When it comes to launching a custom Learning Management System (LMS), many organizations that orchestrate the LMS look at the backbone features to determine if an LMS will correspond with their goals. For example, educators and companies examine if the LMS is mobile-friendly, and also includes pricing and reporting options. These key factors can determine a purchase or partnership with the LMS provider.
However, the success of your LMS is reliant on user experience. User experience (UX) will determine if the training content is retained by your audience. Additionally, it will positively feed those statistics at the end of any training course.
With many LMS platforms, custom content generation is assured. Organizations can use templates, logos, and information with a white label LMS to create the desired look and design that delivers specified educational materials. But ensuring an exceptional user experience is much more than an attractive layout that is well-branded. From LMS multi-tenant options to navigation and ease of use, here’s what you need to know about maximizing user experience in your LMS.
What Factors Influence User Experience?
A good user experience boils down to exceptional features designed to be intuitive so that end-users become accustomed to the LMS easily without additional instruction.
This involves four primary factors.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is a multi-faceted quality that entails how accessible this interface is to the end user.
- Can multiple users access the LMS at once without speed issues?
- Does this design and functionality translate to all devices, from cell phones to desktop monitors
- Does the end user have to download multiple software or apps to access the LMS?
A great user experience begins with an LMS that is easy to access, regardless of the end user’s technical skill set.
Simple and Intuitive Design
A great example of a simplified and intuitive design is Google’s homepage. Even if you have never used Google, you can likely figure out that by typing in your search query. Google will do the rest. In an LMS, a simple and intuitive design translates to launching, accessing, and navigating through any courses or educational materials with minimal instruction. You want your end-users to focus on the material within the LMS and not on trying to figure out how to complete any training or courses within the platform.
Consistent Layout
Having a consistent layout is important for two reasons. For one thing, it identifies a custom learning management system as a certain company’s product, which helps with both brand recognition and brand loyalty, if a company is looking for multiple partners and businesses to utilize their specific LMS. But when it comes to user experience, a consistent layout is essential as it helps with the overall intuitiveness of the material.
For example, if you have “next” and “back” buttons at the bottom of one of your pages, these buttons should be applied to all pages. If your multiple-choice questions are in multiple sections, these questions should all function the same way (radio options, checkbox options, etc.) instead of being in different formats and designs. Consistency is key, as it increases the predictability of the platform and, in turn, increases end-user engagement.
Accessibility
Beyond ensuring your LMS is easy to access and navigate, you also want to make sure it can cater to end users of all varieties. For example, you should include assistance in reading for visually impaired learners, ADHD-friendly features, color adjustments, and screen reader features for blind people, and other facets that are designed to cater to end-users with varying disabilities or special needs.
The Importance of Multi-tenant LMS
One factor to consider when partnering with an LMS is multi-tenancy. A multi-tenancy is essentially a mode of operation of software where multiple independent instances of one or more applications operate in a shared environment. In other words, a single example of a software application serves multiple tenants – or end users – at once.
An excellent way to understand multi-tenant LMS is to think of a building. With a single-tenant environments, each user owns the entire building, including all the interior facilities and spaces. In multi-tenant environments, each user is a tenant and holds a specific part of the building, which only they can access and use.
In an LMS setting, this translates to personalization. Not all your end users will likely need to access the same features of your LMS, so multi-tenancy allows them to access the information that is pertinent to them alone without having access to the entire system. This leads to personalized and intuitive learning. Additionally, it gives organizations more freedom in sharing materials that are only essential to a specific set of end users.
Benefits of a Positive User Experience in Custom Learning Management System
A positive user experience has multiple benefits, which start with user satisfaction, information retention, and a strong ROI. Users can naturally retain more information if the LMS interface is easy to access and use, intuitive throughout, and is interactive and personalized. This makes a better experience across the board.
For a company that distributes platforms and materials, this also gives the organization a strong reputation. It also helps bolster the positive statistics that eventually lead to new clients, customers, and partnerships.
Embrace the Power of Custom Learning Management System with KMI Learning
KMI is miles outside the box of a standard LMS provider. Instead, we work with every one of our clients one-on-one to create truly customized LMS solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients. Our multiple case studies show firsthand exactly how we tailor our LMS to perfectly suit different situations and environments. We’re always ready to tackle the next challenge, regardless of how you need your LMS to inform and educate your end users.
Let’s start a conversation about your unique needs, current challenges and how you can take your organization to new heights of success. With KMI Learning in the background providing you with the solutions you require to thrive and grow, you can rest assured that your end-user experience will always be positive.
