Your LMS’s User Experience and User Interface is Critical, But Why?
A multitude of organizations relies heavily on learning management systems. However, they certainly aren’t all created the same. There are several factors that determine how successful an LMS is. UI/UX details are rarely considered, but the truth is, they’re one of the most important components of your LMS. User interface and user experience are very crucial, since a good learning management system will become outstanding when it combines looks and functionality. The fact of the matter is, learning can be negatively affected by poor UI/UX experiences.
Millennials and Generation Z learners have grown up surrounded by a wide variety of technology in their lives. Gadgets such as camera phones and DVD players were invented in the early 2000s. High-tech booms have characterized the second half of the twentieth century, and children born during this time have been exposed to these booms. Technological advances have become increasingly important to human activity with each generation. This is also true at work. Employee training has been affected by technological advances. A learning management software’s UI/UX must take into account the latest technological advances and ensure maximum learner engagement.
Your LMS’ user experience and interface are crucial, but why? The UI and UX of platforms and software are constantly updated, attracting millennials and modern learners. In a time when most major platforms and software are constantly updating their looks, an LMS that fails to act will become obsolete very rapidly. Consequently, learners will become less engaged. That LMS that you and your organization have invested so much time and money on won’t be able to perform its duties.
The UI, UX, and accessibility of an LMS are the main ways it prevents low engagement rates. Most of today’s students have already grown tired of training and development. We can all admit to the fact that most of the training process is largely disinteresting, uninspiring, and takes a lot of time. An LMS is supposed to mitigate some of those negative effects, but a clunky one or one that’s difficult to use isn’t going to help. It will, instead, dissuade a learner from engaging in any sort of training.
UI/UX Factors That Can Keep Your Learners Interested
Learning management systems are everywhere these days. Most learners, particularly younger learners, have become very used to them. In fact, they’re so widely utilized that they aren’t really a novel experience anymore. It takes something special to keep learners engaged in an LMS. A learner today values a variety of factors in a learning management system, including UI/UX. This article discusses how the user interface and experience elements can help bolster your employees’ engagement during training.
Don’t Make Your Graphics and Design Overly Complicated
You might be tempted to think implementing graphics and design elements that are entertaining, loud, and stimulating can help to boost learner engagement. However, this actually isn’t necessarily the best approach to take. When designing an eLearning program, it is best to avoid distracting colors, shapes, and images. The user experience of UI and UX can actually be improved if the design uses light colors, rounded edges, and delicate fonts. Check out social media sites and apps that are popular. There aren’t too many design elements, nor are they overly busy. What’s the point? Reading and absorbing materials is easier. Today’s best modern UX and UI designs are calming rather than geared towards grabbing your attention with loud, distracting graphics.
Make Sure It’s Easy to Navigate With a Simple UI
Learning management systems that are too complicated do not appeal to anyone. It’s important that learning management system interfaces are as clutter-free as possible. This provides learners with an environment where they can sign up and begin training immediately. Additionally, administrators can easily complete administrative tasks because they can only see important data and can click fewer times to complete them. An easy-to-navigate interface often captures the user’s attention and helps them focus on the important information. Don’t let your simple design fool you; it doesn’t mean it’s boring.
Make the Most of Light and Dark Mode
Often, employees are forced to consume training material at night in low-light conditions due to their hectic schedules. The practice can be detrimental to the eyes and brain, so it is not recommended. When only one mode is available by default, usually light mode, the learning management system is not suitable for nighttime learning. Learning outcomes suffer when learning management systems don’t support nighttime reading.
This problem can be solved by using an LMS that has both bright and dark modes during the day. Even though these features might not seem that significant, they can actually facilitate employee acceptance of the system and improve training by allowing learners to access materials at their convenience.
Make Sure Your LMS is in Line with Other Software
On a day-to-day basis, your employees probably deal with dozens of other types of software. The standard for your employees is therefore extremely high. A learning management system that lacks features and functionality can quickly become unattractive to customers. Your LMS needs to keep pace with learners’ use of sophisticated, advanced software, which demands a top-of-the-line user interface and UX.
Your employees, particularly those who fall into younger age demographic categories, are very used to advanced, beautifully designed software systems with excellent UI/UX. These days, far too many organizations are losing employee engagement during training because they use learning management systems with outdated features. Learning management systems and, subsequently, their UI and UX need to be updated in order to engage and inspire the latest generation of learners. You spent all those resources and money on an LMS, so do your due diligence and make sure it performs to the best of its ability. In our contemporary world, that means paying close attention to UI/UX and keeping it modern, forward-thinking, and engaging.