Today, face-to-face and on-the-job training are increasingly being supplemented with online training. It’s no wonder then that the global LMS industry alone is expected to be worth US$38 billion by 2027.

Thinking about the LMS industry at large helps you to understand that LMS vendors are part of a thriving, growing and expanding market. For them, this means there’s more competition they have to cut through. For buyers, it means more choice, innovation and quality.

This fast-growing industry makes it incredibly important to determine what your organisation and learners truly need in an LMS solution. This can be achieved by asking questions that ensure a solution meets your criteria and leaves no room for misinterpretation of your needs.

Before you start asking questions, you need to consider your position, aka what type of buyer you are. Knowing your position gives you the power to decide if a solution will actually meet your needs. Likely, you fall into one of two categories.

• First-time buyer: Research is key here. A first timer will need to develop a thorough understanding of course content, integrations, LMS administration and future reporting requirements. They’ll also need to consider costs, customer support, training, maintenance and vendor development timeframes.
• Switcher: These buyers have been through it all before. They’re likely changing due to price, features, functionalities and/or support issues. Hindsight is on their side, and they may openly admit it was their initial LMS research that failed them. Switchers need to consider brand vs reputation, stakeholders vs decision-makers and support vs vendor relationships.

Once you know your industry and your position, it’s time to take that knowledge and ask the right questions for your organisation in the buying process:

• Why do we need an LMS? Pinpoint exactly what is wrong with your current L&D, employee training and/or professional development that flags the need for an LMS (or a new one). An LMS might just be a band aid fix or the complete wrong solution.
• What is our budget? LMS pricing can change greatly from vendor to vendor. Consider the price you can afford to pay now and the price you’ll be able to afford in the future. Determine the value you expect from your investment. At first glance, much of the value will be intangible as most benefits are experienced over time.
• Who are our learners? Understanding the different users in an LMS environment will help you implement a system that is best suited for them. Consider their motivations, day-to-day, current capabilities, job role and learning purpose.
• Who will be responsible for admin? Your vendor is responsible for maintenance, not management. Dedicating one or more people in your organisation to ensuring learning materials and system functionality are supporting your goals is core to the success of implementation.
• What kind of access do we need? This is all about where and how you want learners to be able to access the system. The best answer is anytime, anywhere. Consider location, devices and the login system. Limiting access to the LMS will directly impact engagement.
• Is our user base going to grow? One of the key benefits and most attractive traits of the LMS is its ability to scale. Cloud-based systems are built to support vertical growth. An LMS that can’t scale is going to cost you time, money and resources in the long run. You need to consider how much you expect your users, courses and administrators to grow in the future.
• Which LMS features are essential for our training needs? This is the big one to consider. It will impact and be impacted by your budget, as well as what your learners need. Understand how features such as tracking & reporting, integrations and customisation will affect your eLearning solution. Ask if a feature will support learning goals, benefit stakeholders and how much extra it’s going to cost.

For a more in-depth look at the questions to ask before talking to LMS vendors, have a read of the full article.