By Ramesh Ramani, CEO, ExpertusONE

When companies invest in large-scale technology like learning management systems or other workplace software tools, they invest for the long haul. Most companies search out tools that will last them for years, even decades, so that they get the maximum benefit from their financial investment. As a CEO myself, I understand why companies want to play the long game with their technology—financially, it makes sense.

But it’s time to re-evaluate that process.

Never before in history have we encountered such a rapid shift in the way that we work. In the last year, because of the pandemic, business operations and work life have completely changed. It doesn’t matter if your company has returned to the office, if your company is now fully remote, or if it is somewhere in between—work has still changed because our understanding of work has changed.

In 2022, we have been more focused on serving employees, cultivating community, and future-proofing how we do business. And, rightly so—it was time for this change.

But many companies have stuck with the same learning technology they adopted decades ago, relying on legacy LMS platforms to get them through the digital age. These systems don’t meet the needs of modern employees and they don’t offer the best of resources that modern technology can offer. Companies are missing out on valuable learning opportunities that could positively impact their overall operations, and they’re only saving a few dollars in the process.

It’s time to leave behind legacy LMS systems and move forward into the digital world so that your company can increase training effectiveness, optimize workplace learning, and promote employee engagement. No, this isn’t about having the newest and shiniest toy at the ready or spending money that you don’t need to spend. It really is worth it to update and invest in new technology, and this is the perfect moment to do so.

What is a Legacy LMS System?

3 Reasons to Leave Behind Your Legacy LMS System

1. Take advantage of changes in work culture and set your team up for success

One of the biggest changes to the working world in the last year was ideological. We think of our jobs differently than we did before. And while this certainly presents challenges, the set of benefits in this particular change outweighs any difficulty that comes with a change in cultural ideology. We needed to re-evaluate the way we work, and the result has been a more comprehensive, caring, and future-oriented approach to business.

Related post: Now Is the Perfect Time to Rethink Your LearnTech – Technologies That You Should Focus On

That’s why this is the critical moment to also reevaluate the tools that your company uses. Most digital tools were designed solely for in-office workplaces, and many companies chose systems that would function best from the computers they purchased, for the number of employees on the network, and so on. Few imagined how drastically the workplace should shift and, during the pandemic, experienced the rapid rush to invest in digital-first, mobile-friendly, flexible work tools.

Now that we understand our needs and values more comprehensively, on this side of the pandemic, we can choose software that sets us up for success. Learning technology is critical at any company because it impacts every part of the employee’s journey, and can also reach customers, sales team representatives, and partners. Every one of these stakeholders interacts with the workplace differently now than they did before, and they need new tools to support these changes. Your company needs flexible mobile LMS tools that are useful beyond simple onboarding courses and can provide all stakeholders with the learning they need access to.

2. The digital world of LMS means your tools are flexible and mobile-friendly

In order to move a learning and development strategy into the digital age, companies must embrace flexible, mobile-friendly tools. Legacy LMS platforms require large databases, significant amounts of computer memory, and they are hard to manage and operate. Most systems are not intuitive in design, adding a learning curve to the learning process—anyone taking a course first has to figure out how to manage the system. And now, for companies that have used the same LMS platforms for many years, many systems cannot run effectively on modern computers.

Aside from those technical dilemmas, legacy LMS platforms do not cater to the needs of modern learners. Where companies may have used training software for simple, introductory courses taken in short time frames from an in-office desk, modern learners need much more. They need to be able to take courses on their phones, from their homes, or in a corporate office. Even further, corporate learning has transformed into a comprehensive development strategy—it’s not just employee onboarding anymore, it’s about the employee’s whole experience. And, to make matters even more complex (but also more beneficial), employees are not the only ones who take training courses. Now, LMS platforms are used for sales teams, internal stakeholders, partners, and even customers. The learning management systems worth investment are the ones that can be operated from a variety of locations and can be flexible for different types of learners or training initiatives.

3. The best learning management systems are data-driven and interactive 

Many legacy LMS systems require considerable input from training managers in terms of review, operation, and following up with learners. While these are natural parts of any training initiative, the difference between legacy LMS and digital LMS comes down to data and interactivity. Both of these LMS features serve the training manager and the learner significantly. With data-driven enterprise learning management systems, companies and training managers can monitor course progression, create new courses that meet needs, and ensure that new learning initiatives are automatically suggested to the learner. Few legacy LMS platforms have these features, and even fewer use artificial intelligence to do so.

Yes, artificial intelligence is at the forefront of this digital learning revolution because it makes the training process smarter and more efficient. For example, ExpertusONE’s learning management platform uses artificial intelligence to recommend new courses for learners so that they can upskill, gain certifications, and maintain a competitive edge. The platform gathers data about the learner and makes recommendations based on their job title, the courses their peers are taking, and the learner’s individual interests.

Related post: Employees Not Completing Training Courses? AI Is the Next-Gen Solution Boosting Engagement

Digital LMS systems are interactive in nature, unlike legacy LMS systems that require learners to stare at a screen and click through images or videos for a few hours. This is what makes the move to modernized digital training software so important—learners expect interactivity, and legacy LMS systems cannot offer it. In the last year, companies, employees, and stakeholders have witnessed how digital tools can be interactive and engaging even when not in the office. They expect this now, whether the company is working remotely or not. A digital LMS system meets the modern learner with interactive quizzes, polls, communication with training leaders, videos, and bonus content that gives the participant multiple opportunities to engage with the content.

This is the perfect moment to leave behind legacy LMS platforms and move into the digital age of learntech. Companies have been using outdated training software for too long and modern learners will not be able to glean the information and expertise they need from such systems. This is a critical moment in the world of business and in corporate learning, it’s time to level up.