Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned learning and development expert looking for new technology, selecting a learning management system (LMS) is no small task.
According to Forrester Research, the $5 billion LMS market is continuing to grow for several reasons—a new workforce is driving new learning approaches, companies are continuing to upgrade to (and seek out) SaaS solutions, more small and medium-sized businesses are entering the market, and organizations’ extended enterprises are growing exponentially. In addition, there are hundreds of LMS options in the market, and navigating the complexities of technology procurement can become daunting.
On a recent HCI webinar, Claire Schooley, Principal Analyst Serving Application Development & Delivery for Forrester Research, shared her insight into the changes in the LMS market and the five steps organizations should take to select the right LMS successfully.
Here is an overview of the five steps she lays out in the session.
Step 1: Communicate the LMS’s features and value—The first step in any LMS buying journey is always making the business case for change. Mapping your organization’s goals and objectives to your LMS needs can provide a foundation for proving why a change in your LMS is a “must-have.”
Step 2: Assess what you have and need—This step ties directly into step one. It is time to examine your current learning system and take stock of your existing activities and technologies. Are there areas of duplication? What are your core needs?
Step 3: Assemble a steering committee to drive LMS selection – Selecting the right LMS is collaborative and requires a team of people with a vested interest in the project’s success. Involving a team of people from different areas of the business can help you streamline your efforts to assemble company-wide needs and can be beneficial when brainstorming cutting-edge approaches to learning.
Step 4: Determine the business requirements for the LMS—Your requirements documents should list the LMS functions necessary to execute your learning strategy and support your internal processes. Most requirements can be divided into three areas: functional (what the system needs to do), technical (IT needs), and operational (how the system should run).
Step 5: Identify potential LMS providers – Now it is time to do some research. There is no shortage of LMS vendors out there. Try narrowing down your list by prioritizing your requirements and choosing the top vendors that fully meet your “must have” list, but also can provide some of your cutting-edge wants.