Mobile LMS for Corporate Training: Responsive Design, Mobile App, or Both?

With technological advancement, most of the industry verticals are deploying mobile platforms to promote learning at the point of need. Modern organizations have come a long way with the utilization of smartphones, tablets, phablets, and other personalized mobile devices.

As per the research by Strategy Analytics Report, the global mobile workforce is expected to rise from 1.45 billion in 2016 to 1.87 billion in 2022, accounting for approximately 42.5% of the total workforce. The scope of delivering effective e-learning solutions through robust mobile Learning Management Systems (LMS) serves as a viable solution to provide learning- anytime and anywhere.

Today, mobile learning is not merely an add-on, but crucial for successful corporate training delivery. There are two essential strategies which can be adopted while using a mobile LMS to meet different training needs of globally dispersed learners. These include:

Responsive LMS

A responsive LMS signifies a powerful learning platform which imparts learning on multiple mobile devices with different screen sizes. It is specifically designed for desktops but works seamlessly for other mobile devices including laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Responsive design ensures that learners can access different training courses on the device of their choice, resume from where they left, track their progress, and more. Outlined below are the significant features of an efficient, responsive LMS:

• A simply-designed and easy-to-navigate user interface for different mobile devices allow learners to access relevant information, without wasting time zooming in or out, scrolling content, and more.
• Images and fonts used in the courses are optimized in a way that their size can be adjusted according to the screen of the mobile device.
• A logical design is adapted so that learners can easily follow the personalized learning paths as per their convenience of time and location.
• Responsively designed LMS allows modern learners to undergo training anytime, anywhere, and on any device. For instance, learners can participate in simulation-based training on their mobile device, instead of waiting to get access to a desktop. So, this results in the delivery of just-in-time learning, with enhanced levels of learner engagement and knowledge retention.

While responsive LMS is about delivering the same content on any mobile device, apps are designed to utilize the flexibility of handheld devices for a wholly enriched experience. Mobile apps are the tools accessible on smartphones and tablets by tapping on the icon. Outlined below are the significant features of a robust mobile learning app:

• Apps are designed explicitly for mobile devices, keeping in mind the increasing usage of personalized smartphones and tablets. The interface of apps is perfect for those who are mostly on the go and prefer navigating information on a smaller screen.
• Latest mobile learning apps are created for both Android and iOS platforms, allowing learners to access information at the moment of need, without any hassle of going anywhere.
• Mobile apps also support push notification feature to update learners on upcoming sessions, mandatory training to be completed, and more.
• The most important benefit of modern learning apps is the freedom to access training content, online as well as offline. Learners can easily install the app on their mobile device, download the training content, and access it at their own pace, when offline.

Responsive Design or Mobile Apps: What Would You Choose?

Both mobile apps and responsive LMS have their advantages. So, it is crucial for organizations to choose between the two, ensuring the right kind of training content is delivered to the right group of learners. This decision depends upon varied business needs and other factors including:

• What are the learning needs of different employees?
• What kind of mobile devices are used- smartphone, laptop, or tablet?
• What features of mobile learning platform help to boost the overall learning uptake?
• What is the expected ROI (Return on Investment) from either of the approaches?

Organizations can even choose both mobile apps as well as responsive LMS, depending on the custom training needs of individuals. Today, mobile technology is evolving in every industry vertical, and the utilization of mobile devices is on the all-time rise. Therefore, when it comes to improving workforce engagement, knowledge retention, and overall business sales, organizations adopt mobile learning approach to impart information in the hands of learners, whenever and wherever required.