how to create an effective rfp for your lms project

How to Create an Effective RFP for Your LMS Project

Mark SmithCEO & Chief Research OfficerVentana Research

Lee CollierSenior Account ExecutiveDocebo

Docebo is a global SaaS enterprise Learning Management System (LMS) used in more than 80 countries and offered in over 30 languages. Established in 2005, Docebooffers a learning ecosystem for companies and their employees, partners and customers that is designed to increase performance and learning engagement.

Docebo is a learner-centric technology, heralded by PCMag.com as “the best online learning platform for business on the market.”

Docebo

© 2017 Ventana Research3 © 2017 Ventana Research3

Mark Smith

CEO & Chief Research Officer

Mark is responsible for the overall business and research direction of Ventana Research and drives the global research agenda covering both business and technology areas. He defined the blueprint and methodology for improving business by using benchmark research to provide guidance across people, processes, information and technology. Mark is an expert in enterprise software and digital technologies including: business analytics, big data, cloud computing, business collaboration, gamification, machine learning, mobile technology, social media and wearable computing.

Mark started Ventana Research and has worked in the software industry for over 25 years leading innovations in research and technology. Mark was rated the 2011 software industry analyst of the year by The Institute of Industry Analyst Relations (IIAR). Mark has been ranked as one of the top ten technology influencers by Human Resources Executive magazine.

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Our unique approach is evaluating the

people, processes, information and

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Ventana Research

How to Create Effective RFP

for Your LMS Project

Mark Smith

CEO & Chief Research Officer

@ventanaresearch In/ventanaresearchblog.ventanaresearch.com

https://twitter.com/VentanaResearch

https://www.linkedin.com/company/38266

http://blog.ventanaresearch.com/


Learning Management


Learning Management

Overview

• Learning management provides the processes and technology to provide it to any

worker using formal and informal training methods with use of collaboration and

mobile technology to optimize engagement across workforce.

Market Direction

• LMS have evolved to support collaborative learning for enterprise and Line of

Business to maximize performance.

• Leveraging mobile and social collaboration technology is making it easier to engage

the workforce anywhere at anytime.

• Assess effectiveness of LMS is essential to optimize engagement and compliance.

Key Insight

• “Investments in learning management are intended to create effective workers.”

Learning Management


Market Trends in Learning


Driving Change and RFP for LMS

• Organizations are considering

change to existing LMS approach for

many reasons.

• Gaining a competitive advantage

through its workforce is top of the list.

• Improvement of business processes

occurs through continuous learning.

• Utilizing social collaborative

capabilities can assemble positive

network learning effect.


Investing into LMS

• Investment into LMS have driving

principles that organizations believe

will drive change and improvement.

• The focus on employee engagement

was the top reason found.

• New generation of LMS also enable

collaboration among employees.

• Improve the effectiveness of learning

is critical to maximize workforce

value.


Planning to Achieve and Improve Benefits

• Benefits are the guide to the business

case and driving factor for a RFP.

• Creating more effective workers is the

top benefit most want to achieve.

• Improving the training across

workforce to engage workers.

• Increased productivity helps reduce

time and cost in conducting business.

• Addressing range of compliance

needs is done through LMS.


Effective RFP in Learning


Comprehensive Approach to Evaluating LMS

A comprehensiveapproach to address the

opportunities using a

people, process,

information and

technology framework.


Steps to Effective RFP

• Used for assessing existing environment and selecting new vendors and

products for LMS.

• Prescribed path for buyers on how to optimize RFP / RFI process.

• Steps:

1. Business Goal and Purpose (Benchmark)

2. Business Requirements (Benchmark)

3. Users and Usage Requirements (Benchmark and Value Index)

4. Functional Requirements and Capabilities (Benchmark and Value Index)

5. Organizational Maturity (Benchmark)

6. Technology Approach and Master List (Value Index)

7. Business and Technology Evaluation Criteria (Value Index)


RFP Evaluation Framework

Utilize a evaluation framework that examines

vendors and products across criteria in

categories that represents how products are

actually used across roles. Just focusing on one

category or focusing on non-relevant categories

like vision or execution can be detrimental to your

organization.


RFP Evaluation Framework

Category Weighting

Usability (15%-25%)

Capability (15%-20%)

Manageability (10%-15%)

Reliability (10%-15%)

TCO/ROI (5%-10%)

Adaptability (5%-10%)

Validation (5%-10%)


Usability: LMS

• Overview

• The Usability category involves evaluation criteria intended explore utility

for varied levels of business and the diverse ages and competencies of

organizations. Weighting of Usability category can range from 15%-20%.

