| When choosing a learning management system, | | | | consumers with a more competitive market. For |
| an easy-to-use UI (User Interface) is the key to | | | | example, smaller product vendors are able to |
| a sustainable online system. Why? With a simple | | | | craft their LMSs and courseware to meet |
| but robust UI, organizations don't have to rely on | | | | consumer needs. |
| IT help to design and deliver courses and training. | | | | A learning management system is a complicated |
| One problem that still troubles the software | | | | tool, but it does not need to be complicated to |
| industry is this: program designers are masters of | | | | use. More and more LMS providers are |
| engineering and programming, but are often not | | | | concentrating on the accessibility in their UI design. |
| fine-tuned to areas such as human behavior and | | | | A simple LMS User Interface should be |
| psychology. Unfortunately, the software industry | | | | user-friendly, straightforward and versatile. It |
| is driven mostly by profits and the ability to offer | | | | should provide instant uploading from |
| users cutting-edge technology. Even when that | | | | spreadsheets and fast reaction times. Simple but |
| technology isn't very user-friendly. | | | | robust course creation tools like text and video, |
| Learning management systems (LMSs) and | | | | quiz, question bank, text and video tools, |
| course creation tools are not excused from this | | | | template, assessment, and SCORM publishing tools |
| phenomenon. While some learning management | | | | are some features that may be included in a |
| systems are extremely well-developed and easy | | | | course creation toolkit. |
| to use, weak and unnecessarily complicated | | | | A simple LMS should also give course creators |
| courseware continues to prevent widespread and | | | | and administrators full power over their courses. |
| effective elearning. | | | | An LMS should also allow course creators to |
| According to an ASTD and eLearning Guild report, | | | | create and brand their own content, making it |
| LMS buyers users expressed not only general | | | | customized for their own purposes and |
| dissatisfaction with the products, but problems like | | | | comfortable for use inside its user cluster. Privacy |
| outrageous prices, the need for IT support, and | | | | is another important factor. A good system |
| integration and customization difficulties. To stress | | | | doesn't require administrators to send invitations, |
| the point, the survey showed that those who | | | | but rather allows access based on a secret code. |
| work on a daily basis with an LMS reported much | | | | Designing and delivering elearning content on a |
| lower satisfaction than the directors and | | | | learning management system need not be a |
| managers who merely receive the results and | | | | complicated or daunting task. Choose an LMS |
| reports. | | | | based on its user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, |
| The good news? The problems the LMS and | | | | and robust tools. |
| elearning industry needs to overcome provide | | | | |