LMS Requirements: An Ultimate Checklist

There are over 700 learning management systems (LMS) on the market today. It would take years to check out each one. But what if you need one right now? We prepared a list of key LMS requirements that will save you time and make the LMS selection process much easier. 

We also put together a checklist for documenting LMS requirements. Feel free to download it and use it to assess LMS options and identify the one that suits your needs best.

Also read → How to choose the right LMS

Functional Requirements for LMS

Functional requirements for LMS platforms include essential LMS features that learners and administrators use on a regular basis.

User and course management

These features encompass the ability to create, organize, enroll, and track users and courses within the LMS platform. LMSs approach these processes differently, but they all aim to offer administrators comprehensive control over learning content and user access.

When choosing an LMS, you need to decide how to work with users and groups in the LMS. To do this, answer these questions:

1. How will you register employees — will users register themselves, or will an administrator register them?
2. Who will be involved in managing the LMS? Do you need a system that allows you to assign different user roles, such as administrators, publishers, SMEs (subject matter experts), and users?
3. Do you plan to create individual training programs for different employees or organizations?
4. How will you add new users — by email, by importing them from an Excel file, or both?

Opt for LMS solutions that automate administrative tasks, such as notifying learners of deadlines and new assignments. They will make training management a lot easier.

Learning models

Learning models represent the way eLearning content is structured and delivered to learners. Here are the main learning models:

• Pure eLearning. Employees are trained only online. They take courses and tests, and read recommended articles and books.
• Blended Learning. Only part of the training is transferred to online learning. For example, you can ask employees to complete all the prerequisite courses through eLearning and then undergo hands-on training in person.
• Instructor-led training. This type of employee training allows learners and instructors to interact and discuss the training material, either individually or in a group setting. Instructors might deliver training in a lecture or classroom format, or even virtually, using video conferencing tools. But transporting participants can be expensive!

To select the right LMS solution for your business goals, answer the following questions:

1. Do you intend to host webinars? If yes, the list of LMS features should include webinar software or integration with video conferencing services.
2. Will you implement instructor-led training? If yes, then you need an LMS that allows you to manage classroom schedules and locations, monitor performance and attendance, and assign learners and instructors to offline sessions.

Support and creation of eLearning content

This is a major point on the LMS functionality checklist. To deliver quality training, it’s important to decide what kind of training materials you will offer to employees and whether you will create courses in-house. Answer the following questions:

1. What content formats do you plan to use — PDFs, Word documents, audio files, and/or video files? Which learning standard will you be working with: SCORM, AICC, or Tin Can? Make sure the LMS of your choice supports all the file and eLearning formats and data collection capabilities you need.
2. Do you need a course editor or an authoring tool to produce eLearning content? Do you have a professional eLearning development team, or will you create content on your own?

Some LMS platforms have a built-in editor that allows you to create simple tests and courses. That’s a good option if you already have a multimedia content library and need to deploy basic training materials or extra assessments quickly without extensive customization. 

Other LMSs integrate with authoring tools. For example, iSpring Learn comes with iSpring Suite, an advanced, yet user-friendly tool for creating full-fledged interactive courses, assessments, training videos, and role-play simulations. Having an authoring tool enables you not only to create new training content, but also keep existing courses up to date with regular updates.

Here’s an example of a course created with iSpring Suite.

Analytics and reports

This is one of the major LMS functional requirements. Employee training is about results. That’s why you need to decide how you’re going to measure them, and an LMS frees you from having to work with Excel spreadsheets and process performance data manually. 

Answer two questions to see which LMSs can meet your reporting needs:

1. Do you need detailed LMS reports on materials, groups, and users, or is it sufficient for you to have a general notion of learners’ progress? Keep in mind that these analytics can also be used to drive improvement in both your content and the learning system itself.
2. Do you want to customize reports? Some LMSs allow you to create your own templates, i.e., automatically display the metrics you need in the form of charts, graphs, dashboards, etc.

Business Requirements for Learning Management Systems

Let’s move on to learning management system business requirements. These are tailored to meet specific business needs organizations might have to propel their training initiatives and meet strategic goals effectively. 

White-labeling and customization

This is one of the most widespread requirements for learning management system software. Consider whether you want to design the learning portal in a way that represents your corporate style. In some LMSs, you can only change color schemes and upload the company logo. Others let you completely redesign the interface so it blends seamlessly with the company’s brand standards and corporate websites. Some systems even allow you to move the platform to your own domain and change the interface of the mobile app. However, most vendors charge an additional fee for that option.

