LMS Implementation: 10 Ultimate Steps to Implement an LMS Successfully

With the soaring internet and Wi-Fi services, 77% of U.S.-based companies had already shifted to e-learning by 2017. Then, the unexpected wave of COVID-19 hit the world in 2019, forcing the rest of the world to explore online modes of communication and go for LMS implementation. 

No matter if it’s a corporate organization or an academic facility, the Learning Management System (LMS) has become the cornerstone of learning for all. With 73.8 million LMS users in 2024, 98% of organizations are looking forward to adopting this training system by 2025.

However, this eagerness to shift to LMS doesn’t always ensure successful implementation. Success always comes with careful planning and execution. Here is an exclusive selection of 10 simple yet highly converting steps to make your LMS system a huge hit.

What is Failed LMS Implementation?

According to Finances Official, 67% of organizations have reported failed LMS implementation. Now, it is important to understand what a failed LMS implementation is. It’s not like the system will refuse to get launched; on the contrary, LMS won’t fulfill its objectives when not implemented properly. 

With the idea of a failed LMS implementation, it is easier to understand that it refers to the launch of the learning system with its contents in line with the employee’s interests. This alignment is a crucial factor in the success of an LMS. If you think of it as a library, as it is, the right implementation will require you to build it, organize resources, create a catalog system, train the librarians, and open the library to visitors.  

Source: Market.US Scoop

Importance of the Right LMS System

Before discussing the right LMS implementation strategy, let's consider why it's crucial.

Easy-to-Access Learning Platform

How easy and time-saving it would be to store everything your employees need to learn online.  No more repetitive explanations to each new employee. Instead, you have the time and energy to focus on more strategic tasks, knowing that your team has easy access to all the necessary learning resources.

Comprehensive Learning Center

Your LMS is your repository where you can save all your learning content and make it accessible to users. It includes links, videos, quizzes, tests, and practice sections that help workers build up knowledge and test it at their own pace.

Cost-Effective Strategy

Traditional employee training methods like webinars and workshops were not only time-consuming but also resource-intensive. In contrast, an LMS can serve the same purpose more efficiently with a fixed subscription fee and minor management charges. 

Tracking the Progress

The best part about the right LMS implementation is you can always track your employee's progress with the LMS dashboards. This tracking feature lets you give useful inputs and suggestions to optimize their learning experience.

Source: Research.com

10 Ultimate Steps to Successfully Implement LMS

Here is a 10 LMS implementation steps checklist to help you through the process.

Define your Goals and Objectives

The first step is to sit with your organization's stakeholders and map out the goals you want your LMS to fulfill. 

Ask your employees about their learning challenges so that you can design your LMS to focus specifically on those areas. This may involve listing your organization's pain points and figuring out how an LMS can help. For example, procedural guides will be the cornerstone of your LMS if your workers struggle with operations.

After defining your objectives of LMS, such as improving employee education or increasing sales, set measurable targets to track progress over time. 

Source: FinancesOnline

Choose your Dream Team and Set a Timeline

Once you have planned to integrate a learning management system in your organization, you can't keep it as a side task that gets time only when you are free. The first thing to do is to make a small team that includes technical resources from vendors and your organization. 

It'd be ideal if your team could help you from the beginning, as they could have valuable ideas for implementing a learning management system. The team can also help with the LMS strategy by teaching staff how to use the system, forming KPIs, and tracking milestones. 

Next to choosing a dream team is to develop an LMS implementation timeline that assigns a time window to every task on your checklist. In a 2019 survey, 81% of digital transformation leaders reported failing their projects or significant delays. A thoughtfully crafted timeline will prevent you from facing a similar fate.

Choose the Right LMS

Once you are out in the market, you will encounter many LMS vendors, each promising to provide you with the best. However, each company's objectives are different, and so is the LMS. 

According to The Society of Human Resources Management, one-third of employees struggle to stay focused during training sessions. Therefore, you want a highly interactive system that engages learners through in-course questions and quizzes. 

The second thing to look for in an LMS is the ease of use. You don't want your employees to drain their energy trying to find the proper tutorial from hundreds of in-tab options. Furthermore, ensure that the LMS allows the learners to create their own customized learning plans and move at their own pace. Surprisingly, it sounds like Coursebox; doesn't it?

Plan Your Content

If you have followed all the previous steps, you now have a list of the challenges, aims, and the best LMS at hand. It is the time to plan your content to resonate with your company's needs. Remember, you don't need to load your LMS with dozens of courses. Start with one comprehensive course, then continually expand it. 

Create a course outline, write a compelling script, infographics and use an authoring tool to design the draft course that you can present to subject-matter experts and focus groups for approval. It can be in the form of training videos, read-ups, audio lectures, quizzes, etc. 

