5 Types of Data To Collect From Your LMS Software

You may have great LMS software in your HR department. But are you using it properly?

From onboarding to learning how to use a new tool, learning management system (LMS) software gives you complete control over training, passing grades, retraining, and improving your employees' skills to ensure they are where they need to be.

If you are an HR professional looking to assess whether your training modules are valuable and useful, use a combination of tests and surveys to make sure you are giving your employees the education they need to grow professionally while staying engaged with your company. Let’s look at the five types of data to collect from your LMS and how to use it for optimal results.

1. Progress speed

The length of time in which it takes an employee to finish a learning module should indicate to your HR staff that either the employee may not be the best person to take the assessment, or the module needs to be tweaked.

Depending on whether your employees take too long or too short of a time to complete a module, you might need to take a look at making it easier or harder, respectively. Progress speed might also indicate whether a particular worker may not be well suited for the skill set they are working to obtain. For instance, if they take too long to complete a module, this may indicate that the employee is not fully understanding the information they are being tested on.

2. Learner performance

Standardizing the ways that you measure learner performance is essential. With LMS software, you can set the parameters to measure employee success or failure. For example, let’s say the average score on a test is 75%. You can set an alert to be notified if someone scores 95% or higher, and another alert to be notified if someone scores a 65% or below. This should also indicate to you whether a module is too hard or too easy.

With an LMS, you can set an exam’s passing grade/score, how often someone can retake a module if they fail, whether there is a reward for passing the section or exam, and any consequences for failing a module. Compiling as many employee assessment scores as possible will give you a more accurate picture of your workforce's knowledge base. And, once you have a baseline from industry standards and your own data, you can further customize the LMS to suit your own needs.

Determining how well a team should know the specific data you're testing them on is all going to depend on what your team is doing, what type of knowledge you're testing them on, and how vital it is to their role.

3. Learner surveys

Learner surveys are crucial for honest feedback on your learning modules. For example, you can ask learners to rate the training using a simple five-star system while leaving a blank for feedback. You can ask specific questions, such as “How helpful was this training?” and “Do you think this training helps you better understand/grow in your current role?” Find a way to incentivize people to give this feedback with a simple reward system so you can figure out how best to help your employees.

You can make learner surveys anonymous to encourage open and honest feedback, or you can tie the survey to a particular employee to get an accurate picture of the learner's progress, score, and performance.

4. Peer-based reviews

LMS software needs input from relevant stakeholders. When you onboard a new HR staffer, consider having that person complete a learning module and have them assess and critique it. Another way to review the assessments is to have various department heads review the modules, especially for department-specific tests such as how to run a specific piece of machinery or whether someone can pass a web design test.

Having peer-reviewed modules can give HR staff insights into what skills managers need their staff to have most on the job. This is particularly important if your staff needs to renew certifications annually, or if your company brings in new equipment that requires training and employees must pass specific tests before operating the machine.

5. Completion rates

Completion rates tell you if a learning module is too hard. Your LMS software can also see who completes which training, who still needs to complete certain courses, and how relevant a particular module is to someone's role or job.

When you examine these metrics in a bigger picture, you see how effective your LMS software is company-wide. The best LMS offerings allow you to set parameters that will alert you when something falls out of normal ranges, such as when someone completes a module way too fast or scores much higher than average. Relevant reports are also vital to the success of LMS software for your firm.