There are many different LMS software platforms, each with different functions and features. Depending on what industry you’re in, your needs might lead you to favor one LMS over another. There are different proponents you have to consider when figuring out which LMS best suits your company’s needs.
What Is an LMS?
LMS stands for learning management system. LMS software is used to administer, document, track, report, automate, and deliver online educational courses, training programs, and other learning and development programs. These have been used by businesses – big and small – to train their employees in new skills.
Which Industries Use an Industry-Specific LMS?
An LMS is used for e-learning purposes, but this doesn’t mean that all LMS software is the same. The different industries use LMS in a way that highlights and utilizes features over others. They operate in different ways to help combat industry-related problems and complete objectives effectively.
Education
Ever since the lockdown, the use of LMS in education has skyrocketed. Although it’s been around for years, recently LMS software has been used to polish up online education. LMS software like Moodle was made with education in mind and allows you to customize your course creation.
In the education industry, the goal is performance and grading. To better track this, teachers will utilize discussion posts, quizzes, exams, and track performance to give students a grade at the end of the course.
Charities
For charities, there needs to be a cost-effective way to ensure that the employees and the volunteers are equally knowledgeable of the cause. An LMS is a cost-effective solution to provide training materials to the volunteers.
The training modules can bridge the knowledge gap between the volunteers and workers. This will help the volunteers retain the information in hopes of staying on the team for the long term. This LMS might not have all the bells and whistles of a typical education LMS, but it gets the job done. It serves its purpose and is a cost-friendly solution for nonprofits.
Healthcare
The healthcare industry uses LMS software and it’s essential that they use it effectively and carefully. In healthcare, the training employees go through can mean life or death for patients. They’ll need to access this information frequently and the corporation should be sure that the employees are retaining their training. Plus, they’ll need to stay aware of HIPAA regulations that can affect confidential patient information.
Other common problems that the healthcare industry experiences are staffing and time constraints. An LMS that uses automation and integration features can help with these problems. It can also help employees keep up-to-date with all the changes that happen within the industry.
Local Government
The information given to local government officials is critical. For this reason, they often utilize LMS platforms to record and track all information they train in. They may also use security features such as providing certain security clearances and logins for specific personnel.
Their LMS will be designed to carry out compliance training and will be used to send out this training to individuals across a broad area. The LMS will ensure that different levels of government officials receive the correct compliance training as it relates to their position.
Veterinary
Veterinary medicine requires a certain level of compassion and compliance specific to the industry. It’s important that the business’s LMS is updated with the latest compliance training and the different standards and practices.
Since long shifts are frequent in the veterinary industry, it’s important that employees are able to access their training materials on their own time. If they tried to double their shift with actual work and training, they’ll be less likely to retain the information. For that reason, providing an LMS that’s accessible at home is essential to keeping the employees up-to-date.
Retail
Retail is a busy industry with multiple problems that an LMS can solve. The changing products, seasonal staff, and the need for staff to be present at all times are some of the problems an LMS can address.
An LMS can keep track of any new or seasonal products that may be coming in the upcoming months. This can ensure that employees are aware of any changes and aren’t completely blindsided. The LMS is usually mobile friendly as well, allowing the retail workers to train when they can instead of taking away from their daily tasks.
What To Consider When Looking for an LMS
As it has been established, there are different features that LMSs can provide. It’s up to your company to figure out what features and abilities your LMS should have to meet your needs and perform the job. What are some factors you should take into consideration when searching for your LMS?
User Experience
You want to be sure your users are able to use your LMS effectively and that it serves its purpose. You don’t want your LMS to get in the way of the user’s experience. Instead, you want to make sure your LMS is enhancing the learning experience.
You want to be sure the LMS you choose is easily accessible and usable to the audience. So, if your LMS is for experienced individuals, then you might get away with more complex software since they’ll more likely understand it. However, if your LMS is for training newcomers, you want to be sure your users can use it with little or no problems. If it becomes too complicated, it’ll take away from the learning experience. It’s up to you to know your user base.
Catalog & E-Commerce
If your industry is centered around selling a product or service, you’ll want to have an LMS that has an e-commerce functionality.
This can either happen through the built-in e-commerce features available with some LMS systems or by integration through a third-party e-commerce service. It all depends on your company’s needs and will require additional research on LMS and e-commerce systems.
Learning Courses and Content
You’ll want to figure out what content you want to produce as well as how you want to present the content. There are many different learning models that you can explore and utilize. The type of LMS you use will depend heavily on your content and your learning model.
You want to choose an LMS that provides functionality for:
- Credentials
- Digital badges
- Microlearning
- Social learning
- Program evaluation
Reports and Analytics
One of the most utilized features in any LMS is the reporting feature. You’ll want to track your engagement, your employee’s progress, and any other analytics that you’ll need in the industry. Some LMSs come with included standard reports, but if you have certain reports you’d like to receive, you’d have to be sure your LMS has options to customize your reports.
There might be additional charges to implement specific reports, and some LMSs may not be able to do so. It’s important to do your research and even communicate directly with the LMS providers to be safe.