No matter what form of e-learning you choose to use, just focus on giving your best. Bring some IT professionals on board to help you smoothly upload data to the LMS, as it's the most susceptible to corruption or loss at this stage. 

Source: FinancesOnline

Set Up and Configure LMS

Setting up LMS is a one-time task that, when done right, can benefit you for years. You'll need human resources equipped with technical skills to make it work. If you don’t have human resources, the best is to go with LMS programs that offer a tech support team with their subscription package. 

Key steps in setting up and configuring your LMS include:

• Synchronizing interactive organization structure.
• Align LMS with the HR system to streamline data migration.
• Assigning admin roles.
• Setting up user profiles.
• Adding logos and changing colors to customize LMS to your brand.
• Explaining the LMS operation to the admin and users.
• Integrating LMS with other interactive platforms, i.e., Zoom, Google Classroom, etc.

Once you have successfully completed this task, you have overcome the most challenging part of LMS implementation. Things will get easier from now on.

Develop a User Adoption Plan

Now, when you have put so much effort into setting up the whole thing, it’s time to make a big splash. What’s the use of such a great system if your entire company is unaware of it? This is why you might need to set up a whole-staff meeting or one last physical workshop. 

Announce the launch of LMS, present the “how-to-use” tutorial to the staff, and highlight the critical points of your LMS system. Nowadays, even the latest tech will help you spread the word. For example, you could use a Zoom meeting, WhatsApp channel, and email to break the news and explain everything. 

It would be great to encourage your employees to download the LMS mobile app, as most of the work has shifted to smartphones and tablets. 

Source: Research.com

Integration with Existing System

This step also requires strong technical skills, as you need to connect LMS to your existing system. For instance, if you have an employee information system (EIS), you won’t want to go around manually entering the EIS data in LMS; it’s time-consuming. This is why integration is important.

Integration of LMS automatically fills the data in LMS without you having to work on it individually. Workers can access LMS and start learning immediately without waiting for manual data entry. It’s just an example, and you can potentially link LMS to any existing system you have—whether it’s related to training or streamlining sales information. It forms an ecosystem where multiple systems work together to ensure data consistency.

Test, Refine, and Shine

You have given your best and finally launched the LMS. Your workers know about it, and the beta group is actively using it to detect any loopholes. Does it sound like you are done with the job? Well, it's not so. It is the time when you will get feedback, including a lot of complaints. Therefore, it is best to have a tech team on hand for a few months after the system's launch. 

Check if the content on LMS runs without interruption, users can easily create profiles, and third-party plugins are working fine. Some errors are bound to surface. However, your vendor, with their expertise, should be able to help you resolve most of them, ensuring a smooth user experience. 

You can also run a trial test by opening the system to a few people who detect bugs and make it ready to be launched for everyone. 

Launch and Deploy

As you have already announced the launch of LMS, your workers must be excited to explore it on their own. So, once you have taken feedback from beta users and refined the LMS, it's time to make a proper launch. 

When it comes to deployment, you have two options. An on-premise deployment requires a higher budget for software maintenance, as your organization will be responsible for managing and maintaining the system. Alternatively, a cloud-based deployment shifts the maintenance responsibility to the vendor, reducing your burden and offering a more cost-effective solution. So choose your option carefully. 

Continuously Update and Expand

Remember, your LMS can face failure even years after the launch if you fail to update and expand the content. New times bring up newer studies and raise the need for updated content. Besides the upgrades and additions of new courses, we recommend that you continuously look for the LMS system updates and try to take advantage of the updated features. They mostly aim at making the user interface simpler, which encourages your workers to take the leap and learn promptly. This is not just a task; it's a continuous process that ensures the relevance and effectiveness of your LMS.

Final Takeaway

Remember, adopting LMS isn’t the last thing; there is always room for improvement, and you can emerge with the best LMS only if you stay true to the purpose and never stop working for it. It may include improving the design, getting feedback, enhancing the layout, offering in-app guidance, and much more.

Choosing a reliable vendor is also crucial, as they can significantly reduce your workload. For instance, Coursebox offers AI-powered training programs designed to meet the demands of today’s modern workplace. It allows you to create assessment sections, quizzes to track the employee's know-how. 

FAQs: LMS Implementation

What is the LMS framework?

LMS is software that integrates with an organization’s database and aims to create, deliver, manage, and track educational content and training programs for employees.

Why implement LMS?

LMS implementation is inevitable if you want an organized way to store and distribute learning courses to your workers. It also helps you track every individual’s progress, ensuring that everyone is on the right path. 

What are the principles of LMS?

Ensure that the LMS:

• Has a simple and clear app layout when designing.
• Supports both the admin and the learners
• Catalyzes their training processes.