LMS Implementation: Timeline And Key Steps

LMS Implementation: Timeline And Key Steps

Summary:
To make the LMS an integral part of the training processes in your company, you need a solid implementation strategy. Rome wasn't built in a day, so be prepared to invest some time and resources in this integration period.

How To Set An LMS Implementation Timeline That Works For Your Business

To ensure that LMS implementation goes smoothly and the platform brings tangible benefits to your organization, we've prepared this step-by-step guide with a projected timeline and the resources you'll need for each stage, from setting goals and deploying the LMS to measuring training effectiveness.

eBook ReleaseA Deep-Dive Guide To Making An LMS Really Work For Your Business
Whether you're new to LMSs or want to get more out of your current platform, this guide will help you make your investment worthwhile.

Download the eBook

Preliminary Steps: Your Whats And Whys

Before you launch your LMS, establish clear goals, needs, and expectations. That way, you'll know exactly what results you want to achieve with LMS implementation.

Step 1: Set Your Training Goals

• Projected time: 1–2 days
• Who to involve: Key stakeholders

As with any results-driven project, start by asking department managers and executives which business metrics you need to improve through training. Be precise and use SMART goals: make sure you set measurable, time-bound goals that are relevant to your company's growth.

Non-specific training goal	SMART training goal
Increase sales.	Increase sales revenue by 20% within the next six months by providing comprehensive training to the sales team on product features and effective selling techniques.

These goals will help you map out a targeted training strategy where every training module and activity is designed to address specific business needs and drive measurable improvements.

Step 2: Define Your Training Needs

• Projected time: 1–2 weeks
• Who to involve: Your future learners

While training goals are directly related to business results, training needs are about learners. Ask your future trainees what knowledge and skills they currently lack or would like to enhance.

Pro-tip: When you collect feedback from your employees, make the training needs survey anonymous. This will encourage candid feedback that provides you with a more accurate understanding of their training needs.

Example: You found out that many of our customer service reps have mentioned they're struggling with tough customer questions and managing conflicts smoothly. To address this skill gap, you can introduce conflict resolution workshops and role-playing exercises to practice handling customer complaints.

Step 3: Prepare The LMS Deployment Plan And Timeline

• Projected time: 1–2 days
• Who to involve: IT team, HR, L&D, and training managers

Outline your LMS implementation plan. It will serve as a blueprint to guide every stage of the process and give your senior managers a clear idea of the steps involved, the resources required, and the timeline for achieving successful integration.

Create your own LMS implementation plan using the steps 4−8 below.

Step 4 (Optional): Put Together An Implementation Team

• Projected time: 1–2 days
• Who to involve: Project manager, IT team, HR, L&D, training managers, department leaders

Let's be honest: not every company can spare a dedicated implementation team. Often, one person does most of the work, or the team consists of existing staff without online training expertise.

If you can't bring in dedicated eLearning specialists, you can still launch an LMS effectively. Assemble a core group focusing on these three roles:

• LMS admin: responsible for setting up and maintaining the LMS, managing user accounts, and ensuring that the system runs smoothly.
• Support agent: knows the LMS well and can help users with questions on the effective use of the LMS.
• eLearning content creator: develops training materials (courses, quizzes, and multimedia content) for effective learning experiences.

Expert Insight If you don't have a tech-savvy team member who has experience with LMSs to lead the implementation process, don't worry. Choose a user-friendly LMS from a vendor that provides robust tech assistance to guide you through setup and offer ongoing support. iSpring Learn is a good example—the platform is extremely intuitive, and the tech support is available 24/7 via multiple channels. On top of that, you can perfect and certify your LMS administration skills with iSpring's certification program. Anna Poli Senior Instructional Designer

Deployment Steps: Build And Deliver eLearning

Step 5: Develop Training Content

• Projected time range: 1 day to several weeks
• Who to involve: SMEs, Instructional Designers, department managers

Start with a single course that covers your most urgent training needs and keep it simple. Down the road, you'll have the time and opportunity to create more complex training programs and incorporate capabilities like learning paths or gamification for an enhanced learning experience. In the beginning, focus on providing a course that addresses the critical skills and knowledge that your employees need right now to perform their jobs more effectively.

Here are the key steps to creating a learning course:

1. Collect insights from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
2. Create a course outline.
3. Write a course script.
4. Design a draft course with an authoring tool.
5. Show the course to a focus group.
6. Make adjustments based on feedback.
7. Publish the final version of the course to your LMS.

Expert Insight Do you need to launch training ASAP but haven't created a course yet? Some vendors provide libraries with ready-made courses—you only need to publish them via the LMS, and your learners can start the training right away. iSpring Learn offers a collection of expert-developed courses on management and leadership, sales skills, diversity and inclusion, and other topics relevant to business training initiatives. Natalie Taylor Senior eLearning Consultant

Step 6: Launch And Set Up The LMS

• Projected time: 2–3 days
• Who to involve: LMS implementation team

First, announce the launch of the LMS to the company. This step is crucial to ensuring that employees are aware of the new system. Have the CEO, top management, and team leaders make the announcement or deliver the news at a general meeting or via an email newsletter.

Next, set up the LMS. The good news is that you only need to do it once, and the LMS's automation functionalities will keep things running smoothly. Here is a list of key parameters you should set:

• Synchronize or set up your organization's structure.
• Add user data or integrate the LMS with your HRIS to streamline data migration.
• Assign LMS admin roles.
• Set up user accounts and user profiles.
• Assign supervisor roles to a team leader and managers.
• Customize the LMS to match your brand identity (add a logo, change colors, and add unique notifications).
• Explain to the LMS administrators and supervisors how to work with the platform.
• Integrate the platform with your website or corporate portal.
• Integrate the platform with preferred third-party tools.

Step 7: Assign A Course With A Deadline To Learners

• Projected time: 1–2 weeks
• Who to involve: Your trainees

Select a group of trainees who need to complete the first training. An LMS with robust automation will notify the users of the assignment and its deadline. Not all employee training programs need a deadline, but it's a good idea to set one for your first project. You'll see how well the system manages timelines and will be able to evaluate the initial engagement and completion data.

Step 8: Check Completion Rates

• Projected time: 1 week
• Who to involve: Department leaders, LMS admins

About a week after you assign a course to trainees, check how many have completed it. Use LMS reports for this purpose.

A 100% completion rate is the goal to aim for, but give it time and focus on the dynamics rather than the current numbers. Reach out to those trainees who haven't completed the course and find out why. If your employees show resistance to training, it might be a good idea to build an effective employee engagement strategy.

Step 9: Evaluate The Training Effectiveness

• Projected time: 1 day
• Who to involve: Department leaders, LMS admins

Now that you've implemented the LMS, it's time to inspect how well your training program performed. Download our eBook, A Deep-Dive Guide To Making An LMS Really Work For Your Business, to find out all about training effectiveness evaluation and the steps it involves.

Originally published at eLearning Industry.com