A learning management system, or LMS, is a software application that allows training professionals within a company to manage their training program from one centralized environment. With an LMS, you can house, deliver, and track all your company training content, so you can easily manage employee education while focusing on strategic goals such as performance metrics and business outcomes.

There are a variety of learning management systems available, depending on your company size and training needs, but all LMSs enable a more modern approach to learning, allowing for greater scalability, flexibility, and mobility across the learning program.

Continúa leyendo para acceder a un análisis detallado sobre cómo un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje puede mejorar la capacitación empresarial de tu compañía, por qué podrías necesitar un sistema de este tipo y cuáles son las características clave que deberías tener en cuenta del LMS.

¿Qué es un LMS? ¿Cómo funciona?

Hoy en día, los sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje están, en gran parte, basados en la nube. Un buen LMS unifica el aprendizaje virtual, presencial, móvil y en redes sociales en una solución conveniente. Juntos, los departamentos de capacitación corporativa, los equipos de RR. HH., los gerentes encargados de la seguridad y del cumplimiento y demás partes interesadas pueden colaborar con otros en los cursos de capacitación, crearlos, distribuirlos y hacer un seguimiento para toda la empresa.

Los sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje son imprescindibles para cualquier empresa, grande o pequeña. Ya sea que estés desarrollando materiales educativos para una pequeña empresa emergente o contribuyendo a la capacitación del personal de una empresa internacional con miles de empleados, un LMS es la opción ideal para automatizar las tareas que antes eran agobiantes, para que puedas concentrarte en alinear la capacitación con la estrategia de tu empresa.

Por ejemplo, si tu empresa está a punto de lanzar un producto nuevo o hay un nuevo proceso interno con el que los empleados deben familiarizarse. Un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje puede ayudarte a elaborar diapositivas, videos, cuestionarios, y más, a los que tus equipos pueden acceder desde sus cuentas individuales del LMS.

More advanced LMSs go above and beyond to increase engagement and information retention with features like gamification, video assessments, and interactive, hotspot training.

¿Cuáles son los beneficios de un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje?

Un LMS eficaz puede ser una ventaja para cualquier organización que busque mejorar su programa interno de educación:

  • Un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje brinda a la empresa un espacio centralizado para almacenar y organizar sus materiales de aprendizaje, que luego se pueden editar e implementar desde un solo lugar.
  • Courses can be built completely online, with a variety of different creation tools that support multiple formats, from text to images, videos, quizzes, and more.
  • La educación proporcionada a través de un LMS es uniforme debido a su centralización. Todos los materiales proporcionados a través de un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje son de la misma calidad porque proceden de la misma fuente.
  • Un LMS también puede reducir los costos del aprendizaje y del desarrollo, ya que elimina otras capacitaciones, como los seminarios presenciales o las jornadas de formación.
  • El progreso educativo de los empleados se puede seguir fácilmente, lo que te permite revisar el desempeño y obtener datos con varios informes y paneles.
  • LMSs can automate tasks that would otherwise take time out of administrators’ days, like group enrollment and task assignments.
  • Cloud-based learning management systems can be accessed from anywhere on mobile devices, meaning members of an organization can continue their learning materials no matter where they are and at their own pace.
  • Un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje puede permitirte emplear las notificaciones en tu organización para impulsar tasas más altas de finalización de los cursos.
  • Personalized learning paths can help training professionals tailor materials to specific individuals, which is great for organization members with overlapping roles.
  • Some LMSs have gamification features that allow you to award achievements, points, leader board status, and badges to learners for participation and completion.

Tipos de sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje

There are several different types of LMSs: cloud-based LMSs, desktop LMSs, and mobile LMSs.

  • Sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje basados en la nube

    These types of LMSs are hosted in the cloud, as their name implies. Cloud learning management systems have the advantage of being accessible from anywhere.

  • Sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje basados en computadoras de escritorio

    Las soluciones de LMS basadas en computadoras de escritorio requieren que el usuario descargue un software específico en su computadora.

  • Sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje basados en dispositivos móviles

    Finally, mobile LMSs require users to download an application to their mobile device, like a smartphone or tablet.

Casos de uso de los sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje

So, what is a learning management system used for? There are several use cases for LMSs depending on the organization:

  • Internal training is the most obvious LMS use case. You can create, deploy, and track all your educational materials from one centralized spot to help your organization’s employees learn a new internal process or just stay up to date on compliance or professional and personal development.
  • An LMS can be used for training external partners of an organization, like resellers or agencies, on brand or product guidelines, or for customer training.
  • Learning management systems can be used for customer training. An LMS’s gamification features can help your organization launch a loyalty rewards program to have customers earn bonuses when they complete specific training courses. Some companies may even profit from customer training by charging for courses.
  • La incorporación de los empleados es otro excelente caso de uso para los sistemas de gestión del aprendizaje. Un LMS efectivo les facilitará la tarea a los empleados nuevos y a aquellos que elaboren los materiales.
  • Las escuelas y otras organizaciones del ámbito académico pueden beneficiarse de un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje. Gracias a la flexibilidad de los LMS basados en la nube, los estudiantes pueden aprender a su propio ritmo y tomar los cursos cuando lo deseen.
  • Los empleados temporales, como aquellos que trabajan través de aplicaciones o de empresas en línea, pueden recibir capacitación remota usando el sistema de gestión del aprendizaje de una organización.

Learn more about content management systems (CMS) vs. learning management systems (LMS)

As eLearning becomes more popular, training departments may find themselves considering the differences between a content management system vs learning management system. Both of these systems are progressive and provide ways to manage various aspects of eLearning courses. The differences between the two are significant and should be considered before finalizing a purchase of either system.

What is a Content Management System?

A content management system (CMS) is simply an application that allows a method for managing content from a central location. Users with appropriate permissions can edit, add, and view content, while those with lower level access can only view the content. These systems are very helpful with managing versions of a document and centralizing all aspects of something in one place. Everyone can relate to a time when multiple users made changes to a document only to find out after publication that at least one version of changes didn’t make it through to the final version. A content management system helps prevent those issues so that everything is transparent (including who made changes) and stored in one place.

¿Qué es un sistema de gestión del aprendizaje?

A learning management system (LMS) is another type of software application, but it is much more robust than a content management system. Rather than version control, an LMS is more of a training control system. An LMS provides a platform for housing all types of eLearning courses, as well as tracking who has completed them, when, and what kind of score they received on assessments. Furthermore, an LMS allows administrators or trainers to prepare reports, make assignments, and send reminders all in one central location.

Differences Between CMS vs LMS

While both applications have their place in an organization, the differences between a content management system vs learning management system are significant in their core functionality. For students or learners, a CMS is more of a passive application where they can simply view documents. With an LMS, learners have the ability to view, listen, and interact with the data. They have the options to try examples, complete assessments, and give evaluation or feedback on courses. Litmos has a free trial where you can test the features of an LMS for yourself. Give it a try and experience the difference between a content management system vs learning management system firsthand.

¿Estás listo para saber por qué es tan popular?

If you’re ready to learn more about what a learning management system can do for your organization, check out Litmos. This award-winning LMS platform is easy to use but powerful and super scalable, empowering training professionals with everything they need to manage their training programs from one secure, centralized environment. Plus, it comes packaged with an API that lets you seamlessly integrate it with your existing systems.

Have a particular need? Discover what Litmos can do for you based on specific needs or industry, whether you’re in automotive, energy, finance, education, retail, tech, or something else!