It's a must-have LMS Implementation Instructions (with printable checklist) --
E-learning and online courses have taken off as students get ready for the long haul of remote working and distance learning spaces. Businesses invest in digital learning devices and platforms that have never before.
JPMorgan Chase is planning to spend $600 million on educating their workforce. Amazon has invested more than $700 million in an upskilling program for its employees. Additionally, PwC is spending $3 billion to train all its employees over the next three or four years.
If you're exploring the possibilities of a more flexible, modern learning management system (LMS) that can provide stimulating learning experiences, then you'll require an LMS implementation plan. This can help you develop the foundation, start, and sustain a successful system.
In this post we'll teach you all you're required to know in order to develop a simplified LMS Implementation plan. like:
- A brief review of what a management system does.
- How to select the right software for your company (with an online guide! )
- Benefits of an LMS Implementation project plan
- Pre-, during, and post-launch actions to prepare for the LMS implementation (with a downloadable launch preparedness checklist! )
What exactly is a learning management system (LMS)?
They are effective tools when used correctly. A LMS can be described as an online learning tool that lets trainers create, upload and manage, disperse, and monitor their online learning initiatives all in one spot. LMS can be used for employee, customer or channel partner training, as well as ongoing learning and lead generation.
Selecting the best fit LMS to your company
If you are looking for LMS partners, you should ask these concerns:
- Will this tool be able to handle our technical requirements?
- Is it flexible enough to fulfill our needs?
- How crucial will customer success be?
- Can it be scaled to keep up with the growth of our business?
- Can it deliver the user experience our students need?
Advantages of an LMS Plan of implementation
The process of selecting an LMS is a feat in and of itself. It takes time, diligence as well as a variety of vendor conversations to identify one that's most suitable for your company's needs. When you've got selected your LMS chosen it's a given that it's important to get your ROI as fast as you can beginning with your comprehensive LMS planning for implementation.
Here are some benefits to creating a project program that can get your system up and running fast:
- It will save you time. When you implement a sound plan, you'll get the new system in operation more quickly than if you just wing it following the purchase. It'll save you time - and , most likely, lots of stress.
- It allows for a smooth Implementation that is seamless. In mapping out your steps for a solid implementation, you're already on the path towards the success you want to achieve. With a detailed plan, you'll be able to account for all the elements necessary to make the most seamless implementation possible - for you and your customers.
- It is easier to generate returns. IBM uncovered a $30 return for every $1 spent on online learning. No matter how small or large, businesses will be looking to quickly reap the ROI for their LMS purchase. One of the fastest methods to do this is to use a the right implementation strategy that creates immediate value for customers.
Pro tip: One of the advantages of our premium planis that you be assigned an personal one-on-one Customer Success Manager (CSM). When you sign the Plus contract, your CSM is there to assist you in achieving your goals as well as act as your primary guide when you use your way through Plus platform. They will work with you to build an elaborate implementation plan, develop a realistic timeline that includes important milestones, and then complete the Launch Preparedness Review in order to make sure you're prepared for success.
16 steps for an easier LMS implementation
Making sure that you have a fresh LMS launched and ready to provide immediate value is no easy deed. But it doesn't have to seem overwhelming.
In a comprehensive LMS rolling-out strategy, you'll have everything needed to lead you through the most critical steps:
- Pre-Launch
- In Launch
- Post-Launch
Pre-Launch Implementation Steps
A seamless LMS implementation starts as soon as you've selected your preferred platform and are in the preliminary launch stage. Here are the steps we suggest for getting your LMS launch on the right track to success.
1. Align your stakeholders
The alignment of your stakeholders is the first step for a reason. Your stakeholder's role could determine the success of your LMS implementation. When aligning your stakeholders, it is crucial to determine:
- Implementation users (your Launch team)
- internal stakeholders (anyone within your company the LMS is designed to offer the value)
- Other stakeholders (any external parties that could affect your plans, such as the LMS Support staff, web instructors, developers or designers, content creators and many more)
from an internal perspective is also crucial to ask managers about any issues with their onboarding process as well as gain an comprehension of their education and development objectives.
