6 common frustrations people have with their LMS.

Like all software there are always proponents and detractors of the software that people use in their workplace. The LMS is one such software platform that can elicit strong reactions from those that are charged with administering the software and those who use the software to undertake  learning activities.

The 6 common frustrations below are those that seem to be most common among users of learning management systems in the workplace. Some of these frustrations are focused on the software itself and others can be attributed to how the software is configured and the content that is available for end-users.

1. The user experience is bad. Some learning management systems have been designed with complex navigation and this often leads to disengagement and lack of enthusiasm for using the LMS regardless of what content is available. Unintuitive design is often found in older learning management systems and some of those developed for large complex workforces.
2. Rigidity in the LMS prevents customisation to meet an organisation’s requirements. Some common features include user management, learning activity design, reporting, and others. Another common frustration is the inability to create individual learning paths or tailor learning activities to specific target audiences.
3. The learning management system is typically part of a broader IT architecture and difficulties integrating and sharing data across different systems is problematic and inefficient. Data from an LMS can be integral to maintain good governance and compliance. Having an LMS operating in isolation from other systems requires human intervention in producing meaningful data sharing and analytics.
4. Even the most optimal LMS will frustrate users if the learning content is poorly designed, outdated and uninspiring. With the plethora of content authoring tools available, there are few excuses to upload poorly designed and non-engaging content to your LMS. If your LMS is used exclusively for compliance, there are still ways to create and upload engaging content.
5. Lack of administrator training and ongoing support from the LMS vendor is a big frustration for many LMS administrators and can greatly impact the benefits and ROI realised by the organisation. Poorly trained administrators are hampered in providing end-user training and support to encourage and sustain engagement with the LMS. As new features are released by the LMS vendor, there should be the option for further training to utilise the new features applicable to the use case. Once an LMS has a bad reputation in an organisation it is hard to recover.
6. It is never fun to have to seek additional funding for unforeseen costs associated with your LMS. These costs can include customisation to meet business requirements, additional training costs, additional features/modules, or being charged for support services.

These are probably among the most common frustrations with learning management systems from both LMS administrators and end-users. There are undoubtedly more. These frustrations can be a guide for assessing your current learning management system and if you are researching the possibility of implementing your first or replacing your current LMS.