Companies are still struggling to further educate employees digitally in 2024. Why? Many want the training offerings – although they are available in abundance – simply do not accept them. Too many other commitments, somewhat exhausting, somewhat “schoolish,” and there’s no real fun in learning either. So what must a digital learning platform provide for people to use it willingly?
Regarding "Learning Platform"
A digital learning platform (Eng. Learning Management System) can be defined as an integrated system that provides technologies and tools to create, distribute, and monitor the progress of learners. It should support the learning process by facilitating access to learning materials, promoting collaboration, and enabling personalized learning experiences. These are all points in the interest of companies, as they enable progress, innovation, and competitive advantages.
And at the latest since 2020, a large number of companies have introduced such digital learning platforms or at least considered implementing them. However, there are still not many successful projects. What is the reason for this? Probably not because of the hundreds of digital learning platforms that have popped up, often called LMS, LXP, or something else, but in terms of functionality and objectives, they tend to be very similar.
Digital Learning Platforms Only for High Performers?
They all pursue the same goal: equipping employees with additional know-how and thus nurturing progress and development. One might think that – besides the companies – employees are also naturally interested in the mentioned points: they push forward their own lives and careers, save time, and help climb the career ladder. Nevertheless, many of these systems are optimized for eager high performers and not for people who actually find learning quite unenjoyable – precisely what such a system should accomplish! We don’t just want to educate those who already do so out of their own initiative but also those who need to, could, or should.
Thus, we find ourselves in an age of digital overload when it comes to the question: “Do I want to impose digital learning content on myself, in addition to my actual work, that further challenges my mental-cognitive understanding? And more importantly: Even if I do, can I actually remember all of it?”
This increases the demands on digital learning platforms because it is useless if thousands of content are available, but I cannot consume them in a low-threshold manner and within my mental capacity. After all, I really have no desire for even more effort. 😫 And then these reminder emails: “You need to do this and that…” And actually, that stresses me more than it helps me.
The Catharsis of Digital Learning
So what would be the solution? Offer content in as many “bite-sized” chunks as possible. Okay, short learning units are good, as my attention span is partly at TikTok level, thanks, I already knew that. But much more important is that the content interests me, fascinates me, and provides me with an obvious added value, as it ideally solves an urgent problem of mine. Otherwise, my school traumas around the topic of binomial formulas and vector calculations come back, whose (at least for me) limited everyday usefulness gave me a sense of massive time waste.
So let me come up with an example of how to turn the unmotivated learner into a learning aficionado:
Problem Solved: Never Again VLOOKUP!
I just struggled again with VLOOKUP in Excel, which is doing some weird Excel things again and I have no idea why. Suddenly, I stumble upon a small video content (duration: 1:40 minutes) in my digital learning platform that shouts at me: “This is how you avoid VLOOKUP.”
How amazing would that be? And suddenly I would have learned something in a short time that is actually beneficial. Maybe then, as a converted and satisfied learning customer, I will visit the local LMS or digital learning platform more often. It seems that there are indeed things that help me, and maybe I will even complete a further training initiative on my own initiative, as someone actually seems to have thought it through.
Digital Learning Platforms Should Promote Productivity and Save Time – But Often Do Not.
This case is obviously very constructed, but a digital learning platform should actually achieve exactly that: teach me things based on my needs and show me ways how I can save time and subsequently be more productive.
Thus, a system must achieve the following, in my view:
Access must be easy and low-threshold
The learning content must be well-tagged and easily found through full-text search
The learning content must load quickly
The learning content must be attractively prepared
The learning content must help me specifically in solving a concrete problem
I must be made aware of new content that fits my needs
However, for the company or those who create the learning content, the world looks completely different.
The digital learning platform is for the training or learning officer something like the embodiment of revelation, a temple of knowledge that encompasses everything and more from which one simply has to help oneself. Let's take LinkedIn Learning: It really covers just about all the knowledge that a person wants to learn today. And the employees only need to go there and hit play. Great solution!
Low-threshold, accessible from anywhere, and also flexibly applicable to practically all areas. And yet somehow no one does it… Why is that? It’s all there! And yet I have to constantly remind people to complete their mandatory training through our own LMS. After all, we painstakingly created the content therein and keep it up to date – what a job, what a pain. Ungrateful people.
The Search for the "Learning KPI"
And yet I must achieve my goals (e.g., training quota X for ISO certificate Y) before the management and also justify why the fun actually costs so much money... In the search for the famous KPI that measures learning effects and depicts RoI, many have become desperate. Progress people are inherently different, and how and through what they learn best is difficult to generalize. There are at best learning goals in the form of exams that test knowledge and require corresponding basic knowledge – but even here, the self-learning organization is still far away.
