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A Learning Portal is Not an LMS
I have been in several discussions recently with clients, partners, and many in the training industry, and I have been hearing a common theme emerge: "I need a learning portal, not an LMS"
What does this mean? Many portions of our industry would say that the concepts of an LMS and a learning portal (or knowledge center, or learning center, or learning site... insert name here) are synonymous. Yet, I would posit, that there are fundamental differences, that such concepts are both independent and often complementary, and that the basis of need for one or the other comes from an entirely separate set of requirements.
An LMS is built with administration, scheduling, and tracking in mind. Whether that LMS be SaaS, client-server, or homebrew spreadsheet jockeying, the primary metaphor of an LMS is to understand who did what when, who can do what when, and whether everybody did the stuff they were supposed to do. Think compliance, think tracking, think completion as the result. This is not a bash - this is a description of the fundamental design metaphor for the LMS sector. Compliance tracking is important stuff to the business world. Many LMS companies have done great work to extend the LMS capability to successfully bolt on a web portal-like front end, however I would suggest that this LMS-driven web front end is (necessarily) more of a user-facing manifestation of the LMS than a web-based learning environment designed, built, and performing specifically with the user's needs, requirements, and experience in mind.
A learning portal is quite different (even if tracking of content and user activity is measured and aggregated under the hood by an integrated LMS). In many cases, such as customer learning, casual learning environments, or short, somewhat disposable knowledge portals pegged to a specific implementation, the best LMS may in fact be Google Analytics, or the results data may in fact be tracked in a Salesforce.com dashboard (for comparison to and within other customer data).
A modern learning portal is a one-stop resource to the user: I can ask a question, get access to experts and a knowledge base, see the latest stuff (courses, lessons, notes, articles, snipits, youtube videos, etc.) from the latest release, interact with both other users, my company, and/or my vendor(s) via Yammer, and just know that I can get the stuff I need to my job- without searching, digging through a wiki, or going through twenty registration steps just to watch a two-minute how-to video. The concepts of 'registration' and formal vs. informal learning both begin to break down. The learning portal is a 'curated,' aggregated, and unique destination where I can go to kick off my training, and then know I can continue to go there to get what I need to know in some simple manner, for as long as I need to go there or as long as applicable to what me and my company are doing (around this initiative, implementation, effort, etc.). These are not one-stop shops for everything I need to know about everything my company does- think of these as a combination of a specific learning path (and its specific content), a facebook page, a subject-specific twitter feed, and searchable, categorized, and curated wiki/repository of information, knowledge, and the latest and greatest stuff. Think context over content, and user over administrator.
A learning portal is, in fact, a lot less than an LMS, quite different from an LMS, and all about the user experience. Usability, speed, context, ranking, and relevance are far more important than a doctrinal approach to learning standards, ID, reusability, and 'artistry in courseware.' A learning portal and an LMS can have no integration (I just spoke to a Fortune 100 company that has never needed an LMS- and they successfully deliver compliance e-learning across the globe...), can be highly integrated, and/or can even act as the opposite sides of the same coin for one another. However a learning portal is all about the ride, while an LMS is all about the right engine and tuning. The goal is to deliver the best ride to the right destination, with the right power train (and no more) to get you there.
Jane Hart and the Internet Time Alliance folks have been talking a lot about moving beyond the LMS (for example: http://janeknight.typepad.com/socialmedia/2010/05/a-transition-path.html) but have been very focused on collaboration and social learning.
Glenn, here you're taking this in a pretty different direction with a strong focus on context.
I don't think this is an either/or debate, but that both collaboration and context are important dimensions to consider for what's really needed in a learning platform.
posted by John Hathaway
May 19th, 2010
"Learning Management System"/LMS has such a varied meaning that we have taken to calling what customers need to use and track our standards compliant lessons an online LDS - "Lesson Delivery System".
That terminology tends to clarify for us and our clients the need.
An LDS is a system that manages users and online authentication, allows access to lesson startup and delivery functions and tracks the users use of the lessons (and provides information on the lesson use in some form). Since we tend to deliver standards compliant lessons (either AICC or SCORM) we require a standards compliant LDS (and given access to services like SCORMCloud that is getting easier and easier). For tracking of online tests standards based delivery is in our experience by far the easiest path to a result -- but standards usage by no means defines the category.
All the other features that sometimes get thrown into the LMS mix (like non online learning resource management, classroom rosters, compliance management, human resource management et al) become non lesson delivery requirements,
posted by Brian Sullivan
May 19th, 2010
Some further thoughts that elaborate my comment above in this post:
http://velocitymg.com/explorations/leveraging-learning/the-4-cs-of-extended-enterprise-learning-and-performance/
posted by John Hathaway
June 4th, 2010
Brian, the Lesson Delivery System term is an interesting way of looking at it. That's certainly a subset of LMS functionality that meets the needs in many cases.
Agree that things like SCORMCloud are adding some interesting options for content delivery and tracking without all the other baggage of an LMS.
posted by John Hathaway
June 4th, 2010
Hooray! This articulates my own views very closely.
What you call a "modern learning portal", I call an "Informal Learning Environment" or ILE (http://tinyurl.com/informal-ILE).
I think both ILEs and LMSs are vital components of any L&D model: The former supports learning, the latter supports - as you say - compliance, tracking & completion.
posted by Ryan Tracey
July 8th, 2010
[...] Social Learning Portals where individuals can access a one-stop shop of learning resources such as course materials and social networking groups. [...]
posted by – The role of technology in learning and development Learning Consultancy Partnership (LCP) blog: management training & leadership development news
October 1st, 2010