You can also modify the interface of some LMSs with the help of widgets and page templates. For example, trainees will see only training programs that have been assigned to them and a calendar with upcoming events; trainers will see a list of users and their academic performance; and administrators will see additional configuration and tracking tools.

So, to figure out which LMS meets your business requirements, answer these questions:

1. Do you want to have the interface in the style of your corporate website?
2. Do you need to customize the interface for different roles?

eCommerce integration

If you want to monetize your training program, look for an LMS with eCommerce integrations. These will enable you to sell courses, training materials, and educational content seamlessly through your learning management system.

Integrations with SaaS platforms like Shopify allow you to set prices for course materials, promote them to your target audience, track sales, and manage income without having to integrate an eCommerce back-end. 

Trainee certification

Do you want to provide employees with professional certifications or use official certificates as a training incentive? Then look for an LMS that has the feature of issuing certificates upon completion of training modules or courses. 

This feature is also a significant requirement for businesses that deliver certification training as a service. Automated certificate generation streamlines the process, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. 

Customer success support 

Customer tech support is a must-have for all learning management software users, but it’s especially important for enterprises that implement an LMS at scale. In such cases, prompt and efficient customer success support guarantees successful implementation, troubleshooting, and ongoing assistance to maximize the benefits of the LMS across the organization. 

A customer success manager also helps businesses adapt the LMS to their unique training goals, develop effective training strategies, and optimize the use of the platform. 

Compliance with eLearning standards

Most organizations require content standardization to ensure that courses are delivered in a consistent manner across systems and devices. SCORM, for example, has long been a major standard in the industry. The most prevalent versions include SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 3rd Edition. However, APIs have recently become a powerful alternative for creating content standards and connections across all deployment options.

Choose an LMS that supports the eLearning standards you’re comfortable with to ensure seamless integration and content delivery.

Deployment

An LMS can be deployed as a cloud-based or hosted solution. A hosted LMS is installed on a company’s server on premises, which means that all data is stored physically in-house. This is a great solution for those organizations that deal with sensitive data or follow strict compliance protocols. 

However, deploying a hosted LMS is a complex, time-consuming process. It requires extensive technical expertise and resources to set up and maintain the infrastructure securely. Additionally, organizations must ensure continuous monitoring and updates to meet changing security and compliance standards. Systems often have to be integrated too. As a result, the setup phase can take 3–6 months or more.

A cloud-based platform is hosted on the web. It doesn’t require deployment, so you can start working with it immediately. This is a more convenient option for organizations that prioritize scalability and accessibility. With a cloud-based LMS, users can access the system from anywhere with internet access, which makes it ideal for remote teams and distributed workforce models.

Integration with other systems

Consider whether you need integration with third-party tools and systems to optimize your workflows. LMS integrations can include HR software, BI systems, CRMs, authoring tools, or numerous other services. For example, an integration with an HR system enables data migration which is beneficial for all companies — you don’t need to add employee info manually. And for instance, many healthcare organizations that train medical professionals will benefit from a learning platform that integrates with ACCME web services.

Also read → The 11 Best HR Tools for Streamlining Your Workflow

LMS Security Requirements

73% of executives believe remote workers pose a greater security risk than those that work from the office. An LMS contains a lot of confidential information, that’s why it’s crucial to ensure it has all necessary security requirements to prevent any data leakage issues.

Sensitive data protection

On the LMS features list, this element entails safeguarding confidential information, such as employee records, customer data, and proprietary content from unauthorized access or misuse. 

When choosing an LMS, inquire about the software’s encryption protocols and make sure they align with industry standards for data security and encryption. For example, compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS is key for organizations operating in regulated industries such as banking and finance, where they handle vast amounts of personal and financial data. That’s why their LMS of choice must provide tools for data anonymization, secure storage, and audit trails. 

Authentication protocol

Consider the methods LMSs use to verify users and grant access to the platform. Typical authentication protocols include:

• username/password
• single sign-on (SSO)
• multi-factor authentication (MFA).

To prevent unauthorized access, reduce the risk of data breaches, and maintain the integrity of the eLearning environment, go for an LMS that meets your general user authentication standards.

Access control

This LMS qualification deals with the permissions and restrictions set for end users within the platform. Access control settings determine who can view or interact with specific content, features, and functionalities based on their roles and the overall organizational hierarchy. 

