How Not To Regret For Your Next Online Training LMS
Learning Management Systems are an investment. You must devote time and resources to research your options, then pay for licensing or subscription fees when you do find the perfect match. As such, you need to have a concrete game plan before making your final decision to achieve the desired outcomes. Here are 8 tips to avoid buyer's remorse for your next online training LMS.
1. Clarify Your Goals Before Investing In An Online Training LMS
Do you know what you want to achieve with your next online training LMS? Are there specific features or functions lacking from your current Learning Management System? What key performance or skill gaps do you need to address with your new LMS platform? It’s crucial to clarify your goals before investing in an online training LMS. This allows you to narrow down your list of potential LMS providers based on your requirements. For example, you need an online training LMS that offers advanced certification and compliance tracking. Thus, you can eliminate LMS products with simplified reporting features.
2. Identify Your eLearning Team’s Talents
Your eLearning team uses the LMS on a daily basis to develop and deploy online training courses. Thus, the online training LMS must mesh with their skills and talents. It has to be intuitive and allow for just the right amount of customization. For example, more experienced eLearning teams can handle advanced LMS solutions that offer greater creative control and personalization features, such as the ability to deploy and track interactive online training activities and informal group collaboration projects.
3. Create A Realistic eLearning Budget Including Hidden Fees
Do you know how much an online training LMS can truly cost? That includes any hidden fees that you may have overlooked, such as ongoing maintenance and support services. Create a realistic eLearning budget that features all LMS and secondary expenses. For example, the cost of hiring a dedicated team to set up the online training LMS and teach your L&D staff the basics. You’ll end up regretting your next online training LMS if the unexpected fees start piling up, as you may not have enough resources to upkeep your online training program effectively.
4. Evaluate Your Current Online Training Tools And Resources
There are two key reasons why you should evaluate your current online training resources before investing in an online training LMS. The first is data integration. You need to be able to upload your current online training resources to the new Learning Management System. To do so, the LMS platform must support these specific formats. The second is that you may already have some of the software or add-ons you require. Thus, purchasing a more advanced online training LMS may create redundancies and waste valuable resources, as your current online training LMS has the key functions you need.
5. Research Your Target Audience
Your new online training LMS aligns with the skill sets of your eLearning team, but are corporate learners able to access the online training materials? Your online training LMS must cater to employees’ needs and preferences. For example, they typically use mobile devices to log in to the LMS. As such, your online training LMS should be responsive and multiplatform-friendly. Conduct surveys, pre-assessments, and interviews to find an LMS that suits your target audience.
6. Ask About LMS Support Services
Support services vary between LMS vendors. One may provide simple and straightforward email contacts and online FAQs, while another offers 27/7 phone support and instant messaging with trained techs. The trick is finding an online training LMS that provides the ideal level of support for your organization without putting you over budget. For example, your eLearning team has a great deal of experience with the LMS. As such, they don’t require advanced support options, such as one-on-one training with a trained specialist. However, an eLearning team that is less familiar with the tool may need more comprehensive support services, even if it comes at a cost. Otherwise, they won’t be able to make the most of the LMS features.
7. Analyze The Reporting Features
Reports and analytics are one of the most beneficial features of an online training LMS. They give you the power to evaluate every aspect of your online training program. As a result, you can identify gaps and fill them with online training resources targeted to your employees’ needs. During the free trial or demo, put the reporting feature through its paces. Ensure that you can customize LMS reports and view data visualizations for key metrics, such as employee performance, assessment results, and participation rates. Verify that the LMS software comes with a broad range of reports out of the box. In addition, match your objectives with the built-in reports. For example, do they allow you to track the informal or social learning activities that center on crucial teamwork skills?
8. Plan For Future LMS Needs
You may know what your organization needs now, but are you prepared for the future? Ideally, the online training LMS should allow you to expand your online training program as your company grows. For example, you may require more robust reporting capabilities or social learning support in the months that follow. If your new LMS doesn’t make the grade, you’ll have to look for a replacement and make room in your eLearning budget. Planning ahead helps to avoid additional LMS costs and ensure that your new online training LMS adapts to your needs.
These 8 tips can help you not to regret your next online training LMS by planning ahead and evaluating your needs. As a result, you’re more likely to choose a tool that aligns with your corporate learner preferences and the skill sets of your eLearning team, which saves you the time and expense of looking for a replacement.
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