By now, every L&D leader knows that data is crucial. But which data points are getting your attention and energy? Unfortunately, many training managers only measure learner attendance, completion, and maybe feedback scores for satisfaction if they have time. These numbers definitely tell a story, but not the whole story. This data can inform your communication and delivery of training initiatives at best, and send you on a dead-end treasure hunt that doesn't produce results at worst.

Video, gamification, good 'ol PowerPoint. Creating custom learning material is only growing more and more confusing as we acquire more tools and research. We want to take the guessing game out of content creation, and also give you the tools you need to prepare training material that abides by best practices. Here are a few commandments...er....suggestions for compiling outstanding custom content.

As Learning & Development professionals, there are phrases we hear often that spin us into a flurry of planning, executing, hoping and praying. But what's just as important as these sentences? The unspoken additional context that goes with it:

We came up with four different options to explain a learning management system in 140 characters or less:

Technology changes so rapidly these days it’s hard to predict what will be next and how it - whatever “it” is - will shape the way that we live. Social media has impacted the way that we communicate with old friends, catch up on news, and even do business, but 10 years ago, social media had a completely different landscape.

Growing up, my dad would always point out advertisements to show how they set expectations. We would drive by a tanning salon with a picture of very sculpted and tan people and he would say “Wow, if I go in there - I’ll come out looking like that!” He wasn’t just referring to the shade of the person’s skin in the advertisement. Advertisement is powerful and marketing departments work hard to showcase benefits - tangible or intangible, but sometimes that can set consumers up with high expectations that can’t be met. As much as I wish applying sunless tanner would then give me a six-pack, that’s an expectation that absolutely will not come to actualization (without a lot of other work)…. bummer.

Whether you’re new to online education systems, or e-Learning, it is important to get on the same page as your vendor or sales person to really get the most out of what may be taught as it relates to your learning management system. A quick review of the most common terms used when it relates to learning management systems and online training will be helpful for quick education and to get you up to speed when talking about your new software.

So, you, possibly a training manager, believe that your company could benefit from adopting a Learning Management System (LMS), but your boss isn’t exactly on board? Convincing senior level executives can be a challenging task, especially where software is concerned. There are learning curves, expenditures, training, and more and proving how it impacts the bottom line can be challenging and oftentimes, that is exactly what your boss is the most concerned about. If your company has some sort of training program in place, isn’t that enough? What does your organization stand to gain from adopting a Learning Management System?

Compliance Management is evident in all businesses, large and small, new or old. While the types of compliance management necessary for success may not look the same, the underlying need for compliance is there and in many cases, controlled by more than one overseeing agency. From Federal to state governments, industry auditors and regulations, to meeting qualifications standards and certifications in an individual role - compliance is here to stay. Thankfully, with the robust growth seen in the learning management system industry, there is a much easier way to stay up on compliance efforts without adding a new product or vendor to manage.

Oftentimes it is standard practice to measure learning and development across an organization by levels of compliance. Compliance standards are typically set outside the company and audited, however, they can also expand to practices such as onboarding a new employee. In the latter case, employees go through onboarding to achieve a certain level of compliance that will deem them capable of working on their own, or show managers that they have at least marked a checkbox.