Implementing LMS: How to Implement a Learning Management System in 2024

A properly integrated LMS can become one of the best changes you can make for your business, school, university, etc. It will structure the materials and give convenient access to them for your students. A learning platform serves as a comprehensive, centralized tool for managing and delivering training, streamlining organizational training processes, and enhancing user engagement.

Statista says 70% of learning and development departments used LMS in 2020. There are many types and many ways to get yourself such a system. But ProCoders says it’s worth the result if you follow some easy rules.

What are they? Read our LMS-themed guide and find out everything about learning management system implementation.

Key takeaways:

• An LMS is a program created to compile, organize, and deliver online education opportunities.
• Businesses that want to improve the skills of their employees, companies that sell software, and educational establishments, as well as organizations considering a new learning platform, can all benefit from an LMS.
• The core features to consider when implementing an LMS are user profile, course catalog, progress-tracking, surveys for assessment, and others.
• The pros of LMS processes include opportunities for social learning, better progress tracking, having all materials in one place, etc. The cons, though, include the need for IT knowledge and longer transition time for teachers and/or managers.
• How to implement an LMS? Identify your goals, hire the right people to develop an LMS for you or choose the right provider, and complete other important steps you can find in this article. Careful planning is essential for successful LMS implementation and integration.
• An LMS supports a cost-effective training strategy by streamlining training management and reducing overall training costs.

What Is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

A Learning Management System, or an LMS, is a program used by businesses, physical and online educational establishments, etc., to deliver learning materials to employees and students.

Within the app, the latter can access the needed courses, organized and delivered through learning modules, learn, pass tests, get a higher proficiency label in the given competence, etc. The LMS enhances the learning experience for users by providing centralized, interactive, and easily accessible training content. LMS platforms are designed to facilitate engaging learning experiences across different settings, ensuring that educational activities are impactful and user-centered.

So, how to implement a learning management system? And how do you know for sure that you need it? Find out further in the article.

Who Needs an LMS Platform?

Businesses that want to educate their employees, companies that want to sell their custom systems, and universities/schools/etc. may benefit from the best practices of implementing LMS. Different learning platforms and LMS platforms offer a range of features to support organizational training, making it easier to deploy employee training programs and meet strategic goals.

They all need various types with different features:

• Corporate LMS contains smoother learning curves and approaches to building teamwork skills. Many LMS solutions are specifically tailored for employee training and compliance training, helping organizations meet industry standards and certification requirements.
• LMS for universities may have larger data capacities and multiple access levels for students of different specialties and their curators.

If you want to develop your own system to monetize it, you can choose either type and add the features you’ll find necessary. As to the list of those, follow to the next section!

Core Features of an LMS to Implement It Successfully

Here we provide an overview of the essential features you need for the strategy of implementing LMS. Managing course content, training content, and educational content within the LMS is crucial for delivering effective online learning and employee training programs.

Essential features include course management, content authoring, and reporting tools. Interactive assessments are also important for engaging learners and tracking progress.

For your MVP, focus on features like course management, content upload, reporting, and user accounts to ensure proper access control and personalization.

Enhanced features can include support for various types of learning content, educational resources, and learning resources to address diverse training needs and improve user engagement.

MVP features

An MVP or a minimum viable product is the most basic version of any software. One of the potential LMS implementation steps is creating an MVP and testing it to see how it performs with your target audience.

Some features you may want to integrate here are:

• A basic user profile – includes one or two demographics and the setup of user accounts, which are essential for fast registration, login, and access control.
• List of courses – a couple of courses to see how they look and if it’s convenient to navigate the list.
• Course structure – update at least one course with a structure.
• Evaluation – create a test for at least one class of the course, using interactive assessments to test learners’ understanding and engagement.
• Notifications – test the feature by adding a couple of notifications about upcoming tests or new classes.

Enhanced Features

When launching a ready-to-use system, you need to complete all of the previous features with data on all of your courses, more demographic info in profiles, progress-tracking, custom notification creation opportunities, a more detailed evaluation process with graphics, etc. It is also essential to manage and distribute learning content, educational resources, and learning resources—such as videos, manuals, and assessments—to support diverse training needs and enhance user engagement.

