By Allan Alveyra 
According to a study conducted by Brandon Hall Group, 42 % of the companies asked said they’re actively looking to replace their current learning technology.
Most companies want only the best learning management system (LMS). But the best learning platform isn’t always the best.
As a trusted Independent Software Vendor (ISV) and LMS provider, we’ve a lot of experience in helping companies find the right learning technology to match their needs. And we know that going for an effective learning management solution instead of the best is often what’ll help you achieve the greatest results.
So, stop looking for the best e-learning solution and start focusing on effectiveness instead.
To help you get the most out of your chosen online learning platform, in this blog post we’ll focus on what effective means in the context of digital learning.
But first, let’s look at what’s causing companies to shift from one learning platform to another.
Why do companies change learning platforms?
According to the previously mentioned study by Brandon Hall Group, delivering more relevant and contextual learning experiences compels organizations to rethink their technology’s effectiveness. Furthermore, with the constant evolution of the e-learning landscape, there’s more demand for assets like responsive design and collaborative tools.
Before, learning and development officers only needed a plain Learning Management System (LMS). Now, they’re caught in between purchasing a Learning Content Management System (LCMS) or a Learning Experience Platform (LXP).
When searching for a new digital platform, it’s almost impossible not to have the latest and hottest e-learning trends affect your final buying decision.
You find yourself investing endless hours and valuable energy in trying to find the best learning platform to match your organization’s needs. It’s a debilitating process and before you know it, you might have made your decision based on LMS vendors’ recommendations or online reviews.
However, this approach can go awfully wrong. If your learning solution fails to deliver, you might end up buying another one. And until you’re satisfied, this cycle will continue.
This predicament can easily be avoided if you shift your focus from finding the best-in-class LMS to finding one that most effectively solves your needs.
What does effective mean?
For many, effectiveness equals a successful result. A tool or approach that is efficacious fulfills its intended purpose or function. For an e-learning solution to be effective, it should:
Suppose you want to customize your organization’s e-learning program. In that case, your learning platform should comprise distinct technical features that will help develop your employees’ skills and competencies. These customization features might include:
- Gamification elements to personalize incentives through game mechanics
- Multiple languages to enable corporate learners to switch languages at any point during an online training course
- Content Delivery Network (CDN) to customize each version of your online training course for your corporate learners’ preferred devices
- Dashboards to view upcoming lessons and manage your courses and users
- Custom reports to monitor learning and performance gaps and align them with your learning objectives
How to find the right e-learning platform
You learned that using technology in business can either solve a problem or cause another one. The latter will happen if unnecessary add-ons clutter your system and complicate basic actions.
We’re inclined to say that the abundance of options only makes it more difficult for companies to find the right LMS.
There’s a little caveat here, though.
Feature-rich e-learning platforms aren’t unbeneficial. Adding more to your platform’s capabilities has its upside. However, it follows that when you upgrade your solution, you also understand its overall impact.
In other words, some features help carry out tasks without any embellishments. While your objectives may vary from other companies, your learning platform should always aid you in the primary processes of:
- Course enrollment and delivery
- Tracking and analyzing user data
- Skill gap analysis
- Course administration
- Instructor and learner communication
Beyond these, you can insert additional features to meet other functional requirements. Regardless of the latest e-learning trends, you can consider these features optional:
Drawing a line between frills and must-haves allows you to decide on an e-learning platform based on reason and not on mere emotion. It’s easier to fall into glamorized sales pitches and superficial online reviews when you’re not fully aware of your situation.
To maximize the effectiveness of your LMS, you must identify which add-ons bring the most significant impact and which give little to no value to your business.
Again, it all boils down to understanding your needs and limitations, your goals and priorities.
The best e-learning platform is an effective one
The e-learning landscape can be surprisingly volatile.
But together we can develop a learning platform that secures you maximum effectivity no matter what the future brings.
At Cursum, we believe the best learning platform is an effective one. We’re convinced the key to a successful e-learning program is having an efficient and personalized digital solution to help you get your tasks done.
Together we can develop a powerful learning platform that’s easily integrated into your system and reflects your unique brand. Keeping your objectives in mind, we’ll build an online learning platform that adapts to your changing needs and requirements. This way you’ll never experience inefficiency again.
Want to become part of our pool of successful clients? Book a demo today.