After you've identified your key stakeholders and stakeholders, it's time to create your team that will help you create the system of your dreams. You can start by making sure that everyone understands their role. The RACI matrix can be a useful approach to assign roles defining who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and kept informed throughout the entire process of the planning process.
2. Make a timetable (and live by it! )
After identifying your key stakeholders and stakeholders, it's time to establish an effective project timetable that is beneficial for all those involved. A way to achieve this is by working backward from the launch date you'd like to set. Remember that date in mind while also thinking through each major step that you'll have to complete in order to reach your goal and assign the milestones to be completed by a date. Gantt charts can be a visually appealing approach to show your timeline, so that everyone is able to view every milestone until the date of launch.
Pro tip: Make sure that the timelines are compatible with the schedule of everyone involved and ensure that your project isn't in competition with major projects which could divert their attention away.
3. Consider investing in a need for training analysis
A training needs analysis will help you understand the work your LMS has to perform and what gaps it needs to close. By conducting a analysis of your training needs will help you map out what changes your students have in order to shift from the present toward their future goals.
First, you must assess your audience's specific needs based on skill expectations specific to certain groups using an analysis of training needs. For this, you can separate your internal groups into the categories listed below and identify the specific abilities or knowledge that individuals require to be successful within that category:
- Job Role
- Department
- Organizational Niveau
In the next step, you must identify the gaps between the abilities the employees already have as well as the skills they'll require to acquire to get to where they want or need to be. And that gap knowledge can help you develop the content plan to guide your LMS deployment later.
4. Make sure your content is in a row
At this point, you've established your team, set your deadline, and identified the areas of training deficiencies your LMS will be able to fix. You're now ready to create the actual content - which can be integrated in a couple of different ways.
The first step is to upload your current learning materials directly to your LMS platform, allowing you to be started quicker. Here at, we offer the Bulk Importer capability that enables users to upload all your courses' audio, video, and PDF lessons with a simple drag and drop. This makes the course migration process a lot less scary! With a Plus subscription, your dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) can advise on the best way to migrate your course.
You can also create your own course material completely from the ground up. If you're considering this option, we suggest starting by creating a plan of content, and then incorporate the interactive features your new LMS includes - for example, survey, quizzes and discussions boards. But remember, this process is time-consuming, so make sure to carve out enough time dedication in your LMS design and implementation plan as well as schedule.
5. Make sure that your employees are trained on the software
A LMS is an effective learning tool when individuals are aware of how to use the system. So, it's important to ensure your students know how to use and access the software before they can let free.
Make sure you instruct new users on how to login and navigate through the system in order to access their learning materials. It is also a good idea to check with your managers to be sure that they know about the system as well as their roles in managing it. This will help develop their team members.
Pro tip: A simple instruction manual as well as an easily accessible FAQs can help you save many hours of solving basic questions such as "What do I need to know about my login?" or "Which training is the best first?"
6. Do not forget to think about user experience
The user experience is crucial for attracting the attention of your students and getting them excited about using your new LMS. It's crucial to integrate your user experience through the pre-launch phase so that, when it comes to your launch date, you are confident that the platform will be easy to use from beginning to end.
If you're ready to evaluate your user experience, add a beta user and assign them content for training. Be sure that they receive the welcome email and that they don't receive any spam. Log into their account to verify that everything works according to plan and also that they were assigned appropriate training materials.
7. Test, test, and test again
Few things are more frustrating than trying to get the most out of an application, and then finding out there's a problem with the way you wanted it. Which is why we are convinced of the importance of testing prior to launching.
Make sure to check the compatibility of your system while you're in test mode. Test a variety of web browsers such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.
8. Double-check the readiness of your launch
At this final step, you've put in the work, dedication, and time to make sure that you get your LMS on the right track - and are likely anxious to make it available for the general public. However, prior to pressing the "Go" button, you shouldn't hesitate to make sure you double and triple check the system's readiness for launch.
Download The launch preparation checklist for making sure you've got everything you need to start your brand new system.
