Assess

What metrics to track?

Metrics measure performance in a way that is meaningful and informative to both the learner and the instructor. As a training developer, what metric tools do you need? What type of metrics are available in an LMS anyway? LMS administrators, course instructors, and learners need meaningful analysis of activities.

These include:

• the course completion rates
• the course registration number
• the revenue generated per course in a given quarter
• and even the quality of responses provided by the instructor in a course

Intelligent metrics are needed for intelligent systems. If you are a TalentLMS user you don’t have to look for external metric measuring tools! The most “in-demand” metric is just at your fingertips. Direct feedback that can be collected via survey for the course or the instructor is built into the system. TalentLMS includes surveys that can be used to collect feedback meaningful for learners as well as teachers – and tools to analyze the results to gain valuable insights. Plans to measure the relatively tricky element, the ROI are also underway. This is a time-sensitive metric. It builds on data collected at periodic intervals. For example, survey results and simple polls collected by training managers on questions like “How would you rate the training program’s performance improving capability” and other specific questions with three responses “Excellent”, “Okay” or “Poor”. Answers from polls can easily be analyzed (over time) and displayed as a “ROI Rating for this Course”. Job impact rating is also desirable and again, time sensitive. Data for Job Impact Rating can only be collected from managers and senior managers. In this section, we discuss what kind of metrics we need from an LMS to make the ROI of our training material worthwhile.

An LMS can include tools that measure the following about a training course:

• Overall rating of the training course:

  Overall rating is a one-word answer: “Excellent” “Good” or “Fair”. Such ratings improve learner enrollment and provide an opportunity for instructional designers to improve their courses.

• Post-event survey results:

  These are basically for instructional designers and trainers. They can be specific questions related to the course, enabling designers to improve the contents.

• Instructor ratings:

  Very essential for the instructor to fine tune their course mentoring. Also important for marketing the instructor as the mentor of a course.

• Learning Effectiveness:

  This is a bit abstract but can be dealt with specific questions like requesting for emotional or affective responses. The confidence, excitement, anxiety, empowerment and curiosity or boredom learners feel, describe the effectiveness of the learning materials.

• Return on Investment:

  as discussed above

• Overall satisfaction:

  This is popular and again needs a single word answer. Using non-conventional answers like “awesome” “phenomenal” “brain wrecker” etc. add to the appeal of this metric.

On the whole, the ability of a metric measuring system integrated in an LMS can be enhanced by adding operational and performance tools that transfer a degree of learning to work context and the ability to demonstrate the value of learning content, to senior members of the organization.

LMSs are powerful social networking tools.

Their essence lies in the capability to create a community of practice (COP). If developed and implemented effectively, LMS can serve as a talent attracting pool. Certain data measurement tools have to be in place to develop, attract and retain talent within the learning community. Measuring unstructured data and providing valuable notifications to mentors working behind the scenes, is also desirable. This is done through qualitative analysis – a step that frees up processing time by humans for more creative tasks, therefore reducing administration tasks and increasing data use.

LMS metrics can also measure performance and align it with business objectives to describe specific outcomes at a given time. The possibilities are endless, given the volume of data sifting through servers. Analytic tools programmed in your LMS can create a world of difference in how learning and teaching takes place within the organization. The influx of more visitors leads to an upward spiral of marketing. More traffic yields more awareness of the organization and its activities, ultimately leading to more business and success than a competitor. Setting up concrete marketing goals using analytics figures will keep you informed on how well your eLearning course is being received by your audience.

Metrics are measurable tools that keep your training development and management tasks in sync with each other. They also encourage improved learning and performance achievements, by providing specific and timely information.