With access control, administrators can manage user permissions quickly and easily to streamline user workflows and protect crucial data. It’s best to select LMSs that have varied role-based access control parameters suitable for your organization’s structure. 

Other Important LMS Standards and Requirements

Learning platforms have many extra features. Some of them may be helpful to you, while others can be unnecessary or even a distraction. It all depends on your business needs. Here are some of the most popular non-essential functionalities you can find (and put to good use) in learning management systems.

Social learning

Of course, it’s almost impossible to make people take courses daily, but you can motivate them to share and discuss interesting educational content with each other online.

If you want to leverage social collaboration, consider an LMS with social learning features. These systems are similar to social media in a way, where employees can publish articles, interact with colleagues on discussion forums, and like and share content. Instructors and experts can also add training materials for employees and, if necessary, answer questions.

Talent management

If you want to develop certain skills in employees, search for an LMS with a skills management feature. It allows you to choose necessary competencies and create learning programs that close skill gaps and track individual users’ success.

Mobile learning

If you’re going to train sales representatives or other employees who are always on the move, your learning content should look great on all mobile devices. At the very least, you need an LMS that supports fully responsive courses that adapt to the screen size of any device. 

The ideal solution is a platform with a mobile app that allows learners to take courses offline. The latter will be especially helpful to those who travel a lot and need access to training materials while on airplanes or in other places with a ‘low-to-no’ internet connection.

Gamification

By getting points and rewards for completed tasks, learners become even more deeply involved in a training program and are encouraged to succeed. Most vendors have taken this trend on board and added gamification elements to their LMS: points, awards, ratings, badges, and more.

If you want to motivate your employees and increase learner engagement with the help of game mechanics, choose an LMS with gamification.

“When choosing an LMS, consider which options are especially important for you and which ones are not a big deal. For example, if you are an academy or a university that depends on grades and regular assessments, you will need a comprehensive LMS with a robust grading system and maximum security. On the other hand, if you are a company that just needs skill-based training or information delivery, you may not need a comprehensive grading system. Also, you may be interested in an LMS that is mobile friendly and easy to use to facilitate training for your employees.”

Mona Shaker,

LMS Expert

and eLearning Consultant

Things to Do Before Choosing an LMS

Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re starting to evaluate the LMS vendor market for your eLearning projects. 

Define your training goals and strategies

The best way to approach this step is to ask yourself: 

• Why do you want to implement an LMS in your organization? 
• What challenges will it solve?
• What business results do you expect to see? 

For instance, if your business aims to improve the employee onboarding processes, your training goals might include reducing the time required for new hires to become productive and improving retention rates. 

Now that you’ve pinpointed these objectives, you can identify the key LMS specifications and features, such as providing convenient onboarding modules and robust employee progress tracking features. In other words, having clear-cut training goals helps you see which aspects of the LMS are essential to achieve your desired outcomes. 

Consider pricing plans

Another thing that will help you narrow down the choice is, of course, budget considerations. After all, when searching for a learning platform, there’s no avoiding the financial aspect. 

To find the perfect system for your budget, know the pros and cons of different pricing models and pick one that’s most suitable for your company. There are several primary pricing models:

• Pay per active user. You pay only for those who use the system during each billing cycle.
• Pay per learner. Here, you’ll pay a fixed price for a fixed number of users, regardless of whether they are active or not.
• Pay as you go. You pay only for what you use — for example, users and the courses they take.
• License fee or subscription. You’ll pay a fixed price for a fixed period, like 1 year or 6 months, and add as many users and training materials as you need.

For more on which method of payment suits you best, read the full LMS pricing guide.

Other considerations

Other factors that have an impact on the process of choosing the best LMS for your business needs may include:

• User-friendly interface and overall intuitive user experience
• The vendor’s reputation
• Your organization’s learning culture

Read our full guide on how to choose an LMS to learn more about LMS system requirements and other things to keep in mind. 

Have Knowledge at Hand: Download LMS Requirements Checklists

We’ve put together all the essential learning management system requirements into a collection of checklists to facilitate your selection process:

• LMS features checklist
• LMS selection checklist
• LMS implementation plan
• LMS implementation checklist

As a bonus, you get an Excel template where you can add LMS vendors to consider.

Download the full LMS requirements checklist (PDF and Excel available). Mark the features your company needs, compare them with what different LMSs offer, and select the vendor that meets all your standards.