thought leadership
Finding the best The top five UK learning management systems Craig Weiss I
’m coming: coming to the UK; coming to London; coming to Birmingham for the World of Learning Conference at the end of September. While I’m here, I will meet fellow e-learning
aficionados, wanting to find out the best learning management systems (LMS) out there. They might ask – which ones are the best based in the United Kingdom? I’ll explain using the following formula, presented
below, along with my top five learning systems. I looked at my list of 620 systems and identified those headquartered in the UK. From there I applied my 15 criteria, which use weighted points in numerous categories including user interface (UI) (learner and administration), standard feature sets, advanced feature sets (such as gamification), support, adoption of new technologies and capabilities, speed of adding new capabilities, and forward-thinking approach.
It should be noted that the assumption that a newer system is more advanced, of better design, etc, than a product which has been out for several years is simply not true. Anyway, here are my top five in rank order.
1. Growth Engineering
www.growthengineering.co.uk I really love this learning management system, but it is not for everyone. Why? Because it is all wrapped around gamification. If gamification is not your thing, then this is not your system. Other big wins include a very modern and hip user interface, a great learner experience (I had fun), all the standard features you expect in other systems, monthly updates with
features, forward-thinking approach, gamification, social and, well, sweet. Mobile on/off synch is coming late Q3 with a self-contained app, but no e-commerce until Q4. A built-in authoring tool enabling you to create “game-like” courses is expected in Q4. Overall, the number two LMS in the world.
2. Unicorn Training
www.unicorntraining.com Very vertically focused, specifically with financial services; so if that isn’t in your field, this is not your system. But if it is, well, jolly good. Because it offers a very nice UI for the learner. It can have pure video courses with tracking. It has a built-in authoring tool which can create learning scenarios, favourites – think bookmark hot links for repeated tasks (but Unicorn has to set it up for you) – and standard feature sets including e-commerce and multi-tenant. In general, a nice cup of learning system. My only real issue is the administration side needs to get better – but Unicorn is working on it.
3. CM-Group Luminosity Reach
www.cm-group.co.uk/products/learning- management-system Fine wine should never be left unattended and the same can be said for this very smooth and fine learning platform. With a slick modern UI for learners and administrators, gamification, social and the usual standard feature sets, the system delivers. Oh, did I mention that it is mobile-responsive (eg it will auto- detect the type of mobile device screen and change the view to one applicable to that device), multi- tenant (portal/sub-portal) and e-commerce? To land
the on/off sync capability, self-contained mobile apps for iOS and Android cost extra through an add-on called Mentor.
4. Administrate
www.getadministrate.com/core It pitches itself as a core training management system and if you remove the semantics from training management to learning management, you will still have this hardcore LMS. Features include built-in customer relationship management, email marketing (including the capability to create and add marketing lists), profit and loss and ledger reports, invoicing and the ability to interface via application programming interfaces to bookkeeping software including Sage and QuickBooks. Common standard feature set includes e-commerce and multi-tenant capability.
5. LearnUpon
www.learnupon.com For those who are seeking a very modern UI learner/ admin side with standard feature sets including e-commerce, multi-tenant (also known as portal/ sub-portals) and a forward-thinking approach packed with monthly updates and style, then look no further. LearnUpon is part of a new sub-genre of the LMS world that is self-service. A self-service system means you buy it today and can go live today because the implementation time is non-existent. Think of self- service systems like petrol stations. Some will give you full service, fill the tank, wash the windows, etc, while at others you pull up, jump out, pre-pay with a credit card, fill up and leave. There you have it. My top five LMS in the UK as of August 2014. See you in Birmingham.
It should be noted that the assumption that a newer system is more advanced, of better design, etc, than a product which has been out for several years is simply not true
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Craig Weiss is an e-thought leader and author of E-Learning 24/7 blog
@diegoinstudio
www.elearning247.org about.me/craigweiss
e.learning age september 2014
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