The Current State, Which is Constantly Changing
The challenge and demand remain to at least feed up-to-date knowledge bases into the LMS and give people the opportunity to develop further in time with the pulse of the times. However, to do this – as different disciplines are indeed required in companies – one would need to be at least well-versed in each of these areas. A challenging task beside the actual daily business. Content would need to be curated again, run through the hands of experts, and then distributed accordingly. Effort, effort, effort... And then the person who can curate is on vacation, etc.
What Should a Digital Learning Platform Achieve Here?
Simply put: It should take work off, instead of producing work. In uncertain cases, the learners do the research themselves as they know best what they want and need to learn. But for that, the initially mentioned conditions must be fulfilled, and foremost: People must enjoy working with the learning platform! Ensuring that is much harder than it initially sounds. Perhaps the expectations for these systems as saviors and problem-solvers are too high in some places; a multitude of functions, including course administration, learning progress tracking, evaluation tools, and communication options are just functionalities that create prerequisites for solving the following problems:
Accessibility and Flexibility: Employees often have different schedules and working hours. Digital learning platforms make learning content accessible anytime and anywhere, which can enhance or at least favor flexibility and participation.
Cost Efficiency: Traditional training can be expensive and logistically demanding. Online learning platforms reduce travel costs, room rentals, and printing costs, leading to significant savings.
Central Administration: A digital learning platform centralizes the management of training materials and processes, which increases efficiency and consistency.
Scalability: Companies are constantly growing and changing. Digital learning platforms can be easily scaled to meet the training needs of a growing company.
Individual Learning Paths: Employees have different learning needs and speeds. Digital learning platforms allow personalized learning paths tailored to the individual needs and goals of learners.
Progress Tracking and Analysis: Companies can track and analyze the learning progress of their employees to measure the success of training programs and continuously improve. Measurable results are also important as proof to certification bodies, authorities, and higher-level committees.
Interactive Learning Methods: Modern learning platforms offer interactive and engaging learning methods such as videos, quizzes, simulations, and gamification, which can make learning more effective and interesting.
Compliance and Certification: Many industries require recurring training and certifications. Digital learning platforms ensure that all employees complete the necessary training and keep their certifications up to date. At the same time, they allow training officers to maintain oversight, send reminders, and monitor learning progress.
Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Digital learning platforms promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among employees, which should lead to better teamwork and innovative capability. In reality, however, this is difficult to prove.
Continuous Learning: In a rapidly changing work environment, continuous learning is crucial. Digital learning platforms support the constant development of employees and keep their skills up to date. However, much collaboration is needed unless one has a system in place that utilizes AI to provide learning recommendations and engages in individual upskilling.
These Functions Should a Modern Digital Learning Platform Have:
User-Friendliness: An intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows users to navigate easily and without extensive technical knowledge.
Enabling Mobile Learning: Support for mobile devices, allowing employees to access learning content from anywhere and at any time.
Personalized Learning Paths: Adaptable learning paths that cater to the individual needs and capabilities of learners.
Interactive Content: Providing diverse and interactive learning materials such as videos, quizzes, simulations, and gamification elements to make learning more engaging.
Progress Tracking and Reporting: Extensive tracking and reporting functions that enable monitoring and analyzing the learning progress and performance of employees.
Integration Capability with Other Systems: Ability to seamlessly integrate with other corporate software solutions such as HR systems to synchronize data and processes.
Security and Data Protection: High security standards and data protection measures to safeguard the sensitive data of learners and the company.
Community and Collaboration Features: Tools that promote exchange and collaboration among learners, such as forums, chat, and comment functions.
Automated Notifications and Reminders: Functions that remind learners about upcoming courses, deadlines, and updates to improve participation and completion of training.
Certification and Recognition: Ability to issue certificates and recognitions for completed courses and learning paths to enhance employee motivation and meet compliance requirements.
As this breakdown shows, there is a gap between the learning needs of users and the needs of those who populate and/or operate the systems with content. This is entirely natural from the mentioned roles, but differing objectives have the disadvantage that digital learning platforms satisfy neither side really as they are forced to always make a balancing act.
Conclusion: A Change in Mindset is Necessary
💡 A digital learning platform only becomes successful when it combines technical functionalities with real user orientation, a clear strategy, and a learning-friendly corporate culture.
The multitude of features, integrations, and reporting options alone does not ensure that employees are eager to learn. What matters is whether the system solves concrete problems, is easily accessible, and provides genuine added value in daily work.
At the same time, companies must accept that software does not replace a learning culture. Motivation does not arise from reminder emails or mandatory modules but from meaningful content, visible development prospects, and leaders who take training seriously.
When technology, content, and corporate culture come together, a digital learning platform transforms from an administrative tool into an effective instrument for sustainable competency development.
We hope you enjoyed this article and wish you much success with digital learning!
Updated on 25.02.2026
