There are many factors to consider when deciding on the best Learning Management System (LMS) for your company. Of course they are all valid, from implementation and running cost to efficiency, automation, reporting and support, the list goes on and on. However, we rarely stop to think about one of the most important factors, good UI/UX. 

While User Experience (UX) Design refers to the combination of factors that make a product or a system enjoyable, effective and easy to use, User Interface (UI) complements it by giving a system good look and feel, motivating the user to interact with it in a meaningful and intuitive way. So as far as any piece of software goes, it should be a great merger of the two.

Here we look at UI/UX from the point of view of both the learner and the system administrator and give some guidelines about what the most important criteria are.

For a Learner

One of the main measurements for the successful implementation of an LMS is the number of users who actually end up using the system. The higher the engagement rate over time, the better. And of course, if you want to attract and retain your learners, you need to make it as easy and as intuitive for them to use the system. 

That’s where the UI comes into play, as this is how the learner interacts with the system. Overall look and feel, icons, buttons, navigation, search bars and interactions should all be intuitive and simple so there are no hurdles for the user to get to the activity that we want them to complete i.e. access the content and reach a learning goal.

That’s where UX comes into play too in eLearning. If we are not successful in engaging the learner, they might not be able to complete the tasks or get the most out of the training content that we have set out for them in the course. This can lead to a feeling of dissatisfaction and a generally negative perception of the system or training program, which will be that much more difficult to shift. So the fewer clicks a user has to make and the clearer the goal that they have is, the better for your company. It will lead to efficient training and a system that is actually useful and accomplishes the goals it has in terms of skill development, engagement and employee satisfaction.

For an Admin

Depending on the size of your organisation and its particular training needs, administering a LMS can be quite a challenge. Therefore, a system that has a well designed admin interface as well as great functionality to match will certainly bring you many benefits. It will significantly reduce the time that admins require to spend on tasks such as launching new courses, customizing the system or generating reports. Apart from the cost saving, this will also mean that you will be able to train different employees on different levels of admin roles, which can only result in higher rates of usage and ultimately in achieving your eLearning objectives.

As a final thought, let’s not forget that your learners are also consumers and they use websites and apps all the time in their daily lives. Just because you want them to do online training, it doesn’t mean that their expectations should be lowered, they still want to have the same smooth, intuitive interaction with the new corporate learning system as they might have with their favourite social network, music streaming app or online market place. So choosing an LMS with great UI/UX should be a priority when making a decision about what to implement. If you have a story to share, please use the comments box below. Or if you want to discuss your eLearning needs further, don’t hesitate to contact us.