Learning Management System (LMS)

The world of education changed upside down with the emergence of e-learning. Distance education resources available to all users worldwide erase the barriers between students and educational institutions, making learning universally accessible. 

The good news for private educators and business owners is that they can also join the booming e-learning market with branded products. There is a realm of private courses available to students across the globe, bringing million-dollar revenue to their creators. So, why not try your luck in this lucrative niche? 

But before you start selling an e-course, take our tips for learning management system design. It can guide you smoothly through the design steps, protecting you from the underwater stones of LMS implementation. 

What Is an LMS? 

Let’s start with the basics – LMS definition. The acronym stands for a Learning Management System, which is actually a web platform on which users can access educational materials, view multimedia content, and complete testing. It is an educational product with a unique UI app design and logic, giving users various educational tools and interaction methods. 

Given the fierce competition in the e-learning market, you can secure a good competitive position for yourself if you design your LMS really well. Learners strive for simplicity and interactivity; they like performance rewards and gamification. So, take all these modern UI/UX trends into account, and you will create a winning product. 

Which LMS Type to Choose? 

The choice of an LMS platform is the initial stage of design. You can choose between a hosted and SaaS/cloud LMS, each with specific pros and cons. 

A hosted LMS: 

• The platform gives students or trainees access to educational resources on the program owner’s server. 
• The system has limited outreach in terms of geography, typically limited to a specific company or university. 
• Hosted LMSs are securer as all information is kept on-site and not transferred via the Internet. 

A SaaS/cloud LMS: 

• The LMS is hosted on a cloud server, with users receiving access to it via the Internet. 
• It’s ideal for distance learning, giving students universal access from any corner of the globe. 
• It suits private educational companies because of financial costs and flexibility in use. 

LMS Implementation Steps 

Now that you know what an LMS is and have chosen the hosted or cloud version thereof, it’s time to proceed to its actual development. You need to consider the following issues in this process. 

Set Clear Goals 

Having a concrete LMS idea in mind is very helpful at the start of the development process. You need to know what you want to achieve with your resource. What type of learning do you want to provide? How will it differ from other available options? What will students get from it? 

These questions cannot be answered without thorough user research and demand validation. It makes no sense to develop a complicated and costly product without understanding who will use it. So, engage a skilled researcher and study the market to determine the gaps in product offerings and people’s needs. 

Validate an Idea with Users 

After your rough business idea takes shape, it’s still necessary to put it to the preliminary test. Carry out a survey with a pilot group of users, asking them to comment on your idea and share 10 benefits and 10 minuses they associate with existing LMSs. Incorporate that feedback in your LMS’s design to close the user gaps and meet their unmet needs. 

Work with Professionals 

Now it’s time to proceed to the actual development. Make sure that you hire a team with proven expertise and a relevant tech stack to complete your project. You should have a product manager, a designer, an LMS engineer, and a QA tester in the team at a minimum. Additional staff should include developers with experience in e-learning, training administrators, and IT experts. The number and competence of other staff in the project team depend on your LMS’s complexity and budget. 

Take Administration into Account 

LMS administrators will become its core ambassadors and salespeople upon the platform’s launch. Thus, you need to invest time and effort in training them well. They should know the system inside out, performing all functions without friction. If they learn the LMS’s functionality that well, they’re sure to help other users without a problem. 

Scale for Growth 

Even if you start small, you need to keep growth perspectives in mind. Once your project becomes successful and attracts larger user numbers, you don’t want it to stagnate and collapse because of the overload. So, the LMS infrastructure should be scalable from the onset, giving you flexibility in growth without serious bottlenecks. 

Ensure Flexibility in Content Delivery 

The core factor determining an LMS’s success with users is the quality of the learning experience. Thus, you should never leave this aspect to chance. Ensure that the platform features numerous options for content delivery, fitting various learner kinds and styles. Some students prefer reading a text, while others perceive the materials better in the form of videos or podcasts. You need to provide all those learning tools to attain a good degree of customization. 

Anticipate Bottlenecks 

Upon launch, there will always be some problems, and you need to get ready for them. Take into account the following issues that most companies launching an LMS experience: 

#1 Technical Glitches 

No system works all the time perfectly. Your task is to be ready for all kinds of glitches and bugs, addressing them in real-time to prevent downtime and keep the user experience positive. 

#2 Problems with Customization 

You need to develop a detailed plan for customizing the LMS’s materials and UI so that your users love the resource and stay with it. 

#3 Security Risks 

Security is the most important aspect of LMS functioning, as people store personal and banking information in their profiles. Thus, a security breach or a large-scale hack of the system may result in disastrous consequences for your company and clients. 

#4 Scaling Limitations 

Scaling is hard if you have initially chosen a rigid platform. So, it’s better to opt for flexible SaaS solutions so that your company grows together with your client base.