Ensuring LMS Success' - Webinar Recording and Q&A

Our recently conducted webinar, 'Ensuring LMS Success - From Onboarding to Support', covered the whole nine yards of LMS Selection, Implementation and beyond while getting the LMS vendor's help in accomplishing each step of the process. For those of you who couldn't attend the LIVE sessions, here's the webinar recording so you can benefit from the tips and best practices shared by our Client Relationship Leaders

.We also took up a couple of interesting audience questions, which Vishakha Sharma, PMP and Saurabh Deshlehra were happy to answer. Below are some questions and answers from the two sessions we conducted:

‍Q. Do you use many examples inside of your test environment for people to see the benefits/ features? I'd be curious about not overloading customers.

Vishakha: At UpsideLMS in particular, we use relevant examples in the test environment to set the right context for the prospects and help them get acquainted with the system better. Apart from examples and help guides, we also provide personalized training where we encourage them to ask specific questions pertaining to LMS features and functionalities.

‍Saurabh: As a best practice, the examples populated in the test environment should be based on the business case and should be as well from the same domain as the prospect's. As discussed in the webinar, the business case should always be at the top of your mind. While populating examples or setting up a trial area, it should be ensured that only those features and functionalities are focused upon which the client is intending to use. As they say, "Big things have small beginnings". So the customer should be encouraged to review the LMS by providing relevant examples of the must-haves before delving into the good-to-haves. Once the prospect is happy with the former, gradually populate the other areas of the system by sharing appropriate examples.

The benefit of using examples from the same domain is two-fold - one, it helps in instant confidence building and ensures suitability of the product in the prospect's mind and two, since organizations in the same domain have similar training needs and processes, it helps in context-setting and establishing relevancy.

‍2. What could be the problems faced by clients if the vendor only has recorded training?

Saurabh: Standard recorded training will only tell how an activity can be performed by a step-by-step approach, and it will not tell how a business workflow can be achieved by that module. As mentioned in the webinar too, the business case and the business need should be considered and the training should focus on how client's requirements or workflow can be achieved with a particular module in the LMS.

‍Vishakha: Let me explain this with an example. Suppose there is an email notification module and content delivery feature in the LMS. The recorded training will tell how to setup the notification but it will not tell in what all ways can this notification can be used. For instance, one organization might be using it for sending out notification on assignment of a course, another organization might be using it to announce the availability of new training. In such cases, recorded training will only give a step-by-step approach to create notification without revealing the different ways in which this notification functionality can be optimally used.

‍Saurabh: Another challenge could be that the nomenclature used in the recorded training might be different from what a customer refers to it in its day-to-day operations. So while you know what you want, and the LMS also has this module, one might not be able to find it because it is called something else.

Example: A client might refer to a HTML package as a course while the recorded training might call it a module or a curriculum. Also, since the recorded training is generic i.e. not designed considering a specific client's need, oftentimes the clients are not able to relate to it and are not able to use the functionality to its optimal capability.

‍3. In the era of off-the-shelf SaaS LMSs, are customizations still possible?

Vishakha: Customizations are possible. To reiterate what we said in the webinar, every customer might have diverse and unique requirements. However, our recommendation is to use the off-the-shelf, SaaS LMS as it brings with it the advantages of lifelong and regular upgrades, quick deployment, lower set-up cost and easy support. That said, you need to ensure that all your 'immediate' requirements are taken care of with the ready to go solution. If there is any requirement that is not urgent, that requirement can be added to the product wish list, which can become a part of the base product later on.

‍4. Is there a way or criteria to measure LMS success?

Saurabh: One of the ways to measure LMS success is to calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) of the implementation. To avoid getting into complex calculations, you can use a few pointers to measure LMS success:

1. Reduced training cost
2. Improved training delivery process
3. Centralized distribution and monitoring of L&D activities
4. Increase in role promotions
5. Reduction in skill gap
6. Increased productivity
7. Take up new tasks

Keeping an eye on the above will itself provide good insight on success of the implementation.

If you have any more questions on this topic in particular or LMS in general, drop me a line in the comment box below or email me at contact@invince.com