You never want to realize a little to late that you forgot about something so important that you’re afraid to admit it now.
This uneasy feeling can easily occur after choosing an LMS. So, how to prevent it? The easiest way is to figure out what you need to know on time.
As with anything else, reading and looking for advice for people who had similar experiences will greatly benefit you.
We decided to help you and spoke with some of our clients about the factors they considered when choosing an LMS for their institution so that you could learn from their experience.
Looking For a Learning Management System? Your Journey Begins Here.
Deciphering your essential LMS features and functionality can be overwhelming. Each university will have its own set of requirements, but there will always be some overlap.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many universities have scrambled to adopt digital training. This exciting transformation must be meticulously planned in order to produce meaningful results.
COVID is raising awareness about the importance of online learning, but many people are wondering how to do it successfully.
In this disruptive world, we are witnessing that the elearning agenda is more important than ever. There are as many technologies to pick from as there are vendors to assist you. So, how will you adapt to the new normal in your work and education?
This 5-step guide is intended to assist you in locating the Learning Management System that is best suited to your needs:
1. User Experience (UX)
Who are your most important LMS users? The students. Sure, you may spend more time thinking about the LMS than they will, and that’s fine.
The LMS should not obstruct the learning experience; rather, it should enhance it. The LMS is merely a means to an end—what matters most is the experience you want learners to have with the LMS.
As a result, when comparing LMS, user experience (UX) must be a primary consideration.
Your LMS’s learning curve should be so low that anyone can use it without assistance. The LMS should be responsive, which means it should automatically adapt to the device the learner is using to access their content.
There should be no obstacles or delays that could cause frustration or confusion for the learner.
2. How Much Can You Personalize The LMS?
A new piece of software can be intimidating at times. It can be a major issue if your branding does not match the rest of your company. In the case of a learning management platform, it may cause your employees to question whether the content is relevant to their specific job.
3. What Key Features Do My Learners Require?
After you’ve identified your users, it’s time to think about the features you’ll need. The LMS description should include all of the features you require, and there should not be too many functions that you do not require.
At this point, the primary selection criteria are features. Before you begin exploring LMS, you should understand what the user expects to achieve at the end of the learning session, as this will be your ultimate goal. Assume your university, for example, develops an online learning program.
Learners from all over the world can participate in your online classroom. So, here, you should focus on the characteristics that your team needs to train, such as:
4. Administrative Task Automation
How much time do you currently devote to manual tasks that could be automated?
To arrange, book rooms, invite attendees, track attendees, create content, print and distribute, deliver grade assessments, and record results, traditional classroom-based learning required an endless list of manual tasks. It takes a lot of time, which costs money for any business.
All of these tasks can be automated with an LMS, especially if you integrate it with your HR system (people database) so that new employees are automatically added to the LMS and enrolled in their courses.
The LMS automatically programs completion records, certificates, and reporting, saving administrators valuable time. Another significant time saver is the ease with which instructor-led sessions can be added to the catalog for users to self-select.
5. Is LMS Future Proof?
One of the most common e-learning mistakes is focusing solely on current training requirements. Instead, consider how these will evolve in the coming years.
Assume, for example, that your company is expanding internationally. You must ensure that you can support users in your new locations, so localization tools may be essential.
Alternatively, you may be looking to expand your workforce and need to ensure that your LMS can scale accordingly.
Another consideration is whether your LMS will be around for many years. If you go with a long-established and trusted company, you’ll be in better hands than if you go with an untested newcomer.
That is why you should join forces with a renewed LMS provider such as Astria Learning.
Of course, the future of teaching is impossible to predict. Learning methods that have yet to be invented, for example, may become commonplace in the near future.
However, it is best to go with a platform that already has a proven track record of supporting the most recent formats and adapting to changes in the e-learning landscape.
LMS Evaluation Criteria Checklist
We’ve gone over some of the most important questions you should ask yourself before deciding on an LMS platform.
Here’s a condensed version of our list in case you need a quick refresher. When choosing a learning management system, make sure to check off each item!
- Is an LMS required for my company or training organization?
- Will an LMS work in conjunction with existing systems and software?
- Am I selecting the most cost-effective LMS?
- Is the LMS the best option for our current and future needs?
- Which students will have access to the training courses?
- Are my institution’s priorities defined, and will the LMS assist me in meeting them?
- What are the various types of courses that we hope to offer through an LMS?
- Is the platform equipped with the features required to run these courses?
- Is the LMS equipped with personalization tools?
- Can I get help from the LMS provider?
Considering a New LMS?
If you’re looking for a new LMS, you might want to look into Astria Learning LMS.
We offer a unified strategy that assists institutions in becoming relevant in today’s digital environment, where they can meet the needs of evolving learners by offering eLearning options.
Astria Learning offers a comprehensive range of academic solutions, including software development, hardware manufacturing, and OPM consulting, allowing universities and institutions to adapt to the digital age.
Request a demo today to start growing, or contact us with any questions you may have.