A learning management system is an important component of your HR processes. LMS tools assist in learner management, employee onboarding and all the other routine training activities in your business. While it is common for businesses to pick an LMS that fits their budget, it is important to ensure that the tool you pick is equipped with all the necessary tools and features that your business needs.
Here is a step by step guide to help you pick the right learning management system for your business.
Understand your learner profile
The first step in the process is to understand your learners’ profile. A business that has employees spread across the country or the world would need a system that enables seamless networking across these various geographies. The LMS in this case would need a virtual classroom setup where learners from multiple locations can join in.
If your employees are in different time zones and countries, then a real-time learning process may not be feasible. In such instances, you may want an LMS tool that is multi-lingual and also features that support non-real-time learning.
Know your business volumes
A small or medium business that needs LMS for onboarding its employees may only have a handful of learners each month. On the other hand, an enterprise business that has tens of thousands of employees on its payroll may have a vastly higher volume of learner requests. While it makes sense for the former to pick a tool that is priced on a ‘per user’, the same may not be applicable in the case of the large enterprise.
Look at the various pricing options and choose one that makes the most sense for your business structure.
Identify pedagogical approach
Different learners access their training modules in different ways. Employees who are located far away from the HQ may not have adequate access to a computer or the internet. Such employees need an LMS that offers mobile access or offline learning modules.
Businesses that need a lot of practical training may want to include lessons that have assignments as part of the curriculum. On the other hand, organizations that have lots of theoretical lessons may want to include gamification elements to make learning more enjoyable.
Knowing your pedagogical approach will help you narrow down the list of possible LMS tools to choose from.
Get quotes from multiple vendors
The LMS industry has a diverse list of product developers and there is no one company that is a market leader on all aspects. Once you have shortlisted your requirements, make it a point to list down all the different vendors offering these features and request quotes from all these vendors.
If you are still unsure about all the tools and features you will need for your business, you make use of an online LMS quote like this one that will guide you through the process of shortlisting the right vendors and getting a quote from them.
Try before you buy
Many times, you may not know what you need till you actually start using the tool. All the popular LMS tools in the market today offer a free trial on their products. Those that do not have this option often have a free basic version of their tool available for use.
Make it a point to pick an LMS tool that has a free version or a free trial and put the tool to use for at least a fortnight before deciding if this is the right product for you. You may also simultaneously test multiple products in order to be able to compare the features and usability on these various tools. This helps you identify the LMS that is the right fit for your business needs.