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Checklist for Choosing the right Learning Management System

Are you considering purchasing a Learning Management System (LMS) for your company?

Here are some tips or a “checklist” of things you may want to consider. Please feel free to provide suggestions to add to the list in comments.

#1. Do your “Due Diligence”
More features usually means more complexity - What level of complexity can you handle? Are you technical enough to use the features?
___ Did you identify your core current needs or requirements for your LMS?
___ Did you identify your future needs? (see scalability below)
___ Which features are “need to have” versus “nice to have”?

#2. My Server or Yours
___ Decide on a hosted LMS (by the vendor) or…
___ Decide on an LMS that you host (on your company’s servers)
Does the vendor offer both solutions so you can switch at a later time? If so, Which solution is better for you?
If the vendor hosts, you probably don’t need an IT manager or department involvement.
If you host, did you identify the server requirements for the LMS and get IT involved?

#3. Try It Before You Buy It
___ Does the Vendor offer a FREE Demo or Webinar?
___ Is it “Live” so you can ask questions during the demo or webinar, or is it “pre-recorded” so you can watch it anytime?
___ Does the vendor offer a working “sandbox” implementation so you can “pilot” or evaluate the LMS using your data and conditions?

#4. Batteries not included (Know the LMS limitations)
___ Are all the features you need included “out of the box”?
___ Are there any features you need that are available but at an additional cost?
___ Are there any features you need that are not available at all? (the “deal” breakers)

#5. Get a user-friendly LMS
___ Does the LMS interface have easy navigation and ease of Administration?
___ Is the LMS end-user centered for your student, employee and/or customer?
___ Is it an intuitive LMS? Can the instructor use it immediately or is training involved?
___ Are there simple and time saving edit functions and Help available in the system?

#6. Get a User-Friendly Vendor
___ Do you get a “Live” person who take the time to talk with you?
___ Does the Vendor have experience with organizations similar to yours?
___ Does the Vendor align with your strategies and commit to your long term business goals?
___ What is the Vendor’s history, vision, and current successes?
___ Is the Vendor a Stable company? Who are their current clients?
___ How successful have their clients been with implementation? What is the vendor’s overall reputation?
___ Can the vendor provide to you a list of customers currently using their LMS?

#7. Get a Scalable LMS (an LMS thats expandable like your business)
___ Is it a Configurable LMS?
___ Can you customize the interface to reflect your company’s color scheme, logo, branding, etc?
___ Can the LMS automatically generate certificates for end-users with the necessary information?
___ Is it a Customizable LMS?
___ Do you need an LMS with e-commerce automation and integration?
___ Is it a for-profit LMS or a not for profit LMS?
___ Do you need your LMS Integrated with other systems?

#8. Get a Flexible LMS
___ Does the LMS offer online tracking, self-registration, and front-end authentication?

What are the LMS Authoring Capabilities?
___ Can you store different types of media including: .doc, .swf, .html,etc.
___ Is it easy to import existing e-learning content or e-learning materials?

What are the LMS Reporting Capabilities?
___ Can reports prove your LMS training is both effective and cost effective?
___ Can you get easy access to standard reports and export the reports to varied formats like Excel?

#9. Get a well Supported LMS and Secure LMS that is Easy to Implement
___ Will the vendor get you through implementation and successful launch of the LMS system, or are there additional costs involved?
___ What post implementation services are available?
___ What levels of ongoing support are included and what is the cost of those services?
___ Is it email (ticketing system) support, phone support, both or none?
___ Does the Vendor offer System Backups?
___ What about Upgrades? Online Help? What type of training is offered?
Is it a Reliable LMS?
___ Is Reliability and Stability and continuity of LMS service guaranteed?

#10. All that and a bag of chips… Affordability
___ Is it a cost-effective LMS?
___ Is the cost of the LMS within your budget?
___ Is it an affordable LMS (remember to include annual tech support, upgrades, etc)?
___ Does the LMS have things you will never use (but you have to pay for them anyway)?

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The Weblearning E-Learning System is a powerful, budget-friendly, easy-to-use Learning Management System for authoring, managing, and tracking online learning presentations and tests. To try it FREE,  go to the Weblearning LMS Sign-up Form.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 at 11:01 am and is filed under ELearning 101, Weblearning. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.