What to Look for in an LMS

An LMS is a crucial tool for online learning, providing a central repository for instructional materials and tracking learners' progress.

A good LMS should be user-friendly and offer a variety of features to support different types of learning. The right LMS will support your internal learning processes, employee productivity, and company culture.

There are many LMS solutions out there. How can you choose the right one?

A Role-Based User Interface

Role-based user interfaces will automatically recognize the permissions of a logged-in user, enabling functionality specific to that user’s role and providing the user with the specific training they need.

With the Simple Learning LMS,  you can assign role types such as learner, admin, instructor/trainer, and manager. Simple LMS automatically knows which functions to dynamically display to unlock permissions to pages and functions.

Ease-of-Use

The LMS should be easy for both administrators and learners to use. Administrators should be able to easily create and manage courses, while learners should be able to find and access materials with ease. The interface should be intuitive and user-friendly.

Variety of Features

An LMS should offer a variety of features to support different types of learning, such as:

• Automate training courses
• Multiple modalities integrated (in-person and online training)
• Deployment of SCORM-compliant courseware
• Role-based functionality
• Audience-based UX
• Reporting and analytics
• Issue certifications
• And more

Flexibility

An LMS should be flexible enough to meet the needs of different types of users. It should be able to accommodate different types of content, such as text, audio, video, and images. It should also be able to support different types of learners, such as those with disabilities.

Compatibility

An LMS should be compatible with your learners' devices and browsers. It should also be able to integrate with other systems, such as your CRM or ERP. If your technology stack isn’t well-integrated, it will hinder productivity and security.

Scalability

An LMS should be scalable to grow with your organization. It should be able to support many users and a variety of courses. You should always plan ahead; don’t get an LMS that meets your needs today. Get an LMS that will meet your needs tomorrow.

Security

An LMS should offer security features to protect both your data and your learners' data. These features might include authentication, authorization, and data encryption.

Accessibility

Today, cloud-based solutions have become popular because they are extremely accessible. Even remote workers will be able to access an organization’s LMS if it’s hosted online. While this isn’t always necessary (an on-premise LMS server can be used), it can be an additional factor.

Compliance

A learning management system should help you ensure compliance with industry regulations, such as those related to healthcare, finance, or education. It should also be able to generate reports that can be used for auditing purposes.

Testing

If you’re going to be using the LMS for online learning, it should offer features for testing and certification. These features might include creating and delivering exams, tracking learners' progress, and providing certificates. Testing out—the ability to “test out” of a course if the knowledge is already there—can be another useful feature.

Pricing

Finally, you’ll need to consider pricing when choosing an LMS. Get a complete breakdown of all the costs associated with the system to make an informed decision. Some systems may have hidden costs, or you may not be performing an apples-to-apples comparison if you have to pay for additional add-ons to get the features you need.

To learn more about how an LMS can be customized for your organization’s unique needs, schedule a free demo from Simple Learning today.