As to the stand-alone enhanced features, consider:

• Administrator accounts and roles – you may have roles for each demographic with various permissions and access levels to see reports.
• Different spaces for different audiences – some businesses choose to educate both employees and customers, which may require two different domains to provide space for learning without mixing the two course systems.
• Competencies – offer different competencies with several levels of proficiency to get a better idea of the expertise of your students.

With these features, your LMS should become efficient and easy to use. However, there are more considerations when implementing a new LMS, such as its advantages and disadvantages. To launch a successful system, you have to learn how to avoid the latter.

Pros and Cons of LMS to Keep in Mind to Succeed

Who Needs an LMS Platform?

Businesses that want to educate their employees, companies that want to sell their custom systems, and universities/schools/etc. may benefit from the best practices of implementing LMS. Different learning platforms and LMS platforms offer a range of features to support organizational training, making it easier to deploy employee training programs and meet strategic goals.

They all need various types with different features:

• Corporate LMS contains smoother learning curves and approaches to building teamwork skills. Many LMS solutions are specifically tailored for employee training and compliance training, helping organizations meet industry standards and certification requirements.
• LMS for universities may have larger data capacities and multiple access levels for students of different specialties and their curators.

If you want to develop your own system to monetize it, you can choose either type and add the features you’ll find necessary. As to the list of those, follow to the next section!

Core Features of an LMS to Implement It Successfully

Here we provide an overview of the essential features you need for the strategy of implementing LMS. Managing course content, training content, and educational content within the LMS is crucial for delivering effective online learning and employee training programs.

Essential features include course management, content authoring, and reporting tools. Interactive assessments are also important for engaging learners and tracking progress.

For your MVP, focus on features like course management, content upload, reporting, and user accounts to ensure proper access control and personalization.

Enhanced features can include support for various types of learning content, educational resources, and learning resources to address diverse training needs and improve user engagement.

MVP features

An MVP or a minimum viable product is the most basic version of any software. One of the potential LMS implementation steps is creating an MVP and testing it to see how it performs with your target audience.

Some features you may want to integrate here are:

• A basic user profile – includes one or two demographics and the setup of user accounts, which are essential for fast registration, login, and access control.
• List of courses – a couple of courses to see how they look and if it’s convenient to navigate the list.
• Course structure – update at least one course with a structure.
• Evaluation – create a test for at least one class of the course, using interactive assessments to test learners’ understanding and engagement.
• Notifications – test the feature by adding a couple of notifications about upcoming tests or new classes.

Enhanced Features

When launching a ready-to-use system, you need to complete all of the previous features with data on all of your courses, more demographic info in profiles, progress-tracking, custom notification creation opportunities, a more detailed evaluation process with graphics, etc. It is also essential to manage and distribute learning content, educational resources, and learning resources—such as videos, manuals, and assessments—to support diverse training needs and enhance user engagement.

As to the stand-alone enhanced features, consider:

• Administrator accounts and roles – you may have roles for each demographic with various permissions and access levels to see reports.
• Different spaces for different audiences – some businesses choose to educate both employees and customers, which may require two different domains to provide space for learning without mixing the two course systems.
• Competencies – offer different competencies with several levels of proficiency to get a better idea of the expertise of your students.

With these features, your LMS should become efficient and easy to use. However, there are more considerations when implementing a new LMS, such as its advantages and disadvantages. To launch a successful system, you have to learn how to avoid the latter.

Pros and Cons of LMS to Keep in Mind to Succeed

This information will help you find out if you really need an LMS before you start looking for info on costs to hire a website developer for the system and other important questions.

Pros:

• Centralized training resources
• Easy tracking of learner progress
• Scalable for organizations of any size
• Supports a variety of content formats
• Successful implementation of an LMS can lead to improved training outcomes and help organizations achieve their learning goals.

Cons:

• Initial setup can be time-consuming
• Requires ongoing maintenance
• Some users may need extra training
• Challenges associated with LMS deployment, such as planning, integration, and managing timelines, can impact the adoption process.

When considering an LMS, remember that ongoing needs go beyond the initial launch. Providing ongoing support to users is essential to ensure they can effectively use the system and resolve any issues that arise after initial training.