• Key Evaluation Areas

• Executives

• Managers

• Analysts

• Users

• IT

• Accessibility

• User Experience

• Investment


Capability: LMS

• Overview

• The Capability category involves criteria to evaluate the fit between the

capabilities of the products to support the needs of various groups,

including executives, managers, learners, analysts / administrators and

IT. Weighting of Capability category is 15%-20%.


• Address Workforce Needs

• LMS-Specific Support

• Digital Support (mobile, collaboration, analytics)

• Integration-Specific Support

• Manager Capability Support

• Learner Capability Support

• Analyst and Administrative Capability Support


Manageability: LMS

• Overview

• The Manageability category involves evaluation criteria intended to ensure

the products meet business and IT needs for installation, deployment and

administration. Weighting of Manageability category is 10%-15%.


• IT administration

• Business administration

• User and role security

• Application security

• Data security

• Audit and compliance

• License use

• Investment


Reliability: LMS

• Overview

• The Reliability category involves evaluation criteria intended to ensure

that the products can deliver the performance and scalability required.

Weighting of Reliability category is 10%-15%.


• IT architecture

• User performance

• Data performance

• Server performance

• User scalability

• Data scalability

• Server scalability

• Investment


Adaptability: LMS

• Overview

• The Adaptability category applies evaluation criteria designed to ensure

the products can be configured and customized to meet the needs of a

given business. Weighting of Adaptability category is 5%-10%.


• Configuration

• Development

• User integration

• Business integration

• Process integration

• Application integration

• Data integration

• Investment


Validation: LMS

• Overview

• The Validation category applies evaluation criteria designed to assess

the vendor’s commitment to the market segment and its products along

with the breadth of its communication of relevant information. Weighting

of Validation category is 5%-10%.


• Commitment

• Viability

• References

• Case Study

• Product

• Services

• Support

• Investment


TCO/ROI: LMS

• Overview

• The TCO/ROI category applies evaluation criteria designed to assess

the value the vendor delivers with its products. Weighting of TCO/ROI

category is 5% - 10%.


• Business case

• Strategic value

• Benefits

• Costs

• Tools

• Documented

• Services

• Investment


Positive Attitude on the Potential of Learning


Summary: Recommendation

Utilize best practices and insights from the industry to establish the business case for LMS.

Utilize a RFP framework that evaluates LMS from the complete usage of it across the organization.

Avoid impediments that come from looking at evaluation criteria that are not as essential.


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Creating and Submitting an RFP to LMS Vendors

What information do vendors need to know?

What’s the best way to format your RFP?

What should you expect vendors to include in the RFP response?

What do LMS Vendors Need to Know?

Your use case and users

What is your use case(s)?

Who is your primary learning audience?

Your learning objectives

What are the top challenges you wish to resolve with an LMS?

How will you measure success?

Your timelines

Set realistic and specific deadlines for each stage of the RFP process.

Communicate these clearly to the vendor.

Provide the vendor with contextual information regarding your business. Be sure to include information about:

What’s the Best Way to Format an LMS RFP?

There’s currently no standard format or tool for building an RFP.

Clearly outline your learning requirements as they apply to your use case.

Use a Word document, a spreadsheet, or both

- A word document makes it easier to include detailed information (for both the client and the vendor)

- A spreadsheet will make it easier to perform a structured comparison

What Should You Expect Vendors to Include in the RFP Response?

Vendor profile information

E.g., contact information, key differentiation

Pricing information

Based on your specific use case(s), implementation requirements, etc.

Any other information that will demonstrate the value of their solution for your particular use case

E.g., customer references, case studies

In addition to providing answers to your questions about their solution’s learning, security, and implementation requirements, the vendor might include:

TIP: Use an LMS RFP Template

Advantages of using an LMS RFP template:

• Provides a good starting point for building an RFP

• Helps to build a thorough list of questions

• Speeds up the RFP process

Note: When using a template, go through all of the learning requirements listed and modify them according to your own use case.

Free LMS RFP Template

Download it here: https://www.docebo.com/elearning-lms-resources/

Note: We’ll send our free LMS template to all webinar registrants! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Part A: Client Information

To be completed by the client – provide information about your use case, learning objectives, etc.

Part B: Vendor Response

To be completed by the vendor – contains questions about their solution regarding learning, technical/architecture, security, and implementation requirements.

https://www.docebo.com/elearning-lms-resources/

Questions?

Mark SmithCEO & Chief Research OfficerVentana Research

Lee CollierSenior Account ExecutiveDocebo

Thank you!

Streamline the LMS selection process.

Download our free LMS RFP template today!

https://www.docebo.com/resource/lms-rfp-template/?utm_campaign=2017%2002%20RFP%20Webinar&utm_source=Docebo%20Blog&utm_medium=RFP%20Template%20WP%20CTA