Regardless of whether you are investing in an LMS for the first time or transitioning to a new system, the actual implementation could be an overwhelming experience.

Oftentimes, it is the lack of planning for a successful LMS implementation that mars the overall L&D value. What you need is a roadmap to assist you in the successful integration of the new tool, that helps you garner support from your team and swiftly realizes return on investment (ROI).

Let’s deep dive into 10 best practices for implementing the LMS in employee training and extracting maximum value from the chosen platform.

Step 1. Define training objectives with stakeholders

Clarify the purpose of implementing an LMS. What specific outcomes do stakeholders anticipate from training? General responses such as “boosting sales” or “enhancing employee skills” are insufficient.

Engage department managers and executives to identify the exact business metrics targeted for improvement through training, along with specific benchmarks. For instance, a training goal for an FMCG company could be ‘increasing sales volume by X%.’

Step 2. Assess training requirements

Engage learners and their supervisors to identify training needs instead of goals. Conduct informal discussions with future learners to uncover their knowledge and skill gaps. Avoid formal surveys to prevent biased responses due to fear of consequences.

Recognize the diverse training needs based on these responses. Tailor interventions accordingly, such as implementing role-play simulations for sales techniques or providing courses on customer psychology.

Gathering feedback from learners is crucial for aligning training with business objectives. While time-consuming, this process is essential for effective training outcomes.

Step 3: Develop LMS implementation plan and schedule

Creating a detailed plan is essential, particularly if there are concerns from business executives regarding the training project. A comprehensive LMS implementation plan, accompanied by timelines, provides clarity on the project’s stages and duration.

Step 4. Define team roles

It is common advice to form a project team at the outset of an LMS implementation. However, given practical constraints such as budget and company size, it is often more realistic for one person to handle the majority of the work.

In many cases, existing staff members, who may not specialize in online training, comprise the team. Here are some questions to address during this step:

Who will develop training content: Training content, particularly initially, need not be exquisite but must be informative, effective, and visually appealing. Seek training or use comprehensive resources if inexperienced in course design.

Who will manage the LMS: While LMSs automate training to some extent, certain tasks still require human intervention, especially with complex platforms, calling for a tech-savvy administrator for troubleshooting. Involving multiple individuals in platform administration is beneficial as training expands over time.

Who will provide user support: Ultimately, you must designate individuals to address employees’ inquiries regarding the LMS, such as forgotten passwords or app download issues. Ideally, someone calm and patient fits this role. Alternatively, provide email instructions for common queries.

Step 5. Develop Training Content

This stage can be challenging. Many new L&D specialists fall into the trap of trying to create numerous courses at once, as mentioned earlier.

Start with just one course and keep it simple. Later, you can expand to more sophisticated programs with tailored learning paths. Focus now on demonstrating the effectiveness of training with a single, impactful course.

Step 6. Announce the launch of the LMS

This step is often overlooked but crucial for a successful launch. Announce the implementation project to the entire company through various channels such as email, meetings, or messages from top management.

Ensure the announcement is made at least 30 days before the launch and repeated multiple times. Provide instructions on accessing the LMS, emphasize the importance of the project and offer support for any questions or concerns.

Step 7. LMS setup

Setting up your LMS is a one-time task, though some settings may need adjustments later. While it can be complex, especially for those without strong tech skills, it helps to follow these steps:

• Establish or synchronize your organization’s structure.
• Input user data or integrate the LMS with your HR system.
• Assign admin roles to LMS administrators.
• Allocate supervisor roles to team leaders and managers overseeing training.
• Customize the LMS to reflect your brand identity by adding logos, adjusting colors and crafting unique notifications.
• Provide training to LMS administrators and supervisors on platform usage.
• Integrate the platform with your website or corporate portal.
• Implement Single Sign-On (SSO) for seamless access.
• Integrate with MS Outlook for communication purposes.
• Integrate with platforms like Zoom or MS Teams for webinar functionalities if required.

Step 8. Course assignment with deadline

While not all training necessitates a deadline, it is crucial for the inaugural course to have one. Prompt completion is essential to showcase the efficacy of your LMS implementation, ensuring good results.

Step 9. Assess training completion rate

Shortly after course assignment, review the current completion status among learners. Reach out to those who have not started or finished to address any obstacles they may encounter, such as technical issues or resistance to training.

Aim for a 100% completion rate, but if it falls short, identify underlying causes and devise strategies for improvement.

Step 10. Assess training impact

Conclude the LMS implementation by presenting the achieved training goals, the developed solutions and the overall completion rate to executives. Discuss how training has influenced business objectives.

In cases where goals weren’t fully met, delve into the results. Analyze completion rates and performance data to understand the impact on key metrics. If some employees did not engage with the training, despite evidence of its effectiveness, address this with their supervisors to foster a culture of learning.

Conclude the evaluation by initiating discussions about future training goals with stakeholders.