For successful Learning systems

The key driver behind centralization and integration is improved data and reporting. Performance measurement parameters and the relevant data sources should be integrated with the system to generate effective reports. The reason organizations are reluctant to integrate their systems is the high cost of ownership. Also integrations are further impacted by traditional IT model version updates and upgrades.

To minimize the cost of ownership and reduce the pain of multiple integrations, middleware technology can be introduced. This “broker” system can act as a go-between the portals and the multiple applications that serve as data repositories. So any changes in the applications would be detected by the middleware and communicated to the portal. This process simplifies the number of validations and change points between systems and significantly reduces the cost of the technology over time.

At first glance, modifying processes to fit the LMS seems counter intuitive, but it is critical to controlling the cost of your learning systems. The cost of customizing adds up very quickly and tends to be a recurring cost as software upgrades are made. The message here is to centralize LMS services and modify the business processes and reserve customization for only critical long-term enhancements.

Reducing the cost of a typical customization frees up the training dollars to spend on enhancing processes. In the long run, this is a much better approach. The typical LMS is designed for more efficient operations, so patterning your processes after the LMS is usually the right way to improve training efficiency and reduce the recurring cost of customizations.