NetDimensions' 'Is the LMS Dead?' Webinar Answers Why Learning Management Systems Need to Evolve

HONG KONG, Dec. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- NetDimensions (London Stock Exchange AIM: NETD), a global provider of performance, knowledge and learning management systems, recently hosted a well-attended webinar on the role of the LMS in today's organizations that rely more heavily on a global market presence, have increasingly mobile workforces, and are starting to embrace social media.

NetDimensions' Managing Director and CEO Jay Shaw moderated the discussion among four eminent industry experts: 

• Charles Jennings, Managing Director of Duntroon Associates; 
• Craig Weiss, Analyst and Author with E-Learning 24/7; 
• David Wilson, Managing Director and Founder of Elearnity; and 
• Richard Nantel, CEO of Brandon Hall Research.

The Future of the LMS: Evolve Into a New Role

The panelists were unanimous in saying that the LMS must evolve to meet the demands of a market that is taking charge of its learning needs. However, each had his own vision about the new role the LMS has to play in organizations moving forward.

Wilson says that in this new role, the LMS will no longer be just the "shop window" or interface to learning but will now act as a "transactor" of learning, enabling learning to be embedded in work processes as well as people processes. The demands for compliance-driven learning and reporting, as well as efficient operating models, will still be significant, but increasing focus will also be placed on a great user experience, and enhancing performance in the workplace through real-time connections to people and relevant content.

Jennings predicts that "best of breed" LMSs will look to loosely couple their products with social technologies provided by 3rd parties rather than attempt to reinvent the wheel and tie clients into their own versions of social tools.  He explains that then customers will have the opportunity to use best-of-breed for both LMS and social learning. It shouldn't be a battle between the LMS (grabbing everything into it) and social technologies (taking everything away from the LMS). He believes there will continue to be a need for LMS, particularly in recording regulatory and compliance activity.

Weiss foresees that LMSs will focus on niches for different company size configurations. For smaller companies, LMS solutions will be flexible, nimble, with open source APIs, social learning tools, and mobile learning capabilities. Larger company LMSs will have talent management functionality and fluid social learning features. Mobile learning, particularly in terms of tablets, is going to be a big market, more so than mobile learning on smart phones.

Nantel concludes: "I think the data just don't back up the assumption that the LMS is dead. I think demand is up, and I think that LMS solution providers are going to be having a very, very good year in 2011." He sees the evolved LMS as being much more social and being an enabler of collaboration between people and systems. The LMS will become a dashboard that can report on measured results of learning initiatives.

The engaging "Is the LMS Dead?" webinar, held on November 18, is NetDimensions' most attended webinar to date, with over a thousand registering for the free online roundtable event. To address the interest that rose from the event and foster a more open interaction between the webinar panelists and the wider learning community, a Tweet chat follow-up session took place on December 7 under the hashtag #lmschat.

Those who are interested in the full details of this discussion may view the webinar recording on demand or download the "Is the LMS Dead?" Roundtable Discussion Highlights report from the NetDimensions website (http://www.netdimensions.com/news-and-events/webinars/is-the-lms-dead-webinar.php).

About NetDimensions

Established in 1999, NetDimensions (London Stock Exchange, AIM: NETD) is a global provider of performance, knowledge and learning management systems. The company's key products include the Enterprise Knowledge Platform (EKP), the Enterprise Assessment Platform (EAP) and the Enterprise Content Platform (ECP).

NetDimensions products and services help companies deliver and manage corporate training, career development, assessment and certification programs, and help clients around the world address growing regulatory compliance needs.

Recognized as one of the top-rated learning technology suppliers in overall customer satisfaction, NetDimensions has been chosen by multinational organizations worldwide including HSBC, ING and Cathay Pacific.

NetDimensions is ISO 9001 certified and NetDimensions hosted services are ISO 27001 certified.

Enterprise Knowledge Platform and EKP are trademarks of NetDimensions Ltd. For more information, visit www.netdimensions.com

SOURCE NetDimensions