Procuring a new LMS is no easy feat, least of all because you need to get your buying group on the same page. Build consensus by finding a ‘common thread’ to rally behind and having encouraging answers for the questions that will be thrown your way. For more content like this, check out the full Acorn Resources blog: https://acornlms.com/resources

1. Building LMS Purchase Consensus
A How-To Guide

2. Why is consensus needed?
When procuring a new learning management system, it can be difficult
to build consensus among your buying group.
Often, this group includes L&D, HR, Finance, Legal and IT, each with
unique priorities. Problems arise when these priorities clash, because
the respective function leaders believe their priority is the number one
concern.

3. Bringing the buying group together
To bring everyone together, you need a common thread. A common
thread is a tie that binds all teams together. While each department
has their own distinct priorities, these priorities generally flow down
from the company mission and CEO’s priorities.

4. The cascade down
What the CEO wants then flows down to executive leader’s objectives
which then flows down into management’s objectives. This cascade
down is key. It is how leading organisations pull together to deliver on
the mission of the business.
In order to establish a common thread, you need to swim upstream
and find one that binds you all together.

5. Primary Buying
Group Questions

6. Why do we need a learning
management system?

7. As the custodian of good buying, the procurement team will be
concerned with a competitive price, social value and de-risking the
business through contract terms.
On the other hand, IT will care about privacy, data and security. Here
you want to be armed with relevant information on things like network
security, secured connection, user access, third-party certification and
data recovery.

8. What is the budget for the
learning management system?

9. Consider whether your initiative should be prioritised over another
department’s, budget wise. If yes, you need to think of how you can
sell the value of that choice. Work with Finance to build a business
case that outlays expenditures against value.
An LMS is an enterprise purchase and should therefore be valuable to
everyone. Some universal benefits include employee engagement,
better understanding of training needs, upskilled and reskilled teams,
and reduced attrition.

10. What expectations do
you have?

11. Stakeholders will have their own ideas of success within their
departments. This is where good expectation management comes in.
Both parties need to ask and set expectations on what is and will be
required.
Expectations are much more easily managed when they are
monitored. An LMS rollout plan will create ever more lofty
expectations amongst stakeholders. Building a requirements change
template will help ease any concerns.

12. What are our roles and
responsibilities?

13. Department leaders are busy people, and each will likely need to lend
some of their time during LMS implementation. They key to getting
them involved is to clarify scope.
Set milestones to help demonstrate the value of another team’s
involvement. Creating milestones on a defined timeline will help all
department leads understand their input is crucial but limited to a
select few moments.

14. You can learn more about this topic by
checking out the full article:
https://acornlms.com/resources/building-lms-
consensus