Does anyone truly *love* their LMS? Good question, and a common point of discussion among learning leaders.
For this month’s episode, Jim Farrell (Director of Learning Design & Development at SAS) stopped by to share his experience and perspective, from the decision to transition to a new LMS, evaluating potential solutions, pitching internal stakeholders, and even getting the final approval from leadership.
Summary
We’re excited to talk with with Jim Farrell, the Director of Learning and Development at SAS, about the process of selecting, implementing, and managing a Learning Management System (LMS). Jim shares his experience transitioning from using Moodle, which was initially free and already available internally, to implementing a more sophisticated LMS to meet evolving business needs. The conversation details how SAS transformed from a traditional classroom-based training model to a digital-first approach, which necessitated the LMS change. Jim describes a two-year implementation process, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder involvement, transparency in decision-making, and careful consideration of business requirements. He discusses key factors in LMS selection, including flexibility, reporting capabilities, and integration possibilities. The implementation team consisted of four key departments: learning design development, marketing, education IT, and customer service, which Jim describes as the ‘four legs of a table’ approach. The discussion also covers budget considerations, user adoption strategies, and the importance of continuous communication during the transition process.
Highlights
Introduction and Background of LMS Implementation at SAS
Jim Farrell, coming from a public school education background, discusses his transition to corporate L&D and his role at SAS. He explains that when he joined SAS, they had no LMS for e-learning, primarily using instructor-led training. Their initial tracking was minimal, predating XAPI and sophisticated analytics.
Initial LMS Selection and Implementation of Moodle
After attending an EdTech conference and evaluating various LMS options, Jim decided to utilize their existing Moodle instance, which was already being used for internal training. Despite Moodle being primarily known as a K-12 tool, they successfully adapted it for corporate use, though they eventually reached its limitations.
Business Transformation and Need for New LMS
The company’s shift to a digital-first model revealed limitations in their existing LMS, particularly regarding customer reporting and catalog functionality. This transformation drove the need for a more sophisticated LMS solution that could support their evolving business model.
Budget Considerations and Stakeholder Management
Jim describes the ‘ask for a pony, get a kitten’ approach to budgeting, involving stakeholders in demos to understand pricing implications. They maintained transparency through roadshows, Teams channels, and extensive wireframing to ensure stakeholder buy-in.
Technical Requirements and Implementation Strategy
Key requirements included system flexibility, core functionality preservation, robust reporting capabilities, and integration options. They chose to self-host the LMS behind their firewall for greater control over versions and functionality.
User Adoption and Change Management
The implementation team included representatives from four key areas: learning design development, marketing, education IT, and customer service. This ‘four legs of a table’ approach helped ensure stable implementation and effective communication across the organization. The process took approximately two years to complete.
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