When you are implementing a learning management system, your preparations and planning are focused on getting to go-live. Going to launch is cause for celebration. Kick back and relax for a minute – but only for a minute. The real work has just begun.
Everyone has minor issues after a technology launch, but the tension of the moment magnifies them. By following the procedures you established with your team, you can make post-launch go smoothly. The work you did so far prepared you well for what is coming. You are more prepared than you might think.
If you have used the Pixentia methodology, you have the right procedures in place. Use these indicators as a checklist to be sure you are ready.
We can’t anticipate every challenge in an LMS launch, but a few things are common to most instances. Here is a short list with a few recommendations for handling them.
No perception of the future is perfect. There will be a disconnect between expectations and reality. Sometimes users will have unrealistic expectations.
The prime antidote will be open communication.
When a technical problem occurs, users may overreact. This is normal behavior you can de-escalate quickly by anticipating the reaction and remaining calm. We have found good humor to be an effective antidote. Every organization is different, and humor may not work for you.
In every organization, some people are slow to adopt changes. A natural tendency when people are under stress is to revert to old ways of doing things. Be open to suggestions, but remember if you allow people to return to old ways, they will. Walk them through the new process.
A small number of people may resist. They may even work against the change. You will find that technology is not the cause of the resistance; there will be other factors at work. Prepare managers and supervisors to deal directly with active resistance. We believe a direct approach is best: we have a new way of doing things -- are you with us?
No matter how well you prepare your support staff, they will encounter challenges. Help them understand there will be an adjustment period. Prepare them for the challenges and make sure you help the helpers. Each challenge is an opportunity to learn so you can serve the next user better.
No matter how hard you tried to avoid them, you will need to make configuration adjustments. Use them as opportunities to learn. How well you navigate these challenges will depend on how well you prepare your users.
Enlist your users in the discovery. Encourage them to use your feedback system and support procedures to get problems resolved right away. Repeat the process every time you introduce a change.
When a user points out an issue, let everyone know who found the problem and helped fix it. You could even award badges to people who alert to and resolve problems.
We doubt you will experience a unique problem. The issue may be new to you, but at least some of the thousands of LMS customers probably had the experience. You can rely on the User Community, your implementation partner, and your support provider to help you through.
Phenomecloud is a full-service technology company dedicated to helping clients solve business problems, improve the capability of their people, and achieve better results.