I have seen it countless of times.

People and organizations searching for the learning management system that checks every possible box for their unique organizational needs – and since one doesn’t exist they continue an increasingly frustrating search that lasts months.

In a day and age where software can seemingly do “everything”, it is easy to see why people fall into this trap.

Surely there has to be something out there that meets the exact needs, right?

This consumer mentality has driven the growth of the “all-in-one” LMS. The piece of software that does everything except make you coffee. 😉

Do You Really Want a “Jack Of All Trades”

These systems do everything, but here’s a secret: they don’t do everything well.

Let’s take gamification for example.

You may find a learning management system that has badges and points built-in, and at first glance this is exactly what you’re looking to implement.

So you take the time to configure the gamification elements for your courses, but only to find that the scope seems rather limited.

Does it connect to Mozilla OpenBadges? Any credible gamification system does.

The reason why the scope is limited is because these systems have diversified priorities.

Their time is spent development such a wide-range of features for various audiences that gamification doesn’t get the proper attention. This can be true across a wide-range of features, not just gamification.

Remember, the “jack of all trades” is seldom the master at one.

So, What’s The Alternative?

You will find a large variety of solutions out there boasting many features. Heck, our own LMS falls into this category.

But there is a key differentiator to consider.

Is the LMS you are considering trying to do everything “in-house”, or do they integrate with apps that can do it better?

This is the approach LearnDash takes, along with many other solutions out there. I would recommend you choose an LMS that does the same.

This makes your LMS more flexible and gives you more options to mold it to your program needs.

As you search for your perfect LMS remember that seldom will there be something that checks every single feature off of your list. Consider what is essential from the start and then you can consider adding functionality over time.

Choose a flexible LMS and this process will be a lot easier.