1. Start With The End In Mind
With a Learning Management System (LMS) implementation, we often focus on mechanics of installing and configuring the LMS. For long-term success, it is worth spending time up front focusing on the people who will be using it and the processes of how they will be using it. In other words, starting with the end in mind.
2. Estimate LMS Impact On The Business
Start by answering this question: How does an LMS impact the business? What problem exists that you are solving? You need a clear picture of how an LMS improves the business. It will help you get buy-in for your project and understand who will use and benefit.
3. Document Who Will Benefit
Take time to document the stakeholders who will benefit from an LMS. While learning and development teams are obvious beneficiaries, the people who work in and for your organization should be a priority in your decisions. Your list might include HR, IT professionals, managers, leadership, employees, partners and clients. For each group who will be benefiting from or using the LMS consider their concerns, where they work, when they learn, why they need this new technology and how they would use it.
4. Determine Critical Features
Determine which features are critical for your environment. Did you find that you will need robust reporting to help HR and managers evaluate talent development needs? Does your organization train in the classroom and/or provide eLearning content? How much of your organization needs access to performance support materials while they are working away from the office? How many administrative tasks will you be able to streamline allowing your learning and development professionals more time to work on performance improvements?
5. Think About The Future
Have you taken time to develop a learning strategy for the next three to five years? Knowing where you want to be eventually factors into features that you will want to evaluate. For example, do you plan to leverage the informal learning opportunities that happen every day by including social collaboration tools like ratings and discussion boards?
6. Work With Your IT Department
Especially if you want to extend your LMS to partners and clients outside of your organization or leverage new learning strategies in the future. IT walks a fine line between increasing security/compliance concerns with ease of use of technical systems. While you can make general assumptions, every organization experiences its own unique challenges. It will benefit your project to begin aligned with the technology specifications and limits within your own organization.
7. Establish Effective Communication
The thread that runs through your entire project is communication. Introducing an LMS is introducing a change in your organization. You will need to create a compelling vision for the change and communication will be a key part of your strategy.
Effective communication begins with a well composed summary of the problem and solution for the business stakeholders who will approve and fund your project. Move forward to increase anticipation of what is coming by crafting targeted messaging for each of the audiences you identify in your early analysis. Create excitement by painting the picture of how the future looks for them.
8. Teach People How To Use The New LMS Effectively
Plan special communications around the actual rollout and implementation. Your previous communications focused on raising awareness and generating excitement. Now it is time to move from idea into action. Shift your attention to performance support by teaching people how to use the new LMS effectively.
Knowing who and how from the onset of your project allows you to make decisions that benefit organizational goals. It ensures you are a partner aligned with moving the business forward. Starting with the end in mind will help you implement the best LMS solution for your organization because it provides the foundation for understanding people, processes and technology.