LMS Implementation: A 12-Step Project Plan for Success [Comprehensive Guide]

Looking to implement an LMS? Or are you considering replacing an old system with a new one? Either way, you probably need proven LMS implementation strategies to make it an integral part of your current workflow. In this article, we'll go over the basic steps for implementing an LMS to make things easier for you.

What is an LMS?

An LMS is a learning and professional development software solution that enables you to create, manage, and deliver courses and other learning activities. With an LMS, you can organize a distance learning process for both employees and customers/business partners.

An LMS is an engine that consists of two big parts:

1. The server side (backend). This includes the functionality for creating courses, managing data, and ensuring user authentication, i.e. everything that is invisible to students.

2. The client side (front end). This is the outer appearance of the system, consisting of the user interface, the student panel, and the administrator panel.

An LMS can be adopted by any organization - from large international corporations to small and medium-sized businesses to educational institutions where online learning is mandatory. Either way, having an LMS in place makes learning more accessible. It makes the organization less vulnerable to external factors such as the need to work or study online or the rising cost of third-party training delivery services.

What is LMS Implementation?

LMS implementation is a learning management system deployment that involves setting up administrative functions, user accounts, and their settings, and filling the LMS with training materials.

During the training and development platform implementation process, the compliance of this software solution with the organization's training goals is verified. Implementing corporate training software involves a certain sequence of steps, which will be discussed below.

For now, let's take a look at the main reasons why organizations choose to create and deploy an LMS:

• Create a one-stop learning center to consolidate disparate materials and make them available to anyone with access rights;
• Provide professional development for current employees and organize training for new hires at any time and on any topic (e.g., via podcasts);
• Reduce the cost of internal training by shifting the focus from hiring expensive third-party instructors or platforms to an in-house training system, often for a fixed monthly fee;
• Track employee learning progress: no more vague insights, just concrete metrics and results;
• Get a more effective learning environment backed by personalized learning paths for more real-world application of knowledge.

12 Steps to a Successful LMS Implementation in Your Organization

The steps below can serve as a hands-on guide for corporate learning professionals. Those are not set in stone so they can be adapted to your situation and objectives.

Step 1. Decide why you need to implement an LMS

This step is key and determines where the LMS implementation will take you. At this stage, you need to identify all the learning-related pain points that you want to solve with an LMS. These should be clear goals:

• Increase revenue by 30% in three months;
• Cut the time from job posting to hire in half;
• Master new technologies (AI, generative AI) and implement them in the company's workflows, etc.

In addition, you need to understand how the LMS will be used:

• It is a more convenient alternative to Zoom, Google Docs, and similar tools when instead of several disparate tools, you have only one feature-rich tool;
• To regularly and automatically update training materials so that the knowledge gained is relevant and valuable;
• A ready-made set of rules and tests so that you don't have to search for them or build them manually every time;
• A state-of-the-art AI-based tool to personalize or automate the learning process without human intervention, etc.

List the reasons for implementing the LMS and approve this list with all stakeholders.

Step 2. Draft an LMS implementation plan and timeline

A clear action plan will help you stay on track and get the results you need on time. This is your LMS implementation roadmap, covering topics such as:

• Vendor selection;
• Requirements for online training platform setup and use;
• Learning content management mechanisms.

Your eLearning system adoption plan is not just a milestone, but a starting point for the smooth running of subsequent processes because you see what needs to be done next.

Step 3. Put together a unified LMS implementation team

Your team should include both staff from your organization and vendors. Everyone should be on the same page when it comes to the automated training system configuration.

The composition of the team can vary from one all-purpose specialist to a large team with each member responsible for his or her area of expertise:

• Team leader. This is the key person between the company and the LMS vendor. He/she is responsible for keeping the project moving forward and resolving any issues that arise.
• Project manager. Responsible for ensuring that all tasks are completed on time and correctly before moving on to the next task.
• E-learning expert. This person knows the main models, platforms, and learning schemes, and is therefore responsible for setting up the LMS.
• E-learning administrator. This specialist explains what features and system configurations are required. The LMS administrator is responsible for ensuring compliance, managing user profiles, and generating and comparing reports.
• IT architect. He or she is responsible for all IT tasks that may arise during the data migration, such as security management, implementation of the integration solution, system configuration, authentication of system elements, etc.

Your team has the following responsibilities:

• Develop an LMS implementation strategy.
• Provide staff and administrators with an overview of the system.
• Consider a mechanism for extending the LMS with additional options.
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Create learning content, set up user profiles, customize analytics and reports, make the LMS accessible from mobile devices, etc.

Whatever LMS integration methods are in place, deployment should be by agreed-upon steps.

