Today’s fast-growing organizations require a robust LMS (Learning Management System). An LMS helps you train your workforce more efficiently.
However, in order to experience the true benefits of having a learning management system, you need to select one that is suited to your organization’s unique training needs.
If you’re considering investing in an LMS for your company, testing the LMS using the free trial is a great way to assess and test the software before actually making a purchase.
An LMS, once you purchase it, will be used by a variety of departments and thus, individuals. Therefore, it is essential to expend the effort and time to evaluate the system with different employees.
A typical LMS offers features such as quizzes, forums, discussion boards, certificates of completion, and much more. However, the way these features are made available in the user interface is different for each LMS. Moreover, there may be some LMS that offer additional features that go beyond the standard offerings within the industry.
So how would you analyze LMS during the trial period and understand whether it is right for you or not? We have mentioned below a couple of tips for assessing the relevance and utility of a Learning Management System when you sign up for a free trial.
Log Into the LMS
The first thing you should do after signing up for a free trial is to log into your learning management system. This is where you’ll access all your dashboard. Once you have uploaded the training material or other training assets, you will be able to view and control them from the dashboard.
To log in, you’ll need to enter your username and password. You should log into your LMS as many times as you can during the free trial period. This will not only help you determine whether the LMS is user-friendly and suitable for your needs, but it will also reveal if any bugs exist.
Add Resources
Add resources to your course. Resources are items that learners can access while they are taking your course. Examples of resources include documents, presentations, quizzes, surveys, links, videos, and assignments.
Here, try to ascertain if adding these resources and accessing them is easy and straightforward. You want to avoid getting a learning management system that involves a learning curve simply to use the features it offers.
Set Up Notifications
Set up email notifications so that you receive an email whenever someone makes changes to your course content. You can even send notifications to your employees and set up reminders to complete the course before the deadline, etc.
Perform the Test with Multiple Users
Testing is the most important tread in checking the functionality of your LMS. Feedback from people who use the platform daily will help you make an informed business-wise decision.
Access the Admin Panel
Access the admin panel to get acquainted with it. Ensure you have the right to use all the options you require. Make sure you check the functionality and new features. Now is the time to test the new features or functionality on your LMS.
Identify Your Goals
Be as specific as you can be about what you would like from your LMS. This will help you narrow your search and help you make any commitments before signing for a subscription. Defining your goals will help you understand and meet your requirements in ways other software cannot. Many businesses use the free trial period to check the functionality and performance of an LMS.
Check Technical Support
Ensure you are provided technical assistance throughout your trial phase. A lot of LMSs provide full-time support via live chat, email, or phone. Testing the promptness and quality of support is one of the most critical steps that you must take while evaluating your learning management system.
Integration Options
Check how many integrations the LMS offers. Ideally, you should look for an LMS that integrates seamlessly with all the tools that your business uses.
How would you decide if an LMS is right for your business?
Do You Want to Manage Your Employees’ Learning?
If you want to manage your employee’s learning then you should consider using an LMS. There are many different types of LMSs, but they all share some common features. They allow you to share lessons, quizzes, assignments, tests, and reports. They also let you add multimedia files, documents, and links. Finally, learning management systems offer analytics tools to help you understand what your learners are doing.
Can You Afford to Pay for an LMS?
The cost of an LMS varies depending on the type of plan you choose. A basic plan will obviously cost you less than a premium plan, which may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month. The good news is, that most learning management systems will only charge you for the number of learners you onboard on the platform.
This means, that if you have a relatively small business and team, you can expect to pay much less than your bigger competitors for access to the same set of features.
Is it Flexible Enough?
The best LMSs are highly customizable. They allow you to add modules that suit your specific needs. For example, some LMSs offer a module that allows you to create custom forms for your employees. Others let you customize your employees’ learning paths, and some even integrate with social media platforms, allowing users or employees to share their achievements within their social circles.
Can it Scale?
If you plan to hire hundreds of employees in the future, then you’ll want an LMS that scales well. The best LMSs are scalable. They can grow with you and your company without breaking the bank.
How Much Time do You Have to Invest in Learning the Ins and Outs of the Program?
The longer you spend learning the ins and outs, the better off you will be. There are many features that you might not even realize exist until after you’ve invested some time into using the program.
Conclusion
We recommend testing the functionality of the LMS thoroughly before committing. Use the free trial to build a better understanding of the features of the software. The tips mentioned above can help you make the most of your free trial.