An Intelligent Approach To Successful Implementation Of LMS

Coming out with new software can be challenging for a company, looking at the hurdles they face when it comes to implementation. Approximately 75% of the projects fail because the companies weren’t able to implement them the right way.

A smooth implementation of an LMS software thus requires proper research and strategies, thoughtful planning, and also assessment and re-assessment of the programs.

It is not just about choosing the right software, filling out the forms, and getting started. It requires a draft in hand to stick to the plan that will cater to the company’s specific needs and help in achieving the goal(s) set for this software in the first place.

In this article, we will learn about the ways to implement them strategically without focusing on any clutter. The implementation broadly has two phases; the build phase and the launch phase. To nail both the phases, we have described below eight steps to climb the ladder of execution and reach the top in flying colors.

The build phase: draft a plan and lay down objectives to meet them

The build phase is the platform of this entire building, and if we construct a rock-solid base, no external forces will be able to shake the building. This phase is all about thinking and planning and laying out clear objectives. Having clarity on what type of content is required, setting deadlines, and then going out and about with the plan. This will ensure that there is enough clarity and transparency as to what is to be followed next.

Step1: Decide your business’s goals and an objective plan

The first and foremost is to set goals for the new LMS. What do you expect from this software? Why did you plan to incorporate it into your business? Answering these questions will tell you exactly what you want to achieve from the system and keep the implementation process in check.

For example: if you want your employees to develop good social skills and have a lot of social interaction with their peer groups, and get benefit from the discussions, then you can go for an LMS that supports Collaborative Learning.

Let’s look at how to set goals and achieve them:

• Define specific business needs and objectives that you want to achieve through LMS
• Draft a plan which aligns the business objectives with your ultimate goals
• Track the performance through indicators so that there is no room for deviation.

Step 2: Picking up an LMS that caters to your specific needs

Choosing the right LMS is vital for meeting your organization’s needs. It is sad but true that about 44% of the companies think of replacing their LMS in a short time, sometimes just 2 years.

Let’s look at how to choose the right LMS for the company:

• Shortlist the ones you think align with your goals and do thorough research on each. This will allow you to pick the right one using the elimination approach. For example: if your goal is to increase sales, then you have to choose an LMS which enables faster training of sales personnel and provides them with enough knowledge about new products and services in the market.
• Look for other areas that can later turn into loopholes like customer service, easy user interface, and most importantly, your company’s budget. 87% of the companies start looking for options to switch to a better user interface to enhance customer satisfaction.

Step 3: Hire a team for the execution of the implementation plan

Choosing the right people for the team helps in the better execution of the plan. People with clear roles and responsibilities should be hired. They all should work together to achieve the same goal, which is to extract the best output from the plan. For example, a successful employee onboarding program can only be executed when there is an effective HR team that knows everything needed for onboarding.

People you need on your team:

• A content expert who knows what to incorporate in the program from each department and creates specific topics.
• A project manager who can lead the team and coordinate with others.
• A communication manager for taking the team on board and informing the employees about the LMS and its features.
• Sales Executive(s) for internal promotion of the LMS and for keeping better knowledge about the products.
• An IT expert who is available to solve any technical queries.

Step 4: Implement your LMS in the set time frame

Set a time beforehand and stick to it till the end. Extended guidelines result in increased costs and also wasted efforts. The time frame should be dependent on the scope of the project and the experience that your team has in the execution of these plans. Assign tasks to the people hired for implementation and regularly track their performance for lags.

Step 5: Content Strategy

The company needs to lay out an effective eLearning content strategy whereby you have to decide if the company needs new eLearning content or can make use of the existing course, which may include recorded lessons, courses on the subject matter, and more, or a combination of both.

Let’s see how to come up with an effective content plan:

• Check all the existing eLearning content and see what is still useful and can be kept for future references like lessons, projects, subjects, and more.
• All the content (existing and new) should be able to sync well with the new LMS to utilize the full potential of the software.
• Create new courses that are interesting and can keep the online learners hooked.

Step 6: Run a trial version

Now that everything is ready, it is time to test the trial version and check the efficiency of the LMS. Note all the setbacks and draft comprehensive and detailed feedback to be implemented for better results in the end.

The launch phase: Analyze the LMS and provide feedback

Step 7: Implement the trial version of the software

It’s time to run the trial version of the LMS, launch it, and check the results. Take down learnings from the implementation and keep them aligned with user experience for future reference.

Step 8: Gather all the feedback and use it for future

Once the LMS is launched, its success depends on whether it can satisfy the audience it was made for. So collect all the feedback, and understand the positives so that you can eliminate the negatives. Continue making your LMS the best for you by improving the learner engagement and quality of the courses offered.

Conclusion:

Just the implementation of LMS is not enough to keep the business up and running. Continuous maintenance and keeping it relevant are also extremely important to keep extracting the full potential of the software.