LMS Pros

• All materials in one place – no need to run across departments to get the needed papers, make copies, store them, etc. Access the materials from your phone or PC.
• Lower learning costs – pre-compiled online courses save money on hiring several teachers, renting a place for classes, etc.
• Social learning – collaboration with other users encourages teamwork, which can be useful both for companies and educational establishments.
• Better progress tracking – software allows for more precise progress tracking through surveys at the end of a class or several classes. Visual representation also helps to understand the failing points better.
• Successful implementation – with careful planning, training, and ongoing support, successful implementation of an LMS can lead to improved organizational performance and better training outcomes.

LMS Cons

• Resources – you’ll need to allocate some funds for the development, implementation, and upgrades of the system.
• Upgrades necessary – you will have to upgrade the system, update the courses, and improve the interface regularly to maintain the system’s proper operation and fulfillment of its purpose.
• More manager labor – you’ll need to have managers learn how to use the system and motivate employees to actually use it. This may make them work additional hours, which you’ll have to pay them for.
• LMS deployment challenges – planning and executing LMS deployment can be complex, requiring careful coordination of strategic steps, timelines, and integration with existing systems to ensure successful adoption within your organization.

Just like you would look to hire Defi developers for your financial project, an educational one needs narrow-niche specialists with experience as well. Later in this LMS implementation guide, we’ll cover this topic as well.

But for now, let’s review some of the most well-known LMS at the moment.

Top-Rated Examples of a Learning Management System

Here are some of the most efficient LMS examples to date, according to Forbes:

• Cypher Learning LMS – the easiest to use, includes gamification and certification. It supports customer service training through interactive modules and role-plays. Pricing isn’t disclosed.
• TalentLMS – great for small businesses, also has gamification elements and licensing. It offers targeted customer service training modules. There’s a free version and a paid one for $69 a month.
• Absorb – a good choice for enterprises, includes gamification and certification. Customer service training is available as a use case. The pricing isn’t disclosed, unfortunately.
• D2L Brightspace LMS – a decent choice for educators. The pricing isn’t disclosed, and gamification elements are present, as well as licensing. It can be used for customer service training.
• Blackboard Learn LMS – a good pick for higher education institutions. Gamification and certification are included, and the pricing starts at $9,500 per year. Customer service training modules are supported.

When selecting an LMS provider, it’s important to consider factors such as support, security, and the ability to deliver specialized training, like customer service training, to ensure a long-term partnership.

ProCoders has also had experience with LMS implementation strategy and building such a system from scratch. Many people interested in learning English must have heard about a service called Lingoda.

Several years ago, we worked on a complex service for learning a language. Its main advantage was that all of the materials were already prepared, structured, and uploaded to the server. So, you basically would have full access to the whole English-learning journey in one place by subscribing to Lingoda.

Looking to Implement Your Own LMS into Your Business? ProCoders Are Eager to Use Our Experience in Your Project! Interested in business optimization through custom solutions? Learn how to build logistics and transportation software with our comprehensive guide.

How To Implement an LMS: Steps and Advice for a Successful LMS Implementation Process

The main topic of our LMS guide is how to use the best practices for implementation and succeed. Developing a comprehensive LMS implementation plan, including a detailed LMS implementation project plan and a clear LMS implementation timeline, is essential for a smooth and successful deployment.

At the outset, it is important to focus on identifying training needs, assessing knowledge gaps, and setting specific training goals. This process ensures that your LMS implementation is aligned with business objectives and that your training programs are targeted and effective.

Step 1. Determine your goals

Always start with goal identification. What features and capabilities do you consider for the new LMS?

When setting goals, it is crucial to focus on identifying training needs and knowledge gaps among your employees. Understanding these aspects helps inform content development and ensures your LMS addresses real skill gaps.

Here are some goals you may have

• Retention improvement
• Leadership learning
• Risk management
• Easier employee onboarding
• Engagement increases, etc.

Setting clear training goals and identifying training requirements at this stage will help ensure a successful implementation and measurable outcomes.

You may have one or several objectives. A professional team will ensure the implementation process goes smoothly.

