Ten Best Practices for LMS Upgrade or Migration

In a 2012 article, “Learning Management System Migration: An Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives,” researchersfrom Nipissing University, Canada, stated: “We concluded, as others have, that‘an effective LMS must support active engagement, meaningful connectionsbetween segments of the course, easy communication, and formative feedback onwork that is presented in class discussions or through other venues.’ … Whensome of these features are lacking or not as current as they should be,migration and transitioning can be expected, which can impact all stakeholdersas the adjustment and change ensues.” (See References.)

LMSs today have tobe on a par with the technological revolution (think web 3.0 or learning 3.0). Keepingup with constant software changes and new platforms leads to a need forfrequent upgrades or, in some cases, switching to a new system entirely.

However, many buyersconsider keeping up to be a task for which the LMS provider is the only partyresponsible, and so buyers are often unclear about their role in the process.Below are 10 practices that a client or a buyer can follow in order to make theoverall LMS upgrade or migration process go smoothly and ensure that thetransition is worth every penny.

1. Involve the stakeholders

The research mentionedabove highlights that the stakeholders who are most affected by LMS migrationor upgrading are the trainers, instructors, and administrators—the actual ownersof the system. However, when considering an upgrade or migration, it’s not justthe actual owners you have to take into account. As the process also involves technologicalchanges, the IT group must be actively involved as well.

Both these teams—thesystem owners and stakeholders, and the IT group—have varying requirements andexpectations from the new LMS version. Understand how each member envisions theproject. It will help to set a benchmark and to measure the project success atthe end of the project. Also, as it is a transition, you should inform allthose who will be impacted (the LMS learners) well in advance.

2. Keep in mind and consider these seven points

Be it an upgrade withinthe same application or a switchover to an entirely different product, for LMSbuyers it is good to have some points clarified.

• Data mapping—While the vendor is responsible for takingcare of the groundwork of what data will go where, as a client you need tounderstand how the data will look in the new system.
• Data cleanup—Many new technologies come into the marketthat play a vital role in optimizing and making the data dynamic, and this directlyaffects the LMS evolution. Enhancements in the system can leave behind someunused or redundant legacy data. While opting for a migration, the vendor’sproject team can identify all such data and clear it out, if required. The roleof your team here is to validate whether any past data is of any use or whetherit can be archived. If you are reluctant to archive the data, then make surethat retrieval options are available.
• Enhancements—Before getting started with an LMSupgrade, be clear about the kind of enhancements you are looking for. Is it newtechnology, compatibility, new features, or IT guidelines? Giving the LMSprovider a clear outline of what you need will ensure that you get asatisfactory output.
• New modules—Understand explicitly what new modules youare getting in an upgrade, or what modules you get when migrating to adifferent system.
• What’s new—Always look for new elements that areoffered either within the LMS or as add-ons. These can come in handy any timein the future, or as a means to future-proof your learning or traininginitiative.
• Target users—While identifying the target users may bethe vendor’s task, it’s your task to provide all the necessary inputs about howthe LMS will be used, the kind of tracking requirements you are looking for, administrativeroles, and the geographic diversity of users, if applicable. Such informationcan help the vendor in creating an optimized solution for your organization.
• Company policies—Be forthright about your organization’s policyfor data protection, data encryption, etc., as the LMS needs to be set up withthese aspects in mind. Here, both the client and the vendor should be involvedand contribute equally to ensure a hassle-free LMS setup. As a client, it is agood practice to promptly review and provide a clearance for the necessaryenvironment details the vendors provide in order to reduce delays.

3. Establish procedures

While commissioningan LMS upgrade project, divide the key stakeholders into teams based on theirroles. Each team has an important contribution to make that drives the projectto its success. Every team will have its pre-set processes and procedures tofollow and also have its own approval process, processing time, releaseprocess, etc.

Allow the vendorto understand your processes. To set the right expectations, give them a clearpicture of the estimated timeframe, the kind of approval cycles, and anyconstraints, challenges, or contracts that might impact the project.

4. Structure your processes

It is the vendor’stask to understand the processes well and to suggest ways to improve themthrough the upgrade project. In order to make this process simpler, you canalways create a structure of the process you follow at your company. And inturn, compare it with what the new system offers in terms of simplifying thecurrent process. 

5. Look for benefits

Understand thebenefits of an LMS upgrade, not just in terms of technological changes but alsoin terms of how it will help different user groups.

It may not beeasy to understand the requirements clearly, and in such cases, trust thevendor and seek advice on how you can achieve things with the LMS. Consultingwith the LMS providers can provide greater insight and clarity about how tobridge the path from requirement listing to the final end product.

6. Ask for case studies and demos

At times, theproduct speaks for itself. Ask the LMS service providers for case studies ordemos that provide an example for a complex task established earlier. This canalso help in setting a clearer base about your own requirements.

7. Be futuristic

An LMS upgrade ormigration should be a long-term solution. Think about the results you canachieve in the longer run, and see how the features can be used in the future.Analyze how the learning delivery can be changed over time. Invest ininnovation, and not just in some interim solution.

8. Review thoroughly

This is a crucialphase, as the review confirms whether or not the system has everything as proposed.Utilize this time for reviewing the functionalities: try out all workflows, usethe system like an actual operational flow, look at the data, and ensure youhave all that you need. Ensure the company level policies and security measuresare being met.

If required, askfor a user acceptance test plan, and provide inputs for it. The user set wouldideally be composed of:

• Basedon the LMS user’s role
  • Admingroup
  • End-usergroup
  • Trainerand instructor group
  • Linemanager group

• ITteam group—which ensures that the application is built as per the ITrequirements

9. Confirm the end result

Once the upgradeis completed, cross-check whether the “reason” for upgrading the system hasbeen met.

10. Plan and prepare for the go-live

Have a fixed datefor launching the upgraded or new LMS system, and stick to it. Ensure theparticipation of all users through promotional activities within theorganization. Before the final day, carefully cross-check the system. Focus onthe following points for a smooth transition:

• Set acommunication plan for end users and administrators
• Chartthe navigation steps for the new system
• Listout the new features added
• Outlinethe benefits of the new system
• Also,clearly mention where and how the users can find the previous data (somethinglike a comparison between old and new systems)

Be it LMS migrationor upgrade, there are various types of successes (measurable and immeasurable)and problems that are encountered. Most issues are quite standard andpredictable and can simply be avoided by focusing on these 10 points.

Quoting directlyfrom the conclusion drawn by the Nipissing University study (see References): “With the surfacing ofinnovative technologies, revisions to current systems, and changing needs andabilities of instructors, future LMS transitions are predictable. Eachinstitution ‘must adapt, using technologies and models of understanding, inthis case to reconcile teaching, research, IT, a changing environment,financial accountability, and managerial models.’”

References

Rubin, Beth, RonFernandes, Maria D. Avgerinou, and James Moore. “The effect of learning management systems on student and faculty outcomes.” The Internet and HigherEducation, Vol. 13, No. 1 – 2. January 2010.

Ryan, Tom G.,Mary Toye, Kyle Charron, and Gavin Park. “Learning Management System Migration: An Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives.” The International Review ofResearch in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol. 13, No. 1. January 2012.