8 Effective Tips to Get the Most out of your Learning Management System

The world has gone digital andevery known industry is witnessing technological disruptions on a weekly basis.And, the corporate Learning & Development sector is not far behind. ModernLearning Management Systems (LMSes) have transformed the way enterprises traintheir employees by making learning more accessible, just in time and easilyconsumable.

Needless to say, an LMS plays acritical role in an enterprise’s L&D strategy. An effective andstate-of-the-art LMS not only helps enterprises plan, design and deliveronline training to its employees, but also increaseslearner engagement by tracking, reporting and analyzing learners’ interactionwith the material and helping L&D professionals continually improve thetraining programs.

However, some of today’s most innovativeLMSes have capabilities that go well beyond the core functionalities that help makelearning more intuitive, engaging, social and eventually more effective. But,despite of the many incredible benefits an LMS offers, to consistently get themost out of an LMS, L&D professionals must know the full potential of theirsystem and create an action plan to unlock it.

Here are a few tips that will helpyou make the most of your LMS and achieve the desired learning outcomes-

1.Ensure effective implementation of the LMS

Successfulimplementation is the primary and the most critical step in getting themost out of your LMS platform. It is not always the case of the LMS being amisfit for the enterprise, but rather the lack of awareness and planning forsuccessful LMS implementation that undervalues the overall L&D initiative. Enterprisescan start by setting realistic expectations, because an LMS alone won’t solveall L&D challenges, and engage and make employees more productive. Bestpractices like setting up and LMS team, prioritizing content curation, focusingon continuous updates are just fewof the ways enterprises can ensure effective implementation.

2. Makesure employees are attuned to the LMS’ UI/UX

One of the primary reasons why enterprises get frustrated by their LMS is because it’s unnecessarily hard to use and fails to engage the learners. An LMS that is confusing and not user friendly will always create more problems. But, equipped with an easy to use and intuitive LMS, learners can locate the content easily and learn hassle-free. Stressing on the benefits of having an LMS with great UI/ UX will help quick learner adoption as well as increase their system proficiency in a short time.

3. Configureyour LMS in line with your enterprise

Configuration makesall the difference when it comes to learner adoption. Everyone prefers to navigatewebsites/online platforms that are consistently styled and seem easier on theeye, so why should an LMS be any different? An LMS that is configured with theenterprise’s branding complements the training process; while a configured homepage,domain name, branding and colors engage the learners more effectively.

4. Ensureemployees are making use of the diverse feature-set

An LMS with state of the art features, including Gamification, social learning, blended learning and compliance training, enables you to deliver your training content in a variety of innovative ways, which in turn drives engagement and course completion. Other attractive features like discussion boards, virtual classroom and mobility ensure that you reach your learners effectively. So, it is mighty important for your learners to be aware of the diverse features and functionalities of the LMS. Although the LMS vendor offers system training, it is up to L&D leaders to encourage system adoption by ensuring the learners are exploiting all the features at their disposal.

5. Integratethe LMS with systems employees already use

Most leading LMSestoday come with functional integration capabilities, and L&D professionalsmust integrate the systems that employees already use (API integrations, HRMS &CRM systems, video calling tools and more) with the LMS to drive systemadoption and increase proficiency. Among the many advantages of integrations,one of the key benefits is that it increases learner engagement and provides anenhanced experience. Besides, functionalintegrations also save cost and time and cut down manual tasks. It, thus, becomeseasier for learners to perform better as well as collaborate and achieve their targets.

6. Seekquality Technical Support and Customer Service

Technology istricky sometimes and systems and softwares face downtime every now and then. But,LMS downtime directly translates to learning downtime. So, while round theclock customer service and technical support is desirable, not a lot of LMSvendors provide these facilities, and it can be increasingly annoying when yourlearners are stuck and there is no help from customer service or technical support.Besides, there are times when learners just don’t know what to do, which callson L&D professionals to seek quality customerservice and technical support. Hence, the add-ons of technical support anda great customer service must be among themost critical selection criteria for an LMS right from the get go.

7. Driveengagement and productivity with Learning Analytics

Learning analyticsis increasingly becoming a ‘must-have’ feature in any modern LMS as it helps enterprises gain actionableinsights into their learners’ learning patterns, which in turn helps them improvetheir elearning programs to further drive engagement and productivity. So,L&D professionals must make the most of the LMS’ reporting andanalytics capabilities like daily log-ins, course completions, assessments etc.to make the platform more effective for the learners.

8. Enablepositive learning experience through Gamification, Rewards & Recognition

Not all LMSes come with Gamification modules, but the ones that do stand to deliver key benefits for enterprises and learners alike. Today, Gamification has become a must-have for enterprises to engage modern learners that expect more interactivity and mobile collaboration in the workplace. Gamification is highly effective in driving engagement rates through an incentive-based approach, by leveraging concepts like leaderboards, rewards & recognition, and making it critical for learners to be attentive and competitive.

An LMS can be an incredibly valuable tool for enterprises to achieve thedesired training and development outcomes. To get the most value out of yourLMS platform, enterprises should look for an LMS with a world class feature-setthat is user friendly, provides round the clock and free technical support,with advanced reporting and analytics tools. However, it’s also equally criticalto maximizethe usage of your LMS once deployed. I hope these tips will help you drivesystem adoption and proficiency and maximize the value you derive from your LMS.