Selecting A Learning Management System

Selecting a learning management system is not just about comparing the features between systems.  Selecting a learning management system requires a lot of task and research on features, functionality, and successful implementation strategies.  Specify your requirements very clearly before buying a learning management system (LMS). Here are some questions that can be considered when researching features, functionality, and approaches of an LMS.

• What is the organization’s intent for implementing an LMS? What would you like to accomplish with the LMS?
• Has a team been selected to lead the initiatives on what requirements the LMS should have? Does everyone understand their role?
• Is your organization international? If so, how will this affect your LMS requirements?
• How many users do you anticipate your LMS will need to accommodate?
• Are there any certain tools and features that are essential that your organization have within the LMS?  Is there any specific criterion that must be met by the system?
• List out all of these items so that you can compare them with the features and functionality of the proposed LMS.
• Do you have a list of instruction and learning management requirements for the LMS?
• What level of customization is required within the LMS? For example, do you need customizations for course development, tools, reports, or the design?
• Do you require an integrated authoring tool?
• What level of content management functionality is required by your organization?
• Will your organization have different learning modalities for the LMS population? For example, will you offer online, in person, or blended courses?
• Will your technical infrastructure support your LMS requirements or those of the proposed LMS?
• Will your content be compatible with current or new authoring tools?
• Do your LMS requirements meet or exceed your organization’s budget limitations?
• What is your organization’s learning goals for the next few years? Does the proposed LMS coincide with the goals?
• Are there options for installing the LMS software on your own server or hosting?
• Does the LMS comply with AICC or SCORM standards so that course material may be exchanged with other systems?
• How do the LMS vendors you have chosen to compare differ? How are they similar?

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Tags: Learning and Development, Learning Management System

This entry was posted on Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 1:33 pm and is filed under Learning Management System, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.