The Smart Builder’s Secret: Why Your LMS Needs Feedback Before the First Line of Code
So, you’re ready to take the plunge. Building a Learning Management System (LMS) – whether custom-developing one or heavily configuring an off-the-shelf platform – feels like a monumental step forward. It’s exciting! You’re picturing streamlined workflows, engaged learners, and powerful data at your fingertips. But hold on just a moment before you dive headfirst into development. There’s a crucial, often underestimated step that separates a truly successful LMS launch from a frustrating, expensive misstep: asking for feedback before you build anything.
It sounds simple, maybe even obvious. Yet, time and again, projects charge ahead based on assumptions, executive mandates, or the loudest voices in the room. The result? An LMS that technically works but misses the mark for the people who matter most – the users.
Why Skipping Pre-Build Feedback is Like Building on Sand
Imagine constructing a beautiful, state-of-the-art house… only to discover the foundation is unstable. That’s the risk of building an LMS without upfront stakeholder input. Here’s why it’s so risky:
1. Solving the Wrong Problems: You think you know the biggest pain points with the current system or processes. But do you really? What keeps instructors up at night? What administrative tasks drain hours each week? What frustrates students trying to find materials? Without asking, you might build elegant solutions for problems that aren’t the most critical.
2. Ignoring Hidden Workflows: Every institution has its unique quirks. There are unofficial processes, “shadow systems” (like spreadsheets or shared drives), and workarounds people have developed to cope with limitations. Building an LMS without uncovering these means you might automate the official process while breaking the actual workflow everyone relies on.
3. Overlooking Crucial Needs: Accessibility requirements? Specific reporting needs for accreditation? Integration points with the student information system or library resources? These aren’t always top-of-mind until you specifically ask the right people. Discovering them late in the build leads to costly rework or compromises.
4. Creating Adoption Roadblocks: If the people who will use the LMS daily feel like it was designed for them, not with them, adoption suffers. Resistance, workarounds, and complaints become the norm. Early feedback builds buy-in and ensures the system aligns with their reality.
5. Wasting Time and Money: Reworking features, fixing fundamental design flaws discovered post-launch, or dealing with low adoption is incredibly expensive. Investing time upfront in feedback is significantly cheaper than fixing problems later.
Asking the Right People, the Right Way
So, you’re convinced. Now, who do you ask, and how?
Who: Cast a Wide Net
Instructors/Faculty: They are the primary content creators and facilitators. What do they need to teach effectively? What grading workflows are essential? What communication tools do they rely on? What frustrates them about the current setup? How tech-savvy are different groups?
Students: The end learners. Is navigation intuitive? Are materials easy to find and access on different devices? What features enhance their learning (forums, collaborative tools, mobile access)? What creates friction? What accessibility needs exist?
Instructional Designers/Tech Support: They understand pedagogy and technical constraints. What tools do they need to support faculty and students effectively? What are common support tickets? What integrations are non-negotiable?
Administrators/Department Chairs: They need reporting, enrollment management, oversight. What data is crucial for decision-making? What processes need automation (course copying, enrollment syncs)? What compliance requirements exist?
IT Staff: They manage infrastructure, security, and integrations. What are the technical constraints? What security protocols are mandatory? What existing systems must it connect with (SIS, authentication, library)?
How: Go Beyond the Basic Survey
Targeted Interviews: Conduct one-on-one or small group interviews. Ask open-ended questions: “Walk me through how you currently set up a course,” “What’s the single most frustrating thing about managing assignments?” “If you had a magic wand, what’s one thing you’d change?” Listen more than you talk.
Structured Workshops: Bring diverse groups together. Use techniques like “pain point mapping” or “ideal workflow sketching.” Facilitate discussions: “What does the perfect assignment submission and feedback process look like from start to finish?”
Shadowing/Observation: Watch people use existing systems (if any) or perform related tasks. You’ll see the real-world struggles and workarounds they might not articulate in an interview.
Focus Groups: Gather similar roles (e.g., all adjunct faculty, a group of first-year students) for guided discussions on specific topics.
“Day in the Life” Journeys: Ask stakeholders to describe a typical day or week, highlighting all the points where an LMS should make things easier or currently causes friction.
Prototype Feedback: If possible, create simple wireframes or clickable mockups of key workflows based on initial feedback, and get reactions. “Does this address the problem we discussed? What’s missing?”
Anonymous Suggestion Channel: Provide a way for people to share concerns or ideas they might be hesitant to voice directly.
The Golden Question: “What Bad Ideas Are We About to Build?”
This is perhaps the most powerful question you can ask stakeholders. Explicitly invite criticism of your planned approach or assumed requirements before they become code. Frame it positively: “Help us avoid building something that doesn’t work for you. What potential pitfalls do you see in this idea?” This surfaces hidden flaws and assumptions brilliantly.
Turning Feedback into a Blueprint
Collecting feedback is only half the battle. The real value comes from synthesis and action:
1. Organize & Categorize: Group feedback into themes: “Accessibility Concerns,” “Grading Workflow Issues,” “Reporting Needs,” “Communication Tools,” etc.
2. Prioritize Ruthlessly: Not all feedback is equally important or feasible. Use a framework like MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have) or impact vs. effort scoring. Focus on the “Must Haves” and high-impact items.
3. Define Clear Requirements: Translate the prioritized feedback into concrete, actionable requirements for your LMS build or configuration. Instead of “Make grading easier,” specify: “Require a one-click method to download all assignment submissions for a course section in a zip file.”
4. Communicate Back: Close the loop! Tell your stakeholders what you heard, what you’re prioritizing, and (importantly) what you can’t do right now and why. This transparency builds trust and shows their input was valued, even if not every request makes the cut.
The Payoff: An LMS Built to Last
Investing time in pre-build feedback isn’t a delay; it’s an accelerator. It ensures you:
Build the Right Thing: Address actual needs and pain points.
Increase Adoption: Users feel heard and invested in the solution.
Reduce Costs: Minimize expensive rework and change requests later.
Boost ROI: Deliver a system that genuinely improves teaching, learning, and administration.
Lay a Strong Foundation: Create a platform that can evolve effectively because its core design aligns with user reality.
Don’t let enthusiasm for the build phase overshadow this critical strategic step. Before you write the first line of code, configure the first setting, or sign that hefty contract, pause. Go out, ask questions, listen intently, and let the collective wisdom of your users guide your blueprint. That feedback isn’t just helpful – it’s the bedrock upon which a truly successful, lasting LMS is built. Your future self (and your users) will thank you.
Please indicate: Thinking In Educating » The Smart Builder’s Secret: Why Your LMS Needs Feedback Before the First Line of Code