Five points to consider when choosing a Learning Management System for external audiences

There’s a lot to think about when selecting a new Learning Management System (LMS) for external audiences. Not least are the recent advances that have been made in learning technologies such as mobile, social and microlearning.

These new technologies will have a big impact on how your external audiences – customers, partners, distributors, reseller, suppliers and students – want to engage with your learning and development programmes.

Here we look at five key elements that should not be overlooked when selecting a new LMS for external audiences.

1. Don’t let trends obscure your objectives

The latest trends in features and functionality all have their place, but remember, mobile learning, microlearning, gamification, social learning, augmented reality and virtual reality may not always offer the best solution for your external audiences.

Make a list of the learning objectives you need to achieve. Then look at the features and functionality that can help you meet the learning objectives.

Top Tip: Don’t be taken in by new buzzwords and jargon. The technology may be impressive, but think about the way your learners will use your content. Can it deliver the learning objectives you’re looking for?

2. Try out new systems with your own content

If you already have an LMS for your external audiences, you will probably have a library of content for it in the form of eLearning modules, videos, PDFs and so on. A new LMS can bring you shiny new features, but it’s imperative that it can also support your existing content.

Top Tip: Choose some good examples of your content and load them onto your potential new LMS to test how it handles them.

3. Look to the future

As your business develops and changes to meet new markets, competition and regulations, so will the needs and demands of your external audiences. You may want to move into other areas with new external audiences as diverse as students, suppliers or distributors. To do this you will need an LMS solution that will evolve with you.

Top Tip: Some suppliers aren’t in control of the solution – bypass the reseller and talk to the people who own the LMS. Are they investing and can they commit to the solution you’re looking for?

4. Examine the provider’s level of service

Take a close look at the quality of LMS providers’ services and service level agreements. If your external audiences have any problems in accessing your learning content or programmes, it will reflect badly on your brand. 

Top Tip: Speak to actual customers to find out how their providers communicate and how well they respond when there’s a query or problem.

5. Are you getting value for money?

Cost is, of course, an important factor in the delivery of any learning programme. External audiences may not access them as often as internal audiences.

Top Tip: Talk to your potential and/or existing LMS supplier about pricing options for external audiences.