Step 4: Conduct a learning needs assessment

Before building an LMS or implementing an off-the-shelf system, you need to understand the specific learning needs of your people. To do that, do the following:

• Ask employees, managers, and all stakeholders to identify any current learning or skills gaps, and any challenges that need to be addressed.
• Consider whether you need to scale the LMS;
• Figure out how to ensure the system is mobile-friendly, and consider employees' personal preferences for using such learning tools.

By considering your current training needs, the LMS you choose is more likely to meet your needs now and in the long term.

Step 5: Compare LMSs out there to find the best fit

Take your time with your LMS implementation. Find out which LMSs are currently available and proven to be effective, study their functionality, customization, and scalability options, and consult with technical experts about how easy or difficult it might be to integrate them into your existing processes and systems. It's worth trying a demo version of the LMS to test the waters at minimal cost.

Step 6. Map out a data migration plan

The process of learning management system deployment is all about the starting point. If you are moving from spreadsheets or an existing learning platform to an LMS, you need to have a clear understanding of how you will migrate data to the new system. Start with this:

• Agree with your team on what content needs to be migrated and what records don't need to be kept.
• Consult with your IT outsourcing team on how best to integrate the LMS with your other tools, such as HR systems, LXP platforms, LAP systems, CRM systems, etc.
• Work in a coordinated manner to avoid losing valuable data.

Step 7. Do the migration

This stage involves migrating the data and course structure. There may be incompatibilities between the old and new versions of the LMS.

Divide the data migration into several stages to avoid potential difficulties or data loss:

• Migrate a small sample of data and test it to ensure that the migration program works properly.
• Migrate the rest of the data.
• Before you make the LMS available for use, you should migrate any additional data that may have arisen after the full migration.

Work with your legal department to ensure that you comply with data retention policies during the migration. You should also consider any courses that have special rules.

What the data to be migrated might look like:

• User data - both from the HR system and the previous version of the LMS.
• Software, including standards for academic institutions, non-profit organizations, government compliance, and SCORM.
• Course data: titles, metadata tags, schedules, etc.
• Transcript data that tracks users' progress and completion of courses.

Step 8. Integrate your LMS with your other systems and tools

As you learned in the previous step, it is common for an LMS to integrate with other software to access, share, and update data. Now it's time to put the integration to work. Here are the most important integration solutions:

• User data and profile management solutions;
• Single sign-on (SSO) platforms for employees who use different software solutions to access the system;
• LMS portals with hyperlinks to go to any page, or APIs that allow technicians to publish LMS data to portals;
• Enterprise Search. This is a platform that provides access to LMS content through other course-related enterprise solutions;
• Accounting solutions, credit card processing systems, and other software solutions.

Step 9. Create training content as well as your very first course

Start by creating a simple course. Your task at this stage is to determine whether the LMS is properly configured for remote learning and whether the features available are sufficient to meet your learning goals.

Here's a rough outline of how to create your first trial course:

• Identify the subject matter and audience for the course.
• Gather information that will form the core of the course content.
• Design the course outline, the mechanics of delivery, and ways to test student knowledge.
• Create a course using the features available.
• Test it with a small focus group of users, gather feedback, and make changes to the course accordingly.
• Improve the course with each iteration.
• See how the course runs on students' smartphones.
• Make the final course available to the entire target audience.

The first pilot course will highlight any shortcomings and allow you to address them.

Step 10. Train users to utilize the LMS

Users of the implemented LMS can be anyone from administrators and managers to end users and business executives. Training on how to use the LMS should be organized according to the user's role:

• Employees need to know how to use the LMS on the web and on mobile devices to learn on the go.
• Administrators need to be able to create courses, upload content, and manage the learning process.
• Executives need to know what to look for to understand the cost-effectiveness of the LMS and training program.

Host webinars and create how-to guides to provide comprehensive, up-to-date training to all categories of users.

Step 11. Launch your LMS

Once the LMS is ready to go live, it's time to share the good news through all team communication channels. This event should be a major milestone. Along with the launch of the LMS, emphasize its capabilities and value to all users. Since the ability to stay current and grow professionally is a priority for employees, be sure to emphasize this. Gamification of learning and additional opportunities for learners can also be beneficial.

Step 12. Track LMS and training effectiveness, collect feedback, and continuously improve the process

Once an LMS is up and running, you need to constantly monitor how it is being used. This is true for both learning metrics and the overall operation of the LMS. Analyze the following metrics:

• Percentage of courses started and completed;
• User engagement;
• Number of users who completed the course and passed interim tests;
• Employee feedback on the implemented LMS.

Ensure that content is updated with more and more relevant data, that there is no difficulty in understanding how to use the system, and that the system is performing as expected.

Also, develop a culture of continuous learning. What does this mean? An LMS provides the necessary conditions for knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer collaboration. Therefore, the program should be accessible from any device, and tasks should be completed as quickly as possible to avoid wasting the time of users (customers, partners). Make sure this is the case.

