What is a Learning Experience Platform (LXP)?
Companies are constantly on the move, they must react to external influences and produce innovations. Against this background, learning is becoming increasingly important — both for the entire organization and for individual employees.
Learning Experience Platforms (LXP) promote self-directed learning and create positive learning experiences that take companies a decisive step forward. In this article, you will learn what characterizes an LXP and how it differs from classic LMS.
What is an LXP?
One Learning Experience Platform (LXP) is software that creates personalized learning experiences. This allows learners to access learning content independently. The learning materials are offered in various formats and can be fed into LXP from various sources. LXP uses intelligent algorithms to help learners suggest relevant digital learning content.
Learning experience platforms react to learners' changing user behavior. Content can be easily retrieved on-demand, much like the well-known streaming portals. And as with YouTube and Co., users receive recommendations for suitable learning content based on their interests and professional profile. The resulting Learning experiences are at the heart of LXP — after all, the “X” stands for “Experience.” The objective: Learning is fun and Employees and organizations are getting fit for the future through positive learning experiences.
Speaking of fun: Some LXPs specifically use elements of gamificationto increase motivation for use. Social learning in collaboration with like-minded people promotes acceptance, as do digital badges and degree certificates that can be obtained.
What is the difference between an LXP and an LMS?
Learning experience platforms do not aim to replace the classic learning management system (LMS). Instead, they add another aspect to it. The use of an LXP requires learners to have a growth mindset: This gives them the opportunity to drive their personal development forward in a self-directed and self-responsible manner.
In comparison, learning with an LMS is more formalized. It is more suitable for learning content that requires documentation and must be completed by certain employees — for example for certifications or compliance issues. LMS are also a useful addition to face-to-face training.
Learning experience platforms bring existing learning systems to a
learning ecosystem together. The LXP bridges the gap between formal and informal learning and makes companies faster and more adaptive.
The three key features of an LXP
Learning experience platforms form a personal learning cockpit for learners. The central key function is therefore that of Content discovery: Employees discover various learning content independently and navigate intuitively on an appealing user interface. In addition, relevant content is automatically suggested to them. Microlearning using manageable “learning nuggets” makes it possible to integrate learning into everyday work or even coincide directly with the moment of application.
Finally, the third key function of LXPs is Integration of additional systems: An LXP can be linked to a variety of other solutions, such as an LMS, the intranet, talent management solutions or even communication tools such as MS Teams or Slack. In this way, LXP becomes the central point of contact for continuing education in the company. External learning content, such as from Udemy or Coursera, is also easily integrated into the system and can be shared with colleagues.
Encourage social learning with an LXP
An LXP makes it very easy to upload your own content. If it fits with the personnel development strategy, companies can encourage employees to user-generated content to contribute. In this way, they help shape the learning environment and make in-house expertise and skills accessible to their colleagues. The self-created content is, of course, a lot closer to internal company processes than standardized training from external providers.
Some Learning experience platforms also bring learners directly into contact with learning partners and mentors for specific subject areas. The platform thus promotes collaboration and social learning within the company. The mentoring process is actively supported by LXP so that it is effective and successful.
Regardless of whether it's courses, curated content, or discussions, HR managers, team leaders, or managers can encourage learners to engage with content via the learning platform and discuss it with each other. The exchange of information promotes cooperation and can improve the dynamics and performance of the entire team.
Individuality promotes motivation
An answer to the question of why a learning experience system is of great use in companies is provided by a look at People's learning preferences, who are now in the middle of their working lives. Jane Hart, operator of the blog “Modern Workplace Learning” and recognized e-learning expert, asks her readers once a year which tools they use to learn. In the ranking of the “Top 100 Tools for Learning”, there have been freely accessible platforms and networks on the Internet for years, such as Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp.
Mary Meeker, trend icon from the USA, leads in her latest
Internet trend report shows that providers of online courses such as Udemy or massively open online courses (MOOCs) such as Coursera are achieving immense growth. Global Industry Analyst Josh Bersin also predicts that simple learning management systems will soon have their day. Because in a learning experience platform, these can be external sources as well as internally curated Learning content combine and adapt to learning behavior for the benefit of users and under company control.
Why is the platform's server location important?
LXPs are usually referred to as cloud service operated. This means that a company does not have to install the system itself and run it on its own computers. Instead, the platform and data are provided by a service provider's servers.
The location of these servers may have a role in terms of Data protection Play — keyword GDPR. Operating on servers in Germany is recommended for companies from the DACH region, as the strict regulations in this country do not create any data protection gaps.
Conclusion: Learning experience platforms as the next step in modern personnel development
LXPs complement any existing learning ecosystem in companies. you enable self-directed learning and make continuing education an experience. To do so, they pay tribute to current usage habits and present learning content on an attractive and intuitive interface. Employees have the opportunity to work on their personal development topics in exactly the formats and using the methods that suit them. Some prefer to read articles, others listen to podcasts or take the most with them when they watch a video.
Smart learning recommendations ensure that learners find the learning content and not vice versa. By focusing on microlearning in various formats, an LXP helps to integrate learning into the daily workflow and provides the urgently needed Bridging formal and informal learning to hit.
Like an LMS, a Learning Experience System provides a Single Entry Point for learners in the company. In contrast to the “classic” LMS, however, this is not predefined content, such as compliance training, which must be completed on a mandatory basis and which the company must therefore control. The Learning Experience System is the Users' personal learning environment, which they largely design themselves on the basis of their development goals.