Over the last few years the number of students enrolled in online courses has been steadily increasing. In fact, the number of learners who use online courses is predicted to rise to the 57 million mark in 2027.

A few companies want to be ahead of the game; JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to spend 600 million on training its workforce through digital platforms. Amazon is investing over $700 million to provide on-line training to employees and PwC has set aside $3 billion on professional development for employees over the next three years.

Companies use online learning in order to help retain employees, increase company performance, and to keep employees engaged. But to achieve these goals you must choose the right learning management software (LMS) to suit your needs. Anyone who wants to develop efficient online courses need to find an LMS which lets you have a flexible, effective, and impactful distribution of online-based training material.

This step-by-step LMS implementation guide will assist users transition to a flexible remote, accessible platform effortlessly. The guide covers LMS guidelines for implementation and includes how you can:

• A analyze your business' needs
• Choose the right LMS
• Make for your team
• Make a implementation plan
• Configure your LMS
• Examine your courses
• Train LMS users
• Migrate your data
• Provide ongoing technical support

  But first of all ask yourself, what exactly do you mean by an LMS?  

Skip ahead:

•    An introduction to the learning management systems
•    Understanding LMS implementation
•    Pre-implementation prep
•    LMS implementation procedures
•    Best practices for an effective LMS implementation
•    Download your LMS implementation checklist
•    FAQ

Introduction to Learning Management systems

Trainers make use of an LMS to host their library of instructional materials. Additionally, they're able to track student progress as well. Numerous organizations utilize LMS systems in the following methods:

• Earnings are generated through the sale of products for online learning, such as classes
• Customer training/education to increase customer satisfaction and engage
• employee training that encourages continuous development in the company
• Lead generation to attract and retain potential and new customers via the use of content marketing

Understanding LMS implementation

LMS implementation is the process to set up an online learning platform within an organisation. It is essential that the implementation be compatible with both the organizational requirements and objectives for learning. Here are some common considerations:

• Pre-implementation plans: this includes an assessment of the needs of your business selecting the appropriate LMS, and assembling your Implementation team
• Running your LMS implementation it starts by setting up the LMS and migrating data conducting tests on the digital product and training users
• Utilizing LMS Implementation best practices: these will guide communication within the organization as well as data migration and integration along with the onboarding process and customer support

In the process of integrating an LMS in a complicated context, several challenges will inevitably present themselves. Being prepared for these issues prior to the time of implementation can allow organizations to efficiently tackle these issues. Some of the more common problems are resistance from the organization to change, managers feeling scared by technology advancements and doubt about the benefits of using an LMS. With the right communication, training, and LMS implementation strategy put in place, a lot problems can be avoided or quickly addressed when they do arise.

This LMS implementation guide should support the process every step of the way -- beginning with a few key considerations that you should be aware of before you begin the process of implementation.

Pre-implementation pre-implementation

Prior to beginning your LMS installation, it's a good idea to do some pre-implementation preparation. Looking ahead and proceeding with cautiousness will help ensure you have a seamless implementation journey after you've chosen the appropriate platform.

Evaluate the requirements of your business

Your first step in preparatory phase is to evaluate your organization's needs. Know what goals you intend to achieve through implementing the LMS. Can this tool assist to train employees? Lead generation? B2B training? Determining the goal of the system can make the remainder of the process much easier.

Organizations must understand why they are using an LMS to begin with, what it requires to achieve, and which gaps must be closed. Knowing this background will help to map out the transformation of your students and determine how they will transition from their present reality towards their ideal future. When you've determined the optimal learning outcomes, you'll be able to develop content that is effective at the moment it's needed.

In this first step, you'll also want examine your existing procedures and methods so that you can properly integrate these to your LMS. Think about how you will evaluate the effectiveness of the LMS implementation. What are your criteria for determining success? What kinds of data will you be analyzing? This is a crucial question to answer when understanding the needs of your business.

Select the appropriate LMS

When you are ready to choose the right LMS to your company begin by assessing the goals of your business. Here are a few concerns you should ask prior to your LMS introduction process:

• Does this LMS tool fulfill the technical specifications?
• Does it have enough flexibility to meet current needs?
• Is this tool capable to scale as your business grows?
• Does this tool provide the best user experience to students?
• Does the tool make it easy to use?

Form your team for implementation

It's now time to create your implementation team. The first step is to engage your stakeholder; with proper guidance the stakeholders you have will help you to successfully implement your LMS.

