LMS: A knowledge dissemination tool

By Rafael Cordero
Business Vicepresident

An LMS (or Learning Management System) is a powerful tool used by many organizations to manage continuous learning and organizational knowledge management processes.

Basic features

In general terms, LMS allows organizations to go beyond the restrictive physical boundaries of the traditional classroom to create virtual learning environments focused on student needs and combining training courses and other contents, skills to encourage collaborative learning, tools for student support, and Human Resource management tools. LMS is the main technological element for the development of the popular Virtual Universities.

Who uses it?

The organizations that are using knowledge and the development of intellectual capital to improve productivity, efficiency, and business operating results are among LMS major users.

These firms are implementing training programs covering all organizational hierarchical layers and matching specific employee needs, their jobs, and company needs imposed by the business environment.

The management of these training initiatives is extremely complex and if it were done using traditional approaches, it would take a lot of company resources at a time when organizations are increasingly restricting Human Resources budgets. Therefore, these organizations implement LMS to automate and facilitate the management and knowledge dissemination processes at an organizational level while reducing administrative overhead and improving efficiency.

LMS includes subcategories such as Content Management Systems, Learning Content Management Systems, and Knowledge Management Systems, among others. Organizations should choose a tailor-made system.

Main benefits

A technological tool such as LMS can produce many benefits to facilitate the training management process within the organization. We can find student benefits and Human Resource Manager benefits.

Main benefits for the student

  Student-focused training: it provides suitable tools and environments to learn at their own pace.

  Flexibility: the student can be trained anywhere and any time and meeting changing job needs.

  Customization: it provides students the right combination of tailor-made courses and contents according to their knowledge and the requirements imposed by their supervisor or Human Resources department.

  Support: the student can access, by means of collaboration tools, synchronic or asynchronic support from an instructor, a content expert, or a facilitator during the training.

  Certification: many firms provide their employees with certification processes related to and managed by LMS.

  Modes: the student will have access to synchronic events (at the same time and anywhere) or asynchronic events (any time and anywhere) depending on their interest and the kind of available resources.

Main benefits for the Human Resources manager

  Comprehensive training management: detailed tracking of student progress, course results, resource allocation (from virtual meetings to traditional classroom reservation), and matching of corporate goals to training initiatives.

  Skill and learning routes: The processes of allocating courses to students or student groups is significantly simplified by developing predetermined learning routes or skills for each job thus helping the system and/or the student to choose the most suitable course for his/her job.

  Knowledge implementation speed: this an increasingly critical variable for companies. LMS gives an extensive audience the access to a large amount of knowledge in a very short time and with a few resources thus producing business operating results at an unprecedented speed.

  Scalability: with a minimum effort by Human Resources, a training initiative can be used across the different organizational units located in several countries.

If you want to learn about LMS or if you need to choose a tailor-made LMS, contact marketing@aurainteractiva.com