Years after Josh Bersin coined the
term ‘Learning Experience Platform’ or LXP, as it is popularly known, the world
is still divided on its loyalty to the veteran player (read Learning Management
System, LMS) vs. the new kid on the block (LXP). While both aim to solve
the same problem – employee learning and development, the former were developed
as “Management” systems for learning, focused on business rules, compliance,
and catalog management for all ‘assigned’ training while the experience
platforms revolve more around the self(content) ‘discovery’.
Accordingly to an article
on Josh Bersin, “Both systems are
needed (LXP and LMS), but over time these lines have blurred”.
How blurred?
To Josh’s point of LXPs’ USP being
content aggregators and recommenders, David Perring, the Director of Research
at the Fosway group, puts forth a thought provoking message in his article ‘LXP
– Why buyers might need to look closely into the next “big thing” in
learning tech?’
Admin-driven to learner-driven
It’s not just the content piece
(yes, learning is more than just accessing content!), but the shift of learning
“experience” from the admin in the hands of the learner which calls for reassessment.
In an LXP, the key interactions with the end users are driven by ML and AI algorithms,
not by a predefined design created by an instructional designer. Which means L&D
is no longer in direct control of the moments and nature of the interactions,
begging the question – what about the mandatory compliance training and the
learning path? Do businesses leave the learning and development completely to
the devices of the learners? Do you use an LMS to ensure ownership and control
of the training instead?
Unfortunately (or fortunately) it’s not as black and white as it looks.
While it’s important to train your workforce on key pre-defined skills and competencies, ensuring learner engagement, self-discovery and self-paced-ness is equally important for the success of your training interventions.
So how do businesses, L&D in particular, choose between an LMS and an
LXP? Or can you get the best of both worlds – a Learning Management System with the
(artificial) intelligence of
a Learning Experience Platform?
In our April edition of ‘Let’s Talk Learn-Tech’ podcast, I chat
with Sandeep Bhoyar, AVP
Technology, Rajesh Shintre, AVP Client Communications and Iyyappan
Arumugam, Manager – Business Analyst to dissect the Learning Management
System and the Learning Experience Platform.
Listen to the full episode to
learn:
- What
is an LMS and an LXP? Key differences between the two
- Importance
of personalization in the context of mandatory training (learner-driven
workflow vs. admin driven) and to-dos for achieving a balance
- Which
one should an organization choose – parameters for choosing one over the other
- The
future of the LMS and the LXP
‘Let’s Talk Learn-Tech’ is available on https://www.upsidelms.com/podcast and can be accessed on mobile phone via Podbean’s iOS and Android App. Follow ‘Let’s Talk Learn-Tech’ on https://upsidelms.podbean.com/ to ensure you get the latest podcast – on the day of the release!
Pranjalee Lahri