A strong implementation team will draw from three distinct teams:

• Implementation stakeholders (the launch team)
• Stakeholders within the internal system (those who the LMS is designed to assist)
• External stakeholders (outside entities that could have an impact on your plans, for example your LMS support team teachers, web developers as well as content creators and also designers)

When you assign different duties and roles to the various participants, your team can become multi-functional. In order to ensure that the team is able to connect effortlessly, set up communications channels using a digital tool (like Slack or your project managing tool of choice). So that all communications will be handled in a single location. This crucial measure will help maintain a record of decisions to avoid duplicate or miscommunication as well as facilitate a seamless LMS installation process moving forward.

LMS implementation steps

Once you've gotten clear of what's required for your pre-implementation preparation It's now time to implement.

By following this LMS introduction guide, you can expect to smoothly transition to your LMS and get your whole team fully on board.

Develop a launch plan

After you've got all your ducks in a row throughout the initial phase It's now time to create the actual plan of implementation. It's time to create a thorough project management plan, including clear deadlines.

To determine a realistic timeframe The first step to decide is your launch date. After that, go backwards defining the key milestones required for achieving that objective. Set each milestone with a timeframe. This helps to keep your employees accountable, as well as break down tasks into manageable pieces. A clear timeline will assist you in setting a realistic budget and allocate the necessary tools to ensure that everything will happen.

A detailed strategy will help you to stay committed to your objectives, remain on task, and achieve your desired outcomes.

Setting up your LMS

Once your strategy is in place, you're ready to set up your LMS.

In this stage you'll have to accomplish two specific tasks:

• Customize your settings and permissions Then, you'll need to alter the LMS settings and permissions for your particular use. This involves defining and modifying the roles assigned to different users. In particular, certain employees in your organization -- such as instructors, managers, or writers of content may require access to administrative functions.
• Integrate your LMS to existing systems: If you choose Plus for your LMS, then you can seamlessly integrate it with other platforms you utilize provided that they're capable of working with your platform. Examples of systems that are compatible include ActiveCampaign, ClickFunnels, Salesforce, ThriveCart, Zapier, Google as well as Klaviyo. These can all be smoothly connected to Plus. You can also choose from over 100+ apps on the App Store to customize your LMS depending on your specific needs.

Test your knowledge

A crucial step throughout the LMS introduction process is conducting a test course can assist you in identifying errors within your course, technical issues, and how you can enhance your user experience. This process will allow you to eliminate any issues.

To test the online course before you launch, there are several options:

• Perform system testing: Ensure that every single piece of content uploaded to your site was uploaded properly
• Ensure functionality and usability Conduct tests in several web browsers to verify that everything functions properly. It's also a good idea to check all the interactive components, such as quizzes, surveys, and even questionnaires.
• Examine course material: Request to have a second (and perhaps a third or fourth) set of eyes to look over your course content. By carefully reviewing your learning material, you'll be able to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with goals of learning. Also, this is your chance to correct broken links, identify the missing content after migration, and clean up any formatting errors.
• Address and resolve issues: Count on your LMS support staff for difficulties you can't handle by yourself.

Train users

Before you implement your LMS, you'll want to be sure that you've instructed your students how to utilize the system. For this, locate a way to brief each new user on how to log in and navigate around the system. It is important for every student to easily access the course's content and learn content. Additionally, those who will be running your LMS will also need to be trained properly, so they understand the system and their role in its management.

It is possible to teach the LMS users in a variety of methods:

• Create and conduct training sessions. These can be one-time training sessions or a series. Learning within the LMS should be fun and interesting, so users remember the content and are comfortable using the software.
• Provide ongoing support and resources Support and resources for your users on a regular basis. This is helpful especially when your LMS goes through technological changes as well as if the content delivery shifts over time.
• Increase user engagement and increase acceptance: Maybe your company offers incentives to encourage employees to study the LMS? It could be a great way to encourage involvement and the adoption of the system.

A simple training manual as well as a quick and easy FAQ will make it easier to save time answering basic questions like "what do I log in with?" or "which training module should I complete first?"

Guidelines for a successful LMS implementation

The process of getting a brand new LMS launched and ready to deliver immediate value isn't an easy task. However, the process shouldn't need to feel daunting. If you want to have a successful LMS implementation, think about the following top methods.

Communication and management of changes communication

Many organizations find managing changes can be a difficult process. The process of innovation often causes fears, anxiety and fear. To ease these hesitations and fears, organizations need to have a plan on how they will navigate changes and increase communication. Here are a few actions to consider in the planning process:

• Make a change-management plan: We recommend defining the key strategies, actions and the necessary resources for a successful transition.
• Effective communication strategies are developed: Make sure everyone in your company is at the same level by creating regular communication. Think about introducing a channel for communication (like Slack) or a discussion platform that allows team members to easily talk to each other.
• Be prepared for resistance. People within your business may not be able to accept the new LMS and it is important to address these fears face-to-face. Acknowledge how people feel, explain the advantages of adopting the new LMS. Share how it will impact their work and company a whole. If they are still resistant after that, consider providing further training and support.