Keeping an eye on the quality of your LMS will ensure that it remains a valuable tool for learning and development.

Benefits of Implementing a Learning Management System

Some of the LMS benefits include the following:

Cost-effective employee training

Employees can learn online at their own pace and at any time, which reduces the costs that could have been spent on traditional training.

Continuous learning process

With all the necessary training materials in one place, an LMS provides a continuous learning process that requires little to no human input.

Streamlined onboarding

An LMS automates onboarding tasks by providing new hires with immediate access to key materials such as job descriptions, policies, and career opportunities, thus saving time for your key employees.

Faster problem resolution

Employees can quickly find solutions to work-related problems because they have access to the relevant data in LMS. All of this streamlines workflows.

Centralized knowledge accumulation and sharing

The LMS collects and centralizes valuable knowledge, making it accessible to employees of all generations and facilitating professional development in line with industry trends.

Remote learning gets accessible and easy

You can rest assured that your employees are on track with their training: no matter where they are or what's going on in the world, your employees are still learning.

An LMS adapts to diverse learning environments

An LMS is a tool that provides continuous education and modernizes the learning process in schools and universities.

Next, we'll look at the LMS implementation plan and basic steps for implementing an LMS so that the process of integrating an LMS into your processes is both smooth and hassle-free.

Tips for LMS Implementation

Here are the things to consider before implementing an LMS.

Align business objectives with technical aspects

An LMS implementation should be aligned with business goals and objectives in advance. How do you balance the need for an LMS with business objectives? The first step is to ensure that the money invested in training will increase the average cost of a transaction, increase revenue, or improve the quality of customer service. Then metrics come into play.

Link learning metrics to business KPIs

You should define in advance a list of metrics that indicate the skills and knowledge of employees/students contributing to the organization's profit. Instead of being a cost item, the LMS should become a profit point. That's why an important aspect of LMS implementation is to establish a procedure for reconciling training data with productivity data.

Focus beyond just the technology

The people involved in the learning process must also have the necessary skills in video presentation, storytelling, and microcontent strategies. They need to be able to combine different types of learning and have the skills to engage the community. With all these skills and knowledge, stakeholders can achieve results that meet business objectives.

Don't see implementation as the end goal

In today's world, a culture of continuous learning is being cultivated. A variety of LMSs should serve this purpose. Implementing the LMS is only half the battle. The next step is to ensure the best conditions for continuous learning and to improve the interaction with the LMS.

6 Things to Avoid During LMS implementation

There are certain things to avoid when implementing an LMS. The most common ones are discussed below.

1. Having superficial or lack of user training

Without thorough training on how to use your LMS, your employees may have difficulty using it. These difficulties can lead to reduced productivity and delayed results in both work and learning. Ensure that all users - administrators, learners, and everyone involved - are properly trained on how to use the LMS successfully.

2. Making the system too complicated

A simple system will increase learner satisfaction and engagement. Conversely, the more sophisticated an LMS, the more difficult it is for users to navigate. Keep it simple. Your job is to provide users with a user-friendly interface, easy navigation, and a streamlined learning journey.

3. Ignoring user needs and feedback

To ensure that your LMS implementation is as effective as expected, consider the needs and feedback of your end users (learners, administrators, and instructors) and the organization as a whole. The worst case scenario is to ignore user feedback. These should be gathered before the LMS is implemented and reviewed as the LMS is used to keep up with real-world usage scenarios. Feedback also matters. Collect regular feedback on the performance of the system or the quality of the course/training material. This is the only way to make training effective.

4. Haste in the process of the implementation

Don't rush your LMS implementation, because rushing can lead to costly mistakes. Instead, it's better to follow the proven path - from planning and testing to incorporating user feedback. It's the only way to avoid unpleasant surprises, a damaged reputation, and constant budget infusions for improvements.

5. Skipping integration phase

An unpleasant surprise awaits those who skip the stage of figuring out how the LMS to be implemented will integrate with existing systems. Such a rush can lead to data dispersion and overall inefficiency in the implementation of a digital learning system. You need to figure out from the outset how the LMS will integrate with all the other platforms and tools used in your organization.

6. Ignoring the need for long-term LMS support and updates

Implementing an LMS is just the beginning. Then comes the most exciting part of the game, when you need to update the software, expand its functionality, and make your system more effective for continuous learning. And because technology does not stand still, you will have to do this without fail. Be prepared for this.

How to Create an LMS Implementation Project Plan

To create an LMS implementation project plan, you need to see a rough map of the journey from an initial concept to a fully functional system.

Below you can learn how to create an effective plan for your LMS implementation strategy:

1. Define the purpose of the plan and the list of actions and things it should cover (overall goals of the LMS implementation, user base, business goals, etc.).

