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Competition check: Today many providers offer such systems and it is vital to check competition. Features and business models may differ and what may prove good for a large-scale organization may be a white elephant for a small and medium enterprise. It is thus vital to check different systems and make a choice based on various factors including cost and benefits.
Seek recommendations: Often people seek recommendations from others who have purchased a system before making their choice. But this is not very advisable --as often what works for one may not necessarily work for another. Thus consider corporate culture, organizational structure, industry, types of learning programs, number of learning programs and other factors that need to match in order to consider such a recommendation. Buying a system just because vendor is known may be a bad idea as well.
Get a demo: Once you have chosen system you like, make sure to have demos of system before you make purchase. A review team may be useful in providing good insights about product. For example, you may not know but some vendors also incorporate evaluation processes for diagnosing performance of system through its lifecycle.
An e-learning management system is a lifetime investment; so choose wisely before making your purchase.
Copyright 2005, Dan Noyes I write articles for http://www2.vcampus.com/resources/ , which provide e-learning solutions, learning management system, Distance learning programs, CBT online training programs.