LXP in a Nutshell

LXP (Learning Experience Platform) is a hot topic in the eLearning circles. The market for these systems is already at USD 350 million and growing. In this article, we will define what an LXP is, compare it to an LMS, and help you determine whether it is something that would benefit your business.

How Belitsoft Can Help

Being in the eLearning market for more than 15 years and having delivered several LXPs, we know what we are talking about. Here’s how we can help you:

• Custom LXP development. If none of the boxed solutions fit your needs we can make you a new one from scratch.
• LXP customization. If you need to make a few tweaks to an existing open-source system (whether it is changing a logo and a color scheme or adding new features and modules) we can do that.
• LXP consulting. We can discuss your needs in depth and recommend the system that would be the most beneficial for your company.
• Content development. Should also need to create lessons and quizzes or repackage the existing ones in a different format, we can do it for you.

LMS ⟶ LXP

Today, in-house employee training is a trend and the right investment in the company’s future.

Some statistics:

• A survey by The Harris Poll showed that about 70% of staff members would be at least somewhat likely to leave their current organizations and take a job with one that is known for investing in employee development and learning
• 86% of employees said it is important for employers to provide learning opportunities (Ceridian)
• 70% of workers said they were likely to participate in the training program provided by the employer, if such programs were offered to them (Clutch)
• 58% of employees believe that their company was not able to offer enough opportunities to acquire new skills and help them move up the career ladder (CareerBuilder)

Professional skills development is an important part of any employee’s workload. This helps them to feel more confident, move up the career ladder and increase their income and standard of living. Also, training and engagement in company processes help reduce the likelihood of burnout. Employee training can also affect and improve your company's productivity.

Organizations have long been using Learning Management Systems (LMS). But as the requirements for training approaches on the part of both company executives and employees change, more functions and flexibility are needed from the learning system. A recent study found that one in three workers said their employer’s training methods were outdated.

Feel free to contact us if you need any advice on LMS or want to update or enhance your current learning system.

Corporate training domain has seen an increase in innovation: the use of personalized courses, more advanced approaches (such as lifelong learning, adaptive learning and engagement learning), custom systems and solutions.

A few years ago, start-up companies such as Pathgather, Degreed, and EdCast were the first to put forth the idea of a platform that would facilitate the search for corporate learning content - something they later called Learning Experience Platforms (LEP or LXP).

With the development of mobile technology and the increasing number of smartphones/ tablets, there has been an increase in the consumption of e-learning on smaller screens. This, in turn, has led to the growth of apps for mobile learning. As organizations strive to optimize their L&D projects, offer their customers and employees 24/7 training options and track results, the transition from LMS to LXP is inevitable.

What is LXP?

The term LXP was coined by the Influential L&D sector analyst Josh Bersin.

To sum up his idea, LXP is an educational software system that automatically adapts to the learner’s needs.

LXP is designed to be used on the job. It includes microlearning content that can help the user solve a specific problem (e.g. “How do I create tables in Word”). Unlike traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS), LXP focuses not only on managing corporate training programs from a business perspective, but also on improving student experience.

Janet Clarey, Lead Advisor, Technology, Analytics, and Learning at Bersin by Deloitte suggests the following definition for LXPs:

“LXPs are single-point-of-access, consumer-grade systems composed of integrated technologies for enabling learning. They can do many tasks, such as curating and aggregating content, creating learning and career pathways, enabling networking, enhancing skill development, and tracking learning activities delivered via multiple channels and content partners. By delivering on a central platform, LXPs enable businesses to provide an engaging and learning-rich experience and may lessen their reliance on an LMS or talent suite as the learning hub.”

Do you need a custom LXP, let us know, and we will give you a free consultation.

For corporations, LXP is an excellent tool for in-house employee training. The platform combines disparate courses and information into a single system, accessible from any device anywhere. Thanks to the support for artificial intelligence, the necessary training materials are combined from various sources for each individual user. Personalized training and data analytics help to identify learning deficiencies and eliminate them as soon as possible.

The “openness” of the LXP architecture makes it possible to connect and integrate with other (existing) systems and tools that are now used by companies and corporations.

The defining features of an LXP software are:

• Flexible interface.LXP has AI-driven recommendations, panel-based structure, and seamless mobile experience;
• Multiple content forms. Whether it is a scanned textbook, a webinar, a MOOC, or an educational game, a Learning experience platform can use it for a learner’s benefit;
• Social learning. This includes inbuilt functionality that facilitates communication and knowledge exchange (e.g. community-recommended content);
• Learning paths. Sets of classes and exercises that a learner can work through in succession and achieve a certain goal (preparedness for a test or knowledge of certain safety rules, for example);
• Results assessment. An LXP needs to have a system that evaluates the users’ progress. This can also include certification to reward the learners and give the HRs and executives a better understanding of a certain employee’s skills.

What’s the difference between LMS and LXP?

The line between those two classes of software is blurry and will depend on the functionality of a given system. For example, many LMS’, including Docebo and D2L, have addons that let the system perform as an LXP. Any educational software that supports the LTI standard can stream third-party learning content. On the other hand, features like learning paths and social integration are pretty much industry standard for an LMS.

So the typical differences can be defined as follows:

Gamification and Game-based Learning in LXP

One of the major trends of an LXP that deserves more attention is its use of gamification and game-based learning. Both of those techniques are important in increasing users’ motivation and improving learning outcomes.