Step 2. Hire the right developers and/or find a provider

Now, this LMS step depends on your time, budget, and goals. If you want to use an existing system, you’ll have to choose a provider. When evaluating different LMS providers, consider their support, security, and ability to be a long-term partner. It’s important to select the best LMS solution that fits your specific needs, such as content management, assessments, and onboarding support. For that, you can use networking and research online. Each platform has its own website with information on the features, as well as contact information if you want to find out more and create a custom plan.

You may also want to optimize LMS-connected processes your own way and build a custom system from scratch. For that, you’ll need a development team. You can hire one in-house, but this will cost you more. It’s also possible to use hiring agencies or freelancers, but there’s no result guarantee.

The optimal choice is to find an outstaffing company like ProCoders, where we can gather a special team for your projects in a couple of days!

Step 3. Assign managers to be involved in the project

Start educating managers as soon as possible with LMS guides to make sure that by the time of launch, you have people fluent with the system specifications. Appointing a dedicated team leader within the LMS implementation team is crucial to coordinate the process, maintain momentum, and ensure smooth progress. A project manager you choose for the ‘mission’ can become the bridge between the technical aspects of the system and your administrators. Involve team leaders to encourage employee participation, announce the LMS launch, and guide staff through the transition to achieve higher engagement and completion rates.

Step 4. Develop an MVP (optional)

If needed, you can develop an MVP. This will help you:

• Find out if the system will work with your teams or students
• Test features and eliminate unnecessary ones
• Get funding when needed through the presentation of the MVP
• Create in-app guidance to help users navigate the new system and support onboarding

ProCoders can build an MVP for you, including all your key considerations for implementation. We have people on board who know perfectly how to approach LMS building and usage.

At this stage, you can detect how the new system aligns with other corporate processes, for example, HR. 

Step 5. Develop the final version, launch, and gather feedback

While your team will take up the last stages of development and implementation, softly prepare your team(s) for the transfer. Make sure everyone completed learning, provide additional information about the system, consider a set of rules, and create a supportive atmosphere.

As you launch the LMS, make sure to gather as much feedback as possible. Use data analysis to evaluate user feedback and identify areas for improvement in the LMS. This will show you where the learning system may use some changes and improvements. Such an approach will help you optimize the processes connected to LMS as soon as possible and release an even better version later. Another important link between you and a successful LMS is a proper dev shop where you can find engineers for a learning system, create e-Learning App, hire Web3 developers, etc. But what is a Dev shop? Let us explain it to you using ProCoders’ example.

Additional Steps

Creating an LMS Implementation Checklist

A well-crafted LMS implementation checklist is the backbone of a successful LMS implementation process. This checklist serves as a roadmap for your LMS implementation team, ensuring that every critical step is addressed and nothing falls through the cracks. Start by clearly defining the goals and objectives for your new learning management system, and identify the target audience that will benefit from the platform. Next, outline the technical requirements needed to support your LMS, including compatibility with existing systems and infrastructure.

Your LMS implementation checklist should include key milestones such as data migration, integration with existing systems, and comprehensive user training. Assign responsibilities to each member of the implementation team and set realistic deadlines for each task. Don’t forget to include steps for testing the system, gathering user feedback, and making necessary adjustments before the official launch. By following a detailed checklist, your organization can streamline the implementation process, minimize disruptions, and set the stage for a successful LMS implementation that meets your learning objectives.

Data Migration and Integration

Data migration and integration are pivotal stages in the LMS implementation process. Migrating data involves transferring all relevant training materials, user profiles, historical records, and other essential content from your previous platforms or databases into the new learning management system. To ensure a smooth transition, the LMS implementation team should collaborate closely with the LMS vendor, leveraging their expertise and data migration support to avoid data loss or inconsistencies that could disrupt the learning process.

Integration with existing systems—such as HR software, CRM platforms, and other enterprise tools—is equally important. Seamless integration allows your new learning management system to communicate with other business applications, providing a unified view of learner progress and supporting broader organizational learning objectives. By prioritizing accurate data migration and robust integration, your implementation team can create a cohesive learning ecosystem that maximizes the value of your LMS and supports ongoing employee development.

Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

Addressing compliance and regulatory requirements is a critical aspect of the LMS implementation process. A successful LMS implementation must ensure that the new platform adheres to all relevant laws and industry standards, such as data privacy regulations (GDPR, HIPAA), accessibility guidelines (Section 508), and any sector-specific compliance mandates. The LMS implementation team should conduct a thorough review of these requirements early in the implementation process and communicate them clearly to the LMS vendor.

It’s essential to verify that the chosen LMS platform offers the necessary features to support compliance, such as secure data storage, user access controls, and an accessible design for all learners. By making compliance a priority, your implementation team can reduce legal risks, protect sensitive information, and ensure that your learning management system is inclusive and secure for every user. This proactive approach lays the foundation for a successful LMS implementation that meets both organizational and regulatory expectations.

Implementation Plan and Project Management

A robust implementation plan and effective project management are essential for a smooth LMS implementation. Begin by outlining the scope of your LMS implementation project, including the timeline, budget, and resource allocation. Assign a dedicated project manager to oversee the process and ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed and engaged at every stage.

Establish clear communication channels and set achievable milestones to track progress throughout the implementation process. Regularly update your implementation team and stakeholders on developments, address any challenges promptly, and adjust the plan as needed to stay on course. By following a structured implementation plan and leveraging strong project management practices, your organization can ensure a seamless transition to the new LMS, minimize disruptions to the learning process, and achieve your desired learning outcomes.

Training and Support

Comprehensive training and ongoing support are vital for a successful LMS implementation. The LMS implementation team should develop tailored training programs for all user groups, including administrators, instructors, and learners. This training should cover essential functions such as course creation, managing training programs, tracking learner progress, and utilizing the full capabilities of the new learning management system.

In addition to initial training, it’s important to provide ongoing support to address user questions and technical issues as they arise. Partner with your LMS vendor to ensure access to helpful resources like user guides, video tutorials, and responsive customer support. By investing in proper training and continuous support, your organization can boost user confidence, drive adoption, and ensure that the LMS effectively supports your organizational learning objectives.

Measuring Success and Evaluation

Evaluating the success of your LMS implementation is crucial to ensure that the platform delivers on your organizational learning objectives. The LMS implementation team should establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) such as user adoption rates, course completion statistics, learner engagement levels, and overall satisfaction. Regularly collect user feedback through surveys and direct input to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Leverage the analytics and reporting features of your learning management system to monitor progress and make data-driven decisions. Continuous evaluation allows your implementation team to refine training programs, enhance user experiences, and ensure that the LMS remains aligned with your evolving organizational goals. By maintaining a feedback loop and focusing on measurable outcomes, you can drive continuous improvement and long-term success with your LMS implementation.

How Can ProCoders Help You with Implementing an LMS?

ProCoders, as a staff augmentation company, can help you choose and implement a learning management system by:

• Providing Discovery Phase services.
  ProCoders Discovery Phase services suit you if you have an idea but need a professional opinion on the time, budget, number of developers you need, and how to approach that idea at all. Our analysis and tech specialists will research your needs and expectations, aligning them with the real-time, money, and staff requirements for the project. As part of this process, we help you develop a detailed LMS implementation project plan and an LMS implementation timeline, ensuring your objectives are clearly defined and aligned with your business goals. As a result, you get those estimates plus a clear plan on what to do next.
• Providing highly skilled developers to complement your team.
  If you already have a tech team but need some help, we may have the right developers waiting for you on the bench. This is usually the case. They are ready to take up the project at any stage, so you can start in 2 days or even less.
• Providing a fully dedicated team to create a project from scratch.
  In case you need a whole team that knows LMS implementation best practices, we can team up the right people for you in a couple of weeks. You can then interview them to see if they are a perfect fit, and the work can start.

There may be more ways ProCoders can help you achieve business goals. Everything depends on the case, and we always look into details first because an individual approach is one of our superpowers.

Conclusion

A learning management system can offer its best practices to improve your corporate culture, employee proficiency level, and revenue. And if you own an educational establishment, learning will become easier for your students.

An LMS has lots of advantages, including social learning, retention, engagement improvement, and learning cost reduction.

Whenever you want to implement an LMS into your business or create a custom one, ProCoders developers are always here, ready to study your corporate goals and build a perfect system.