2. Get input from all parties beforehand. That way, you'll be sure that the plan reflects both the organization's priorities and the users' needs.

3. Break the project into phases. This may include training on how to use the LMS, setup, testing, and go-live. Be sure to describe the tasks associated with each stage. Important: Define how the phases are interconnected.

4. Determine the time frame for each phase of the project. Remember to allow for unforeseen circumstances.

5. List all the resources you may need. This includes money, technology, expertise, third parties, etc. Make sure they are all available.

6. Consider and list any contingencies or costs that may arise during the implementation and customization of the learning platform.

7. Structure the plan to ensure that stakeholders do not have different interpretations of its items and subitems.

8. Discuss the plan with all team members to add to it, adjust it, and ultimately create the most comprehensive LMS implementation plan possible.

How to Implement an LMS in Your Company

By now, you know what the key stages of an LMS implementation plan are. Now let's take a look at a checklist for implementing an LMS in your organization.

• Be clear about what you want from an LMS and what budget you have for its implementation.
• Think about what kind of specialists you need on your team. This may include not only IT and training specialists but also business analysts, HR representatives, accountants, marketers, etc. Or conversely, you may only need 1-2 specialists, thus saving you money.
• Decide which LMS to implement. You can build an LMS from scratch or go the other way and use an off-the-shelf solution that requires customization.
• Consider integration and scalability, as well as the vendor's terms for long-term support and system updates.
• Prepare for data migration by collecting, categorizing, cleaning, and labeling data. All data must be consistent and current.
• Include content in a variety of formats in your LMS, such as e-books, videos, text, images, online lectures, and more.
• Be ready to adapt the LMS to different learning styles, such as linear, self-paced, tutor-led, etc.

How can DDI Development Help You Successfully Implement an LMS?

Implementing a well-designed and effective LMS is no walk in the park. In this case, it's best to enlist the help of experienced professionals. When you are ready to transform your organization's learning and need a proven solution to avoid headaches, turn to IT outsourcing services. The DDI development team is ready to help you with reliable on-demand web and mobile development services.

We don't just have experience. That experience helps us properly calculate the time and budget required for LMS implementation. This means you get numbers that are close to reality and thus avoid unpleasant surprises during and after the LMS deployment.

We understand how difficult it can be to integrate new technology into established business processes. That's why our team provides comprehensive training and support throughout the implementation process and beyond. With our support, you will get not just an implemented LMS, but well-established processes for successful corporate training for years to come.

Bottom line

A well-designed and implemented LMS solves the most common corporate training problems. As a result, you get:

• Remote learning, accessible from any device and any location;
• Centralized training with best practices;
• Harmonized modules and learner assessment schemes;
• An easy way to learn with innovative methods and techniques.

However, it is worth mentioning that implementing an LMS is only part of the way to rolling out eLearning in your organization. This is the most tedious stage, as it requires increased attention to detail to ensure proper data migration and correct operation of the system in the future. Good technical and system knowledge and skills are required to set up the system. Not every company can handle the proper web and mobile development and subsequent customization of a learning system on its own.

With experience in LXP/LMS development, the DDI development team is ready to cooperate with you and is ready to provide you with the best solution you need.

FAQ

How can I create an LMS implementation strategy?

You need to analyze your current learning strategy, the data to be migrated, the budget and time available, and define the learning objectives you want to achieve by implementing an LMS.

What are the best practices for LMS implementation?

Best practices can look like this. Clearly define the training objectives, involve all stakeholders in discussing the LMS implementation, select the appropriate LMS, create trial courses, conduct a series of tests, train all employees to use the LMS, and maintain the system to improve it and correct errors.

How can we measure the success of onboarding eLearning and LMS implementation?

You need to have clear KPIs from the beginning of your LMS implementation. These should include tracking learner/employee engagement, course completion rates, midterm and final grades, user feedback, and how employee productivity has changed in their workplace.

How long does it take to implement an LMS?

There is no standard answer to this question. The time it takes to implement an LMS depends on the size of the team and the experience of the specialists involved. Experience shows that it takes between 4 and 16 weeks to implement an LMS.

What is the cost of an LMS implementation?

The cost of implementing an LMS is not constant, as it includes initial and ongoing costs. On average, costs vary widely, from $5,000 to $50,000 or more, depending on the type of LMS, features added, user base, customization, and extra services such as user training, content creation, upgrades, or LMS support.

How do I get the most out of my LMS?

To use an LMS effectively, all stakeholders (end-users, administrators, and management) must be trained to leverage it. It is also better to use only the necessary features at the beginning of the journey with the LMS to avoid complicating the learning process.

Where can I find an LMS implementation team?

Look for IT outsourcing services from teams operating in markets with competitive prices and a communication culture similar to yours. Poland may be such a destination. If you need a specific team of experienced professionals, contact DDI Development.