How to choose an e-learning platform for your organization

E-learning or Electronic learning has been a term on many people's lips for a long time. Let's keep the E but instead talk about Exponential learning. For all learning today has electronic components or is completely digitized. Now the challenge is not as much about creating digital content as getting it to engage, reach as many people as possible and give effect.
These days, everyone is looking for the optimal e-learning solution – but exactly what that is differs depending on your needs and preferences. After all, that’s why it’s called YOUR platform. However, a good e-learning tool or platform should always include certain features and functions to enable success. Here, we look at a few of the most important ones.

10 things to consider when choosing an e-learning platform

1. Simple setups – always go for user-friendly

Even advanced technology can be user-friendly. You want to look for an e-learning tool with enough power and functionality to meet all your demands, but that is also extremely responsive and easy to grasp – for anyone. In an organization, the level of digital skill varies, so it’s important to make your e-learning platform suitable for both beginners and pros. The tool or platform should never be an obstacle, it should help you overcome them. Remember, easy does it.

2. Seamless syncing – make sure it works with your existing systems

Since your business or organization may have other tools and systems in place already, you will benefit from an e-learning platform that is easily integrated with your existing tech solutions. There’s no such thing as a perfect digital platform, but good e-learning tools are constantly updated to meet customer demand and the best ones are in sync with most modern software systems.

3. Engagement enablers – blended learning for course variation

Synchronous and asynchronous are two opposite terms that are equally important to e-learning. In plain English, it means real-time activity and knowledge you consume at a chosen time and place. For an e-learning platform to be engaging, efficient and satisfactory for everyone, it needs (among other things) the perfect blend of these elements. Hence the popular term "blended learning".

4. Data delivery – analytics functions for further improvement

What works? And perhaps more importantly – what doesn’t? E-learning is no exact science but one largely based on trial and error. A function for providing reliable course and user data will help you refine and adjust the platform content as you go along. Thorough evaluations have proven to make a big difference in both sales and employee/participant engagement.

5. Flexibility focus – mobile-first for learning on the fly

Great e-learning is accessible anywhere at any time. These days, everything is made more efficient, so why should learning be an exception? A mobile-first e-learning solution allows the learner to start and stop a course, consume content or communicate with a colleague completely on their own terms. Something that saves space, time, energy and money.

6. Administration autopilot – for more of what really matters

Manual administration is surely a thing of the past, as it is often the direct opposite of efficiency. Automations are key to secure digital workflow and happy learners. Therefore, look for a tool that not only allows you to automate administration, but also messages, reminders and content sharing. The more the better, really.

7. Easy editing – video-making like a pro

Video is an important part of e-learning and the technology is constantly improved. For an optimal e-learning experience, you will want a built-in video editor to easily create engaging moving content tailored for your learners. Also, when video is featured in your tool, you don’t have to think about external licenses for your users to handle.

8. Helping hands – reliable and personal customer support

While we strongly encourage you to choose a tool simple enough that everyone can manage it, there will always be a need for customer support. When you start getting to know your new e-learning software and its many features, questions will arise. But maintenance and functioning should never stand in the way of what’s important. Having a reliable and available customer support that knows the product inside and out is a guarantee for keeping the flow. Identify what sort of support you prefer – chat, video demonstrations, personal assistance, etc. – and find an e-learning platform that suits your needs. Remember – good customer support speaks tons about how much a company cares about their customers.

9. Future functionality – the frequency of upgrading and adjustments

Current features are not enough. Your e-learning system needs to be upgraded and adjusted
in line with the technological evolution and the growing needs of the customers. Therefore, take upgrading into consideration – how often changes are being made and how long it usually takes to upgrade the system. If an e-learning platform seems static, that’s probably because it is.

10. Chat

Nothing more, nothing less. The chat function is very much taken for granted – but do not
underestimate its powers, especially in your e-learning platform. It’s often stated that we
learn 30 % of what we see but 70 % of what we discuss. Through chatting with co-workers,
learners take in new knowledge faster, resulting in faster course completion and faster
conversion. Besides, chatting is a lot of fun. Include it on your wish list and let dialogue
be part of your technology choice.

Make your e-learning exponential

There are many different definitions to the word platform. At Learnifier, we relate the most to “an opportunity to make your ideas or beliefs known publicly” and “the raised part of the floor in a large room, from which you make a speech or give a musical performance”. Having a stage for gathering all your people and making your communication sing, is the #1 key to success in digital learning – regardless of industry. 

With a myriad of great tools and e-learning platforms to pick from, all the features and functions above are important to consider. But the main key is to include the right elements to make your kind of learning exponential. By that, we mean creating a constant growth of knowledge that spreads automatically across your entire organization and even beyond. One big, positive and powerful ripple.

To us, the term e-learning as we know it has become a bit obsolete, since it rarely covers the areas of exponential learning. Therefore, we made our own definition that is a bit more up to date:

As of 2021, e-learning stands for a cluster of magical words beginning with the letter E, sent from the well of wisdom to enhance knowledge and learnability in new exciting ways. Engagement, empowerment, encouragement, excitement, evolution, easiness, edge and expansion – just to name a few essential elements.

Our final tip: Find a platform that allows you to create all of this. Don’t settle for less.

______________

Would you like to find out how you can share knowledge with employees, members, customers, partners and other important groups, you want to reach?

No credit card required