Rolling out a New Digital Learning Platform? 4 Steps to Achieve a Quick, Seamless Implementation
It’s time to give your employees a next-level digital learning platform. You're seeking a platform that puts mobile learning at the forefront while responding and adapting to learners’ varied needs. You’ve been thinking about it for quite a while, but your boss just gave the green light and asked you two simple yet terrifying questions. How long will it take you to roll this out? And can it be done by the end of the quarter? *Gulp*
The project will involve transforming your legacy Learning Management System (LMS) by purchasing and implementing a new Learning Experience Platform (LXP) — a complicated and somewhat overwhelming process.
How are you going to pull this off? Is there any chance of meeting your boss’s desired launch date?
Truthfully, if you use a vendor that offers a scalable, flexible, and robust LXP platform, they could probably launch a fantastic solution that will meet your needs in as little as a few days.
But realistically? Your biggest hurdle to a successful rollout is ensuring your internal teams and processes are ready for this transformation. You may want to implement a new learning ecosystem on a nimble, mobile-first platform as quickly as possible. But it’s most important to be sure you get it right.
Following these four steps will take you from start to finish quickly and effectively.
Step 1: Obtain Buy-in from Your Internal Implementation Partners
No matter how big or small your company is, you depend on internal partners to help you navigate your daily work. From IT to payroll to maintenance, your company’s success hinges on the strength and collaboration of team members across all departments doing their part.
Likewise, internal partners and systems can make or break your LXP rollout. That’s why it’s crucial to secure buy-in and approval from your internal stakeholders before any purchasing decisions are made. Be sure to involve:
Your information technology team. Often under-resourced and overtaxed, this team will need as much lead time as possible in order to support your implementation. It's almost certain that they will want to weigh in on the technology and ensure it interfaces effectively with your existing systems.
The information security team. If your company has strict security guidelines in terms of data handling, governance, security, and privacy, this team will need to review your potential vendors and related product specifications to be sure they meet all necessary requirements.
The fiscal services/procurement team. This group will need to thoroughly vet your possible vendors, review service level agreements and purchasing documents, and set up payment and billing processes once the vendor is hired.
Your learning technologist. Ideally, you have involved this crucial internal partner in all conversations around implementing a new learning management system. This stakeholder needs to understand how a new system will benefit your organization and should have the opportunity to weigh in on which vendors and systems will offer the best learning experience.
Step 2: Shop for Vendors and Products that are Interoperable
Interoperability is the number one factor that will determine the length of your LXP rollout. Why? Products that are interoperable “talk” easily with each other. Flexible and agile, they easily integrate other systems into their framework.
Therefore, the more interoperable your system is, the shorter your implementation timeline will be. Conversely, a closed system will take much longer to implement due to the need for customized programming, coding, and configuration.
Your learning infrastructure likely includes many elements that will need to function with a new LXP. Presentation media, video development software, authoring tools, content management systems, user identity management — the ideal learning development solution will integrate all of these areas seamlessly. What’s more, an interoperable system should provide display and search options that make finding salient information a breeze.
Interoperability is the key to making this happen. Consider putting this requirement at the top of your purchasing list.
Step 3: Select the Right Learning Technology Vendor
There are many exciting, appealing digital learning platforms out there. Many make a great first impression online. But the vendors behind those products make all the difference in how smoothly your implementation process will go.
Therefore, it is crucial to choose a vendor who will work well with you and your company, respond to your needs, communicate openly and directly, and deliver results as promised.
Ask prospective vendors these questions to determine which one will be the best partner for you:
Have you worked with a company of my size and scope before? What went well? What caused headaches?
Is interoperability important to you? Does it drive how your product is designed? How easily does your API integrate with other systems, or, how easily does your existing software provide usable APIs for other vendors?
How long does a typical implementation take for a company of my size and complexity?
What’s it like working with you? What do your customers say about you?
Do you have a deployment, onboarding, and training plan? What does it entail?
How do we import content from our legacy system into your platform? Is that process simple or complex?
Does your product offer adaptive learning features that meet learners where they are?
What are the advantages of your product over your competitors?
How intuitive is your system for learners and how quickly will they be able to get up to speed? Are there ways for users to accelerate their learning requirements?
Vendors worth their salt will have solid answers to these questions. If you hear stumbling or hesitation, probe further. Don’t be afraid to ask for references, bibliography, or foundational research.
Step 4: Crawl, Walk, then Run: An Iterative Approach to Rollout
You have internal buy-in. You’ve selected a product that is interoperable and flexible. You’ve hired your vendor. Now the fun begins! It’s time to turn your vision into reality.
Rather than attempting to roll out every aspect of your new technology at once, consider taking a more attainable, iterative approach. After all, you have to crawl before you can walk. And you can’t run until you know how to stroll. The same three-step principle applies here.
Crawl. Perhaps your company is launching a new manufacturing product, and your sales team needs to be trained on that product pronto. You could launch your new LXP just for the sales team so they can try out the platform and provide feedback. Ask them how easy it was to use and whether the content was easily navigable. Use what they tell you to make adjustments before importing additional content.
Walk. Next, expand your audience and perhaps add several more products or additional content modalities to expand on what was presented in the first phase. Maybe add another job role or team to the user base. Again, obtain feedback and make changes and improvements based on what you hear.
Run. Once you’ve worked out any kinks that have arisen through the crawl and walk phases, it’s time to take your rollout the rest of the way across the finish line. Launch across the entire business unit or even the enterprise. Import your remaining content and continue evaluating and modifying as needed.
This iterative method is beneficial in multiple ways. Not only does it allow you to get started with your new platform sooner, it also provides you with the flexibility to adjust course early on and mitigate any issues as they arise — creating a positive learning experience for all involved and setting you up for long-term success.
The Success of Your LXP Rollout Begins with You
Rolling out a new learning experience platform is not without its challenges. As with any goal worth reaching, it will take time, dedication, perseverance, and flexibility to achieve your desired result. In short? If you want to harness the power of a robust learning platform, you have to do the work.
By collaborating with your internal teams, prioritizing interoperability, hiring a smart and capable vendor, and taking an iterative approach to rollout, you can set your company up for a long and enjoyable learning journey.
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