Seven Must-Have Features in a Learning Management System
Companies and organizations are always in need of ways of training their new personnel and retraining their already existing staff. At the moment, the current trend for doing so is learning management software. At its best, LMS software provides employers, employees, trainers, and trainees alike with a platform that can be used to ensure everyone is on the same page. That said, not all software and website creation programs are created equal, and that’s true of LMS as well. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at seven of the most important qualities to look for when considering an LMS.
1. Data Encryption and Security
First and foremost, you need to make sure that the data you and your trainees put on and collect from the site is secured from any potential hackers. It is thus of the utmost importance that the learning management software you use has the latest security systems to protect your data. End to end encryption is used by software systems and chat logs alike to help secure messages, which can be especially important for making sure conversations between users and evaluators remain private.
2. User-Friendly Interface
No one is going to be able to learn anything with your learning management software if the interface is so frustrating and inaccessible as to be unusable. That’s why the best software and websites – for LMS and otherwise – are designed with a user-friendly interface. These setups are designed to be intuitive, so even if you have never used the site or software before, it should be easy to use.
3. Analytics and Assessment Tools
What good is taking tests and conducting evaluations if you can’t glean any data from this? The point of learning management software is to not just teach skills to trainees but to get data as to how well they are learning, where they are struggling, and what you can do about it. That’s why the best LMS options offer analytics and assessment tools to allow you to analyze answers to questionnaires and help you determine the strengths and weaknesses of each user.
4. Customization Options
Every website is different, and needs to be designed according to its users’ specific needs. That’s why the best LMS software options out there offer a wide range of customization options, allowing you to change everything from the interface to the content itself.
5. Social Learning and Interaction Interface
Few things have had a greater impact on the world in the past couple of decades than social media and, more broadly, the ability to communicate online via email and online messaging systems. That’s why the best learning management software systems feature chat and messaging systems so students, teachers, and evaluators can all talk to each other. These systems can also sometimes allow you to share results on social media, further connecting the software and website to the world at large.
6. Certification Options
One of the big purposes of taking these kinds of tests and evaluations is to receive a certification that can officially clear or qualify you for a certain task or job. Learning management software can be programmed to test people for these qualifications and give them a certification upon successful completion of a programme.
7. Mobile-Friendly Design
More of us are on the go than ever before, and so it should come as no surprise that we are also more glued to our phones than ever. For many, it is their primary way of interacting with the online world, which in turn means those designing online spaces such as learning management software need to make their platforms mobile-friendly.
Each of these features are essential for a good LMS and are included in the best programmes and packages.
