Which Top LMS Features Your Current Platform Is Missing
Learning Management Systems are an integral part of your online training program. But the wrong choice can lead to wasted online training resources and ineffective implementation. Your organization must have a Learning Management System that offers everything on your checklist to warrant the investment. And it’s not just your organization’s list you need to consider. It must also live up to the expectations of your eLearning team, employees, and stakeholders. The question is: does your current platform have all these essential LMS features?
Is Your LMS Lacking These Must-Haves?
1. User-Friendly Interface
One of the most overlooked LMS features, but also one of the most crucial. A user-friendly interface dictates the functionality of your system. Can every member of your team use it, or does it require extensive training? An intuitive User Interface allows your L&D staff, admins, and corporate learners to navigate the platform with ease. As well as use all the LMS features to their fullest potential.
2. Built-In Authoring
Not all Learning Management Systems feature built-in authoring. And you may not even need this function if you’re happy with your current tools. However, it is a valuable addition to the system, given that you can develop, deploy, and track using a single platform. Most common LMS features met in most systems are the design of eLearning templates, asset libraries, and other quintessential ones you’d find in rapid eLearning software. You can also ensure that your content will be compatible with the system and you won’t have any formatting challenges.
3. Offline Mobile
Modern corporate learners expect mobile-friendly online training content. An LMS that features offline mobile gives them the power to access online training courses on any device, even if they don’t have internet access. They simply download the online training activity or resource to complete at a later time. This is ideal for corporate learners in remote locations, such as employees who make sales calls or those who want to train while traveling. Another tie-in feature is app-based access. Corporate learners are able to login to the platform and sync their progress on their mobile devices, courtesy of the app.
4. Custom LMS Reports
The most commonly met LMS features are those of reporting and analytics. But customizable reporting helps you monitor online training initiatives that align with your learning objectives and goals, as well as specify how and when you need reports delivered. For example, you can set up automatic email delivery on a weekly basis. Custom LMS reports can range from badge-based achievements and certifications to external online training and audit trails. You should also verify that your LMS comes with a good range of out-of-the-box reports to simplify the process.
5. Gamification
You may not be ready to launch a comprehensive gamification strategy just yet. Even so, you should invest in an LMS that features gamification support to plan ahead. After all, it’s been proven that game mechanics significantly improve learner motivation and participation. Gamification involves eLearning templates, customizable badges, and leaderboards. Just to name a few. The system should also involve some social learning aspect and personalized dashboards so that corporate learners can track their own progress.
6. Certification Management
Certification management allows you to implement online training certificates to maintain compliance, as well as ensure that every member of your team possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to adhere to company standards. You must be able to customize your certification paths and dictate their duration. An additional feature to look for is automatic renewal notifications and expirations. For example, the system sends an email to corporate learners a month before the certification will lapse so that they can plan accordingly.
7. Multilingual
Does your system support multiple languages? Or are you excluding international audiences? Most online training courses now cater to global corporate learners. As such, you need a platform that supports the most popular languages, including English, French, German, and Spanish. You should be able to set a default language, as well as give corporate learners the opportunity to select their own. Some systems even feature customizable localized displays for every target market. For instance, you can develop a separate welcome screen for each language to include relevant images and more conversational translations.
8. Online Training Assessments Engine
Develop online training assessments without having to build everything from the ground up. This built-in engine usually features eLearning templates in multiple testing formats, from multiple questions to open response. You can also add customized grading criteria to ensure that the online training assessments are evaluating the right skills/knowledge. Furthermore, corporate learners should be able to pick up where they left off if they’re disconnected, rather than having to start the online training assessment from the beginning, which can compromise the validity of the results.
9. Learner Upload
This feature allows corporate learners to upload their own online training content and facilitate knowledge sharing within your organization. They can also benefit from peer-based feedback and improve knowledge retention, given that they must fully comprehend the topic before they can teach on it. The LMS features should surely include a built-in database that enables corporate learners to catalog their work and possibly even receive credit. There must also be some form of verification in place whereby online instructors/facilitators are able to review work before it becomes publicly available.
10. Live Video
You’re able to host live online training events, record them for later viewing, and possibly even edit the raw footage to repurpose the online training material, such as by adding images and embedded activities to covert your recorded event into an online training webinar. Live video features should also include collaborative tools. For instance, corporate learners are able to comment in real-time and interact with their peers and online instructors/hosts.
Conclusion
These are just a handful of LMS features to look for in your current system. If any of these are missing, you may want to think about investing in a new solution. Then again, you may be able to simply purchase add-ons or upgrades to improve functionality. It’s often best to meet with your LMS vendor to see if they can address your concerns before looking for other options.
Are you in the market for a Learning Management System, but don’t even know where to begin? Which LMS features will benefit your small to medium-sized business and ensure online training success? Download our eBook Modern And Mobile-First: The Ultimate Responsive Learning Management System Buying Guide to find the best multiplatform-friendly system for your team.
