In the course of a career in learning and development (L&D), you make mistakes, learn from those previous errors and make better decisions going forward. This article is a culmination of a 40-year career in L&D, specifically focused on the selection and implementation of nine separate learning management systems (LMS) for various companies in various industries.

As head of learning at a health care organization, my most recent implementation of an LMS was the first time my company implemented and deployed a digital learning platform. I had to balance the need to transform in-person learning to a more scalable digital approach while ensuring our LMS met strict industry compliance requirements. Learning leaders reading this might be faced with myriad similar challenges. In this piece, I will outline a 12-step process to guide other learning leaders who are adopting their first LMS.

1.     Select your training platform/LMS

Most organizations that are setting up a first-time LMS will be very cautious, with a limited budget and limited resources available within the human resources (HR) department to get an LMS up and running.  If you are in this situation, do not rely solely on polished product demos that make new learning technology seem easy to implement. While they may look good on paper, there might be hidden costs associated with getting the vendor’s help when that “seamless” launch goes awry.

When reviewing providers, look for features like:

• Easy course creation
• Intuitive and easy to use platform
• The ability to upload individual custom data on all your participants for robust customized reporting
• Automated reminders for staff who need a nudge to complete the training

Finally, the cost per employee is by far the best way to evaluate different vendors. These are all important aspects of a successful LMS selection.

2.     Develop a branded image for your content/curriculum

Brainstorm with your marketing department on a logo that represents your brand and builds excitement for the platform launch. From that approved branded image, create your presentation templates, correspondence letterhead and certificate of completion.

3.     Continuing education (CE) certification

If your organization’s training is governed by continuing education requirements for the industry you are in, know the basic requirements to be approved for online CE credits. Study those requirements well and adhere to them in every course you create by creating templates that faculty will follow. This will save you valuable time when applying and reapplying for certification.

4.     Start building your basic training modules that will apply to all employees

Orientation-related topics with an annual requirement are a good place to start, such as the employee handbook, compliance, safety, cybersecurity and sensitivity and inclusion are all good examples that apply to everyone. When you have these fundamental courses built, the launch of the LMS platform won’t overwhelm your staff, and it will be the training opportunity to get staff accustomed to the new system.

In building all courses, some fundamental “rules of engagement” are as follows:

• Keep the course 30 minutes or less. If the topic is extensive, separate it into several parts or independent training modules.
• Have knowledge checks after every major topic, and give people feedback on the right answer before a retake of the question.
• Always have a final quiz.
• You must always have a course critique to get final credit; read those critiques regularly and update the training content.

5.     Launch the platform

Ensure that when you upload your entire staff into the system, the system will also allow you to upload customized fields that can be used to create tailored, relevant reports.

6.     Track progress

Follow people’s progress and report to management by department. The ability to create customized, departmental reports is a critical element. Early adoption is very important. This is also a good time to highlight the movers and shakers who quickly embrace the LMS.

Don’t forget those people who are not computer savvy; you can easily overwhelm and lose them. That’s why it is so important to find an LMS that is intuitive and easy to use. If you can find a system that offers a phone application, that would be even better!

7.     Recruit subject matter experts (SMEs)

Use SMEs as faculty to help create job-related content. The lead LMS administrator should know the platform well and be able to guide SMEs in creating future courses. This will accelerate the launch of additional content to keep the program alive.

8.     Organize your curriculum library

This is for easy search and analysis of content areas. A good example is very similar to a college curriculum setup.

Every new hire throughout a career goes through the same levels of training as illustrated above. The top three levels also indicate where senior managers and leaders can give back to the company by volunteering to help create content for these levels as SMEs.

Basic orientation and onboarding courses, which are the first modules introduced to your employees, will be at the 000 Level. As you build out additional required coursework, give people time to complete all required courses and deepen their knowledge over time.

An example curriculum could look like:

• 000 Level: Employee handbook (30 minutes)
• 100 Level: Technical skills training — Systems training for platforms such as automatic data processing (ADP) or the company human resources information system (HRIS). Knowing how to set up email and Microsoft products is considered a technical skill to do your job effectively. This level can also be divided into sub-categories. For example, a course at the 101 Level might be Clinical Skills for a Dental Office or Medical Office.
• 200 Level: Management skills training
• 300 Level: Leadership skills training
• 400 Level: Mentorship skills
• 500 Level: Role-specific skills training
• 600 to 900 Level: Place content into these additional categories that do not necessarily fall under the first six levels, such as compliance-related training, company meeting recordings and messaging.

1.     Work with faculty to build courses

Be the SME on presenting skills and the use of your LMS platform. Continue to recruit faculty and find a way to reward and recognize these volunteers. If you are a skilled course creator, avoid becoming the voice of your LMS; have a variety of people present.

2.      Make the content enjoyable to view

Be creative, don’t be a “talking head” who kills engagement with death by PowerPoint. (Hint: Don’t just use PowerPoint.)

3.      Build out your library curriculum

Launch each coursework with an internal PR campaign. You must continually remind people that the LMS is a career resource. Example: Open up management and leadership courses for anyone in the company to take, and make course completion a voluntary incentive for people who want to advance with the company into management or leadership roles.

4.      Celebrate the successes across departments and teams

By connecting with your company departments and staff regularly, you can show staff what excellent engagement is all about. If you have a budget, give out prizes and hold contests to get people engaged. Be sure to announce new volunteer faculty and inform their supervisors of the work they are doing. The LMS you choose should have a gamification system that awards points for individual participation and ranking.

Follow this 12-step process and pay attention to the minimum features you need for an effective LMS selection and launch. This will dramatically lower your stress and increase your productivity as you launch your first LMS for the company!