How Does Your Learning Technology “Stack Up”?

Highlights from Mimeo’s 2019 State of L&D Report

If your organization relies on a Learning Management System (LMS) and nothing else to deploy training, you're not keeping up with today's demand for more nuanced learning. The majority of Learning and Development (L&D) professionals consider LMS as the solution to all their problems. However, since 2016, many trainers say that the use of LMS has gone down by 17%. This shows that LMS is not the only way trainers are using technology in classrooms.

In today’s day and age, the sophisticated training team has a full ecosystem of technologies to design, deploy, track, and measure their learning efforts. This ecosystem represents an organization’s technology and how it impacts both formal and informal learning within that organization.

To find out what technologies are being used, Mimeo surveyed 500+ L&D professionals on how they use software in their day-to-day activities. Here’s a snapshot of their modern learning ecosystem via our 2019 State of L&D Report:

Today, a number of companies are managing to use an LMS. The LMS is an important staple in the learning ecosystem. Many companies still rely on their LMS to plan, implement and assess specific learning courses. But when considering the limitations that come with an LMS, it becomes easy to see why not all companies use one.

Based on findings from State of L&D, we determined that an LMS is not the be all and end all of training technology. In fact, only 47% of companies with fewer than 100 employees use an LMS.

Given that 70% of trainers were using an LMS just a few years ago, this decline has shown how an LMS is just one part of the ecosystem.

Forty six percent of survey respondents use virtual learning delivery systems, such as GoToWebinar, for their training sessions. These systems allow for a quick connection to learners in a virtual classroom, where trainers can create classroom-like experiences in remote settings.

Virtual learning technology is a fundamental part of the ecosystem as it enables aligned virtual training. This instructor-led method offers easy access for attendees and provides the tools necessary to lead an informative session for learners.

A company’s intranet provides a private network for employees, which keeps security tight and allows for easy management of internal communications. Networks like Sharepoint make it easy to distribute training materials to learners. No extra passwords are needed to log in and grab the content learners need.

Forty three percent of survey respondents are currently using an intranet to share training materials internally.

eLearning creation software has become a large part of the L&D Tech Ecosystem. This type of software allows you to build videos or interactive slides that result in elearning modules. 

Currently, 39% of respondents are using eLearning creation tools.

By engaging learners with these tools, trainers are helping them stay prepared.

The creation of videos and presentations is an important part of the tech ecosystem. Software programs like Camtasia and Powtoon let trainers easily record, edit, and share video learning.

What makes video creation great for trainers is the ability to create videos, such as webinars, for their virtual classrooms and offer recordings of those videos for review. Not only does this help learners retain information, but it gives them a visual aid that they can revisit anytime.

These are just a few of the many technologies that high performance training teams depend on to shape their organizations for better success. By developing your learning tech ecosystem, your training programs will rise to meet the needs and demands of your learners!