The Implementation Processes You Need to Take During Your Launch
Now that your LMS is officially created, there are many actions you can follow to keep your system in good condition, so that it is performing to the highest of its abilities.
9. Review your content
With your LMS installation already in progress Now is the best right time to run an audit of your existing content. What additional content or courses are you looking for? Which courses are proving popular? well, and which ones have students having trouble with?
Furthermore, you may take steps to elevate the level of engagement in your classes by layering quizzes, evaluations and certificates that students are able to share widely.
10. Organize your curriculum
While you work on your content plan that is an ongoing process It is also possible to make sure that the structure of your content is on par with your audiences' needs.
In doing so Be sure to examine your courses' categories and sections, as well as your navigation. These ensure that your experience for users is as informative as it is engaging.
11. Individual course review
When you have looked at the bigger picture, you are now able to focus on taking your revisions course in a sequential manner.
Does your course content connect with students and enabling them to succeed in the manner they want? Are there prerequisites to the courses your audiences would find helpful to prepare them for success? Do the courses' completion leaves your audience wanting for more?
These are crucial guidelines to think about while you move your classes higher and make sure your LMS consistently offers the best value.
Pro suggestion: On , you could make course reviews available directly inside your course curriculum to easily gather feedback from students. Or develop a survey lesson type to ask specific questions concerning your curriculum's material.
12. Activate student support channels
Some of your participants will prefer to complete the course on their own. They'll have questions or want to work with other students taking the same course. That's why including student support channels throughout your curriculum is important to keep students interested and enthusiastic.
Those channels could be:
- Discussion forums in which students are able to post queries
- Course admins that can assist with any queries
- Student Communities in which users work together
Discover more ways to enhance your student's experience by clicking here.
13. Make sure your brand is prominent on your site
Customization and branding for courses are excellent tools to connect the students you teach to your organization at every step of the learning process. And, with the right LMS tool, you can customize your course using your own branded themes such as logos, colors and fonts as well as customized user interfaces, navigations headings, footers, and headers which will be a hit with your students. Discover more information about the branding options here.
14. Communicate with your students and teachers.
Making sure that students are engaged after your event is an art form which requires a bit of perseverance and lots of automated assistance. In particular, with students that aren't communicating with them, the better - that's why emails for students and drip campaigns can are huge benefits to an LMS.
Drip campaigns are an effective method of marketing that requires sending an enthralling number of messages to students that are drifting away from the courses. This is a way to get someone back into their education online after they've fallen off.
Instructors also gain from frequent messages, specifically via messages. Through notifications, instructors are able to opt-in to as many messages and notifications as they want. No matter if a leader or new student sign up for a class or there's an upcoming discussion thread - instructors is informed in all time.
Post-Launch Implementation Steps
The post-launch phase of your LMS planning for implementation is an occasion to celebrate! It means you've completed your pre-planning and launched your system - however, the process isn't done yet.
Implementation steps after launch will allow you to remain at the top of your game so you can make the needed improvements to create amazing educational experiences online.
15. Check system use
Examining your system's analytics can tell the world a variety of tales like:
- Who uses your system
- What is the frequency they're making use of it?
- Which are the courses that are most popular and least?
- How are your students developing within your individual classes
- You can use HTML0 to make improvements
There's much more to uncover with data and analytics, but at the heart of it, it can be a good indicator of how successful your LMS implementation was , and also ways to improve the any future versions of it. Learn more about the reporting features of's by clicking here.
16. Request feedback
Though this might be the final step of the LMS design and implementation plan, it's arguably one of the most crucial for the ongoing development of your program and your online learning course. Receiving direct feedback by your users on your system can aid in determining the specifics of what's working, and what's not, and where it's possible to make changes.
No matter your method be sure to inquire. So, you'll are aware of how others perceive the system you have created and its value to them.
Conclusion
As of now, I'm sure that you're aware of what it takes to develop an efficient LMS project that adds true worth to your company. By having a clear strategy, the appropriate team, and the right system, you'll be able within a matter of minutes to implement a system that gets your customers and the company where it wants to become.