Most organizations that are looking for an online learning platform are familiar with the learning management system (LMS), but a more recent — and quickly growing — development is the learning experience platform (LXP).
Both are software used to deliver training to employees, but the difference between the two is often unclear. Indeed, the line is more blurred than ever before, as many platforms in both categories attempt to catch up with the strengths of the other. But each type of platform was developed with a specific focus in mind, and the differences between these two options have to do with the features they focus on.
Many organizations could benefit from choosing an LXP. Here’s why:
LXPs Are Focused on User Experience
LMSs tend to keep the administrator in mind. They have feature-rich back ends that make it easy for administrators to keep track of the learning of thousands of employees spread over many locations and with many different roles. This capability is a priority for many companies, especially organizations that need to focus on compliance and risk management. These businesses use LMSs to ensure that no user lapses on his or her compliance training, which would open up the company to liability issues or fines in the event of a compliance audit.
LXPs, on the other hand, are developed primarily with the user in mind. They focus on building attractive learning spaces with personalized learning suggestions and user-friendly features, like social sharing, to make learning more appealing. LXP providers are interested in helping companies build an organizational learning culture through compelling, individualized content.
There are fewer LXPs with complex administrative tools, but there are plenty that now have at least some of those tools built in. There are also LMSs with beautiful interfaces and personalized learning playlists. It’s important to choose the tool whose features meet your organization’s specific needs.
LXPs Help Build Learning Cultures
If your organization is looking to use eLearning to engage employees with continuous learning in their field, distribute wellness training and other types of personal learning resources, or encourage learners to make a habit of just-in-time learning, the LXP is for you.
LXP features can attract users into incorporating regular learning into their work life. While some training on an LXP may be required, such as compliance training, LXPs are a great delivery system for training that appeals to more intrinsic motivators. They are aesthetically pleasing, are intuitive to use and make suggestions for users to guide their learning with personalized training, helping them discover the full extent of learning resources available to them.
On the other hand, users will abandon a platform that is unpleasant to use except when they have to complete mandatory training. Similarly, if a platform is difficult to explore, users will have a difficult time finding new training and taking advantage of all the platform has to offer.
LXPs Are Simple to Use
Being less feature-rich on the back end, LXPs are typically relatively simple to use for both learners and administrators. This ease of use is appealing for a variety of organizations. Smaller organizations, for example, may not want or need complex administrative features. Organizations with relatively simple training needs may prefer not to learn a complex software tool.
There are also organizations with small or nonexistent learning and development (L&D) teams, and the learning platform needs to be simple enough for a human resources (HR) professional to manage as one of many tasks in his or her role.
Other organizations need a platform that will make it easy to distribute training to external users who might only use the platform once or twice and, therefore, would prefer using a platform without a large learning curve.
All of these types of organizations may find what they’re looking for in an LXP.
LXPs Are the Best Fit for Many Organizations
LXPs came along to meet the needs of organizations looking for friendly, easy-to-learn software to help build their learning cultures and distribute uncomplicated training. While LMSs have advanced in order to compete with LXPs — and vice versa — the LXP market is still the place to start for organizations seeking a platform with these learner-focused traits.
