, and you get to know the possible challenges you might encounter. In some cases, getting to evaluate and realize challenges early on, and discussing them with your provider, can result in a customized service catered for your business. If no free trial is available, many free consultation services knowledgeable in LMS are available online that you can take advantage of.
Be knowledgeable about the reputation of your LMS vendor. It does not hurt to check online reviews about them and the service they provide. Vendors with history in your industry are a perfect candidate to see.They are more likely familiar with the ins and outs of your market. Giving them sufficient insight to design LMS that is suitable for you.
Budget, Support and Integration
Know the limit and scope of your financial capacity. LMS is both an asset and an expenditure; it can enhance your organization immensely, but it is an investment. You need to strike a balance between budget and an effective solution. Do not purchase LMS with sophisticated features that are ultimately irrelevant to your needs.
Post-purchase support is important when choosing your LMS vendor. Since LMS is a software technology, it needs maintenance and updates to improve function and protection from viruses and hacking. Choose a vendor that offers readily available IT-support in case anything goes wrong with the service. You are likely to stick to using your LMS choice for a long time, so picking the perfect vendor with favorable support will reduce potential headaches down the road, as well as saving money from unnecessary IT personnel time and expense.
You purchase LMS to make development, growth and learning as seamless as possible. In that train of thought, it is important to select an eLearning software that offers smooth transition and integration to your business process. An ideal LMS should have the ability to integrate within your existing systems and in many departments. You do not want a software that can solely be used by sales or marketing teams only. Making the most of it is profitable and valuable.
Overall, purchasing an LMS is no easy task. Making sure you get the best and most suitable for your needs is crucial.