The all powerful software that can plan, implement and analyse a learning process.
A learning management system (or LMS for short) is a piece of software that is used to plan, implement and analyse a specific learning process. Unsurprisingly, they’re used most commonly for eLearning practices and other educational activities.
Learning Management Systems are also used by multinational conglomerates as well as governments to streamline their employee training and policy education. They save small businesses like yours money by reducing the need for a full or part time education professional to teach your staff what they need to know.
Related: The ultimate guide to learning management systems
Like most other business based software, there are two sides to a LMS. There’s the backend or what the more technically inclined might dub “the server side”. This basically encapsulates all the stuff that makes the clicks and button taps actually produce something. Most people aren’t actually too concerned with this as log as it work. For example, you probably don’t really care how Netflix stores media as much as you’re concerned with how they deliver it.
That leaves the user interface for you to concentrate on, or what the more technically inclined refer to as the front-end. This is the dashboard where your business interacts with the backend and strategizes how to best use a LMS to support business operations.
In an educational and business setting, a LMS is typically used by a teacher or manager to create, deliver and monitor content, activity rates, student participation and performance.
Effective LMS will allow managers to complete registration, content, user access, communication, calendars, certifications, and notifications in one easy to view dashboard.
Top Use Cases for LMS systems
The primary reason for a business to bring onboard an LMS is to manage employee knowledge and training, which is applicable across so many industries.
Each business will use their LMS in a different way but the main principles of the software are consistent. The LMS manager or administrators usually sit in the arm commonly referred to as knowledge management. This encapsulates the gathering, sharing, and analysis of a businesses knowledge in terms of resources, people skills, and documents.
There are dozens of different LMS options out there - the most common offerings for small businesses include Moodle, Blackboard, Learn, and Schoology. Many of the large corporations such as fortune 500 companies will use more complicated enterprise-based solutions like Adobe captivate prime, Docebo LMS, TalentLMS, and eFront. All of these applications export to PDF and HTML which means you can drag and drop them to Tiiny Host to record and share the export.
Related: How to share your LMS PDF export as a link.
If your business is struggling to effectively onboard new employees then implementing an LMS could be the right choice for you. This is one of the most common use cases for small businesses.
LMS’ use case for small business
Implementing an LMS to help train new employees across various devices and arms of your business can be an absolute game changer as you begin to scale. You’ll be able to share documents, knowledge, and provide feedback on their training materials.
If your small business uses external training providers to educate employees then their content and educational resources can often be integrated with your LMS.
The benefits of training your employees through an LMS are incredibly important if your business is trying to build standardised processes and a cohesive workplace. You can ensure your employees are constantly improving their business related skills and maintaining relevant knowledge to effectively complete their jobs.
It goes without saying that if an employee understands your business like the back of their own hand, they’ll be able to better aid customers in purchasing.
Types of LMS’ for your small business
Before you can choose the right LMS for your small business it’s worth familiarising yourself with the main 4 types of LMS. Traditionally, small businesses will have access to cloud-based, self-hosted, desktop, and mobile based learning management systems.
Cloud-based learning management systems are hosted on external servers and accessible from anywhere. The companies offering cloud-based LMS solutions take care of the up-time and technical updates. They won’t provide the content but rather the platform in which your business specific content can be hosted. If you want your employees to access your LMS from home, a cloud solution may be the best choice for your small business.
Self-hosted learning management systems are downloaded by your employees directly on their laptops. Your business will have to pay for technical updates and maintenance but this could be a great option if you want your employees to access the LMS from locations where an internet connection may not be possible.
Desktop and mobile accessible learning management systems are available whenever and wherever, as long as your employees have access to a device. You’ll be able to assign educational resources and tasks on the go. If you have employees who are constantly traveling, this type of LMS may be the right choice for your small business.
The best LMS for small businesses
Currently the best learning management system for small businesses is Tiiny.host.
An innovative and simple offering that is being used by small businesses like yours around the world. The Tiiny.host platform lets business owners share outbound content, track views, allow edits, and share new material instantly.
Create your own static website with tiiny.host to instantly upload training materials to the internet. Perfect for small businesses, there aren’t any complicated features. You’ll understand how to best implement it into your business right away.
Tiiny.host is significantly cheaper than alternatives and the perfect starting point for small businesses like yours who are implementing their first learning management system.
