Roadmap for creating a Learner-Centric LMS

Learning management systems have evolved over the last decade from their initial administrative purpose of managing learners to the all-encompassing purpose of managing learning. This shift entails the LMS to take up diverse responsibilities – content development, content delivery, learner evaluations and assessments, creating digital repositories, providing an interactive platform for collaborative learning and much more. To successfully deliver as per expectations, LMSs are moving away from a course-centric focus to a definite learner-centric approach.

• Keeping it simple: A simple and familiar structure gets the learner to interact more with the system and hence utilize it to the fullest. So it is a good move to create the user interface in line with existing learning systems that the learner is familiar with. Also, embellishing the UI with multiple features unnecessarily clutters the interface. For many learners, a basic set of features is often enough to cater to their learning needs. For more evolved learners, design strategies like floating panels successfully declutter the UI to impart visual appeal as well as increase ease of use.
• Easy integration: An LMS is put into place to make the learning process easier. It should then align and integrate with existing systems, to decrease the time and effort lost to change management. For instance the e-Learning courses installed in WiZDOM – our proprietary LMS – can be accessed by any third-party SCORM-compliant LMS using an application programming interface or other proprietary technologies, with no need to upload the course in different systems. Our clients are already using this feature to seamlessly distribute content to learners diverse learning platforms. On the one hand, as the LMS owner, they have complete control on the content and its consumption. On the other hand, the learners do not have to migrate to a new platform to access the learning content, which saves precious time as well as money.
• Easily accessibility: The learner should also be able to access the LMS, at all times, as per the need. Mobile devices have made it possible for the learner to ‘learn-on-the-go’. Availability of the Internet has also made it possible for the learner to access the LMS from anywhere. However, when internet connectivity is limited, the learner should also be able to access content in the offline mode. So, whether it is on the desktop, laptop or smartphone, online or offline – the LMS should be accessible to provide learning assistance without any perceptible difference in the quality of experience. Accessibility should also remain steady with increase in the number of learners accessing the system at a time. To make the LMS learner-friendly, it is critical to ensure accessibility through a robust architecture that supports concurrent traffic from multiple learners and flexibility that allows the LMS to be experienced on multiple delivery devices.
• On demand: The LMS delivers e-Learning content to the learner and tracks the learner’s course. For the learner, the LMS becomes truly beneficial when, in addition to presenting a set of courses, it also creates an avenue for the learner to ‘demand’ what he or she needs to complete the learning experience. Searchable directories built into the LMS prove to be extremely useful for learners, who can then look for reference material, quizzes, assignments, discussions or even audio-visuals on a particular subject. Trainers and instructors can keep uploading relevant material for the learners, who can browse through them to choose what is relevant for them. In addition to creating more impact, this process of on-demand learning on the LMS creates a sense of self-sufficiency and accomplishment for the corporate learner.
• Choice of content: For most learners, especially in the corporate scenario, learning is not a one-off event that is undertaken at equal intervals. It is a continuous process, as per the need of the learner. To increase learner interest, e-courses are broken down into modules and small nuggets of information that the learner can access as per the requirement. While the whole course can be completed as per the time-schedule of the learner, the modular structure of the course ensures that learners can refresh parts of it from time to time – without reading through the entire course content.
• Utilizing Feedback: Most organizations conduct focus group sessions on usability and functionality before deploying an LMS. The learning from these exercises should directly flow into structuring the LMS as per the needs of the learner. Once deployed, regular feedback from end users on design as well as usability of the LMS should be gathered to maximize visual appeal and functionality.

The learner-centric approach to designing an LMS ensures that the learner benefits the most from the system. By increasing learner satisfaction with the LMS, the quality of learning improves manifold and, with that, the LMS delivers on its promise of a positive ROI.