Data migration and integration

Once you've created your content you can add it to Your LMS.

If you've already written content, consider making use of a Bulk Importer which enables you to upload all of your course's video, audio, and PDF lessons using a drag and drop.

If you're on a Plus plan the Customer Success Manager (CSM) can advise on the best plan for your custom migration and also. If you're writing your documents from scratch, you can easily integrate certain of the interactive features an LMS includes: quizzes surveys, discussion boards, and discussion forums like Communities. Implementing interactive elements can be a time-consuming process and requires you to make time to do the task.

The next step is to connect the LMS in your business's HR department as well as other platforms. This crucial step should result in a smooth data flow, broad automation, and streamlined processes between different departments.

In order to maintain your information's integrity and security while moving to an LMS be sure that you've backed up all your files prior to the migration. It's also a good idea to secure sensitive data throughout the migration process, to protect it from unauthorized access. It is also important to know the structure of your data and what formats are that are required by your LMS to map the data transfer process in accordance with.

User onboarding and support

In the course of the process of creating your online course Your students might require assistance. Here are a few ways to establish a successful support system:

• Make user onboarding tools Make sure your students have accessible materials that answer the most frequently asked questions regarding making use of the LMS. Answers that are clearly explained and ready to use can help them feel more confident when using the LMS platform.
• Offer ongoing technical assistance Be sure your students are able to access technical assistance whenever they require it. You might consider assigning a manager to be the primary contact for them.
• Inviting feedback from users and continual improvement: Solicit and welcome feedback from users on their thoughts, worries and general feedback to continuously optimize your online product to make it as effective as is possible.

Download your LMS Implementation Guide as well as your Project Plan

After you're familiar with how to facilitate LMS implementation, it's time to get started.

An organized program reduces stress and helps keep you on task while also making your work easier to manage.

We've created an LMS implementation checklist, so you are able to navigate the procedure as easily as feasible. The checklist addresses all the essential aspects of your LMS installation. Use it to outline your educational objectives important tasks, projects milestones, course content, and extra sources.

We hope that this LMS Implementation guideline was useful. Keep in mind that your online course are unique for your business, however adhering to this LMS introduction guide can help you implement best practices to ensure a a successful learning journey.

FAQ:

    Q: What exactly is LMS implementation?    

LMS implementation involves creating a learning management system in an organisation.

    Q: What makes a well-planned implementation important for An LMS?    

Planning is an essential aspect in LMS implementation. For an easy online learning experience it is suggested that you first create a pre-implementation plan. This would comprise an analysis of the needs of your company and a strategy for selecting the right LMS and clearly defined role for the implementation team. Next, it's recommended that you plan out the LMS phases of implementation, which include configuring the LMS as well as migrating the data checking the product's digital capabilities, and training users.

    Q What are the most important actions to be taken in LMS Implementation?    

The main steps when implementing LMS implementation are as follows:

• Plan a pre-implementation strategy:
• Evaluate the requirements of your business
• Select the correct LMS
• Create your implementation team
• Perform LMS implementation steps:
• Develop a launch plan
• Set up your LMS
• Test your knowledge
• Train users
• Apply LMS Implementation best practices to:
• Management of change and communications
• Data migration and integration
• Onboarding of the user and assistance

    What is the best way to do I ensure smooth user acceptance in the course of implementing?    

For the successful LMS deployment the smooth adoption of users is crucial. This is accomplished through:

• Communicating clearly the reason and the benefits of using an LMS Ask, "what's in it for your audience?" Describe how it can improve the quality of their lives.
• Training users on how to utilize the LMS: While some people may be resistant to changes, scared of the technology or unsure of the system itself, negative sentiments are likely to fade once they have a better understanding of the LMS. With the help of training sessions and continuous support, users should be able to approach the LMS without hesitation.
• Feedback is welcome: Let users know that the organization is willing to hear employees' and students' feedback, questions and complaints. The message that they are valued to the organization will encourage them better integrate the LMS.
• Promoting a culture of learning: Help users adopt a growth-oriented, positive mentality, and provide ongoing learning opportunities, and ensure that they receive the direction and support needed to thrive.

    Q: Where can I find more resources and help in LMS implementation?    

Reach out to the LMS Support team. If you select Plus, you'll be able to benefit from our personal Customer Success team comprised of team members who are specifically experienced in helping you to implement and establish your LMS within your company.