How to Choose an LMS
I’m often asked to share my thoughts on the best Learning Management System (LMS) for an organization to use to host their online training. I’ve used many different LMS over the years and have quite a bit of experience with different programs, but the answer just isn’t that simple. What works well for one company might not make any sense for yours. Before we jump in to that though, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page in understanding what an LMS is. In its most basic form, an LMS is a program where you can host and track employee training. The formal definition, according to Wikipedia, is “a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs”.
So what are some considerations that you should take into account when choosing an LMS? With the hundreds (thousands?) of LMS on the market, you need criteria to help you narrow down the list and choose one that will meet your needs, both today and in the future.
How many users will you have? Will any of those users be recycled (for example, if you’re only using your LMS for new hire onboarding, once those new hires have completed the training, you may want to reuse those LMS licenses for your next batch of new hires). The cost often depends on how many users you’ll have, and some LMS permit the reuse of licenses, others do not, so it’s important to understand exactly how you plan to use the LMS.
What’s your budget? This is a big one. LMS come at all price points. There are some great value priced options, and there are great high-end options. Having a sense of what you’d like to spend will help you in narrowing down your options.
Do you need an LMS that has a course creator function built-in? Some LMS let you build basic training within the software, instead of importing training from external sources. Generally speaking, the in-LMS training development capability is a little more basic, but that isn’t always a bad thing.
Do you plan to build or have SCORM-compliant files (aka the fancy interactive e-learning lessons that are typically built in Articulate Storyline or Captivate)?
Do you need gamification options? In other words, do you plan on using your LMS to reward employees, or have employees compete against each other to complete training tasks?
Do you need an LMS that is available in multiple languages?
How much support do you need to launch and maintain your LMS? Some LMS providers are much better than others at supporting their customers.
What will you need in terms of reporting and analytics?
Will you be selling your courses? Some LMS offer a marketplace where you can sell your training to others.
All LMS have a learning curve but some are easier to use than others. How important is ease of use from both the back-end side (setting it up; managing the content) and the user side (how your audience is able to navigate)?
Once you get a sense of your needs, check out Capterra’s LMS Summaries to get an idea of which options might be the best fit for your organization.
If you need one-on-one support to help you choose an LMS, reach out!
HIGH TIDE LEARNING STUDIO
We’re Erin and Peter, a husband and wife team passionate about making your organization successful through employee training and engagement. Join us as we explore new opportunities to improve your workplace.