Gamification is using game-design elements in a non-game environment. For example, a system of points, levels, and badges awarded for diligent study and high test grades is gamification.

Game-based learning, on the other hand, is using play to teach skills or transfer knowledge. Solving equations quickly to make your racecar run faster than the opponents is an example of game-based learning.

Sometimes, though, the lines between them blur: SAP Road Warrior, for instance, is an interactive quiz disguised as a game that simulates working with a client.

Gamification is used much more often, as it requires less investment to implement. Yet it has proven its effectiveness. Here’s what it brings:

• Better learning outcomes. Studies show that gamified software is more effective at teaching than its non-gamified counterparts.
• Improved motivation. Game elements make people willingly spend more time studying, thus increasing the overall effectiveness of learning.
• Fun. People who participate in gamified learning as part of their work report increased enjoyment and loyalty towards their company.

For more information on gamification, its benefits and risks see our article. And for examples of this approach in corporate training, read another one.

Is LXP better than LMS?

That would depend on the needs of your company. LXP has several significant advantages:

• On-the-job on-demand learning. 68% of employees prefer to learn at work. That’s just what an LXP intends to give them with microlearning content. As a result, a user solves a problem for the benefit of the company and learns something as well.
• Efficient use of employee time. Even when the user is learning on their own, LXP will help them by automatically suggesting the materials that would help them achieve their goals faster.
• More actionable content. Content curation by AI and learners helps weed out the inefficient materials and leave only the best pieces.

Source: https://joshbersin.com

However, the extra features of an LXP make it more costly, especially if it is a custom-built product for a company’s internal use. This is why this kind of software is a better fit for large corporations that can afford higher costs for better long-term value and more efficient training.

LXP for Corporate Training

The world’s leading companies actively adopt LXPs to train their employees - companies like Microsoft, SAP, Comcast, and many more. The new systems have a number of advantages over the old-school LMS’, and those advantages translate into tangible business results.

• Learning on the job. LXP enables people to quickly find relevant information and use it right away to solve a job-related problem. This helps make employees more productive and improves knowledge retention.
• Personalized training recommendations. LXP is focused on analytics and personalization, which means it suggests learning material that benefits a specific employee the most. This will help both on the job and during the performance review.
• User-friendliness. Thanks to the “Netflix for learning” concept, any LXP worth its salt pays a lot of attention to UI and UX. Being easy to use shortens the time needed to get the necessary information and brings people back to the system over and over.

Custom LXP vs Out-of-the-box LXP

In this regard, the LXPs are not too different from any other software. The advantages of a turnkey system are as follows:

• Total control. As the owner of the system, you decide which features to include, which information to store or access and how to do it. This allows you to precisely tailor the LXP to your company and your employees.
• Better long-term value. With a custom system, you don’t have to pay license fees, which can add up, especially in case of a “per user” pricing. After the initial investment pays off, a custom LXP becomes an asset.
• Added valuation. A turnkey software system is a valuable piece of intellectual property that will increase your company’s valuation on the market.

A boxed system, on the other hand, has the following benefits:

• Low initial cost. The software is already complete, so you don’t have to pay for its development or wait till it’s finished.
• The vendor provides support. You don’t have to have your own IT-team (whether in-house or outsourced) to handle the maintenance of your LXP, as it is the responsibility of the company you bought the system access from.
• Community. Products have a community around them. Participating in one allows learning from others’ mistakes and using your LXP to its maximum potential.

FAQ

✅ What is the main difference between LXP and LMS?

Learning Experience Platform is similar to Learning Management System, but the main focus is on personalization, microlearning and social integration

✅ Who Uses LXPs?

The main users of LXP are employees of large companies or corporations. Managers and executives use LXP as a tool to track and train their employees and identify coaching opportunities.

✅ What Will Be the Future of Learning Experience Platforms?

The LXP market is growing every year. The adaptation and training program will be improved in the future due to more developed, custom-tailored solutions. The systems will improve and use various tools to increase the speed of learning. These tools will be accompanied by digital conversion technologies, including gamification, AI, IoT, AR / VR and cognitive technologies, and many others.

✅ How can you help?

We offer the following services: custom LXP development , LXP customization and consulting, сontent development.

LXP Market Growth

The LXP market in 2019 was estimated to be around USD 300 million. Compared to the whopping USD 4 billion LMS market this seems insignificant until you learn that LXPs have been growing by over 50%  annually.

The vendors of traditional LMS’ understand the importance of the innovations and include elements of LXPs in their products. Things like flexible learning paths, LXP-style user interface, and third-party content are becoming quite popular.

Now that the eLearning market got a significant growth push due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can expect the LXPs to gain even more prominence.

Top 10 LXPs

Valamis

This Finnish company has been on the market since 2003, although its LXP offering is much younger.

Valamis. Source

Valamis has all the core features of an LXP and a bit more:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics
• Built-in learning records store (LRS)

Customers praise Valamis for its flexibility and scalability, although they consider it to be quite pricey.

Edcast

Edcast is a US-based eLearning company that has been founded in 2013. Besides an LXP it offers a couple of other relevant products. 

Edcast on a mobile device. Source

Edcast features the following:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

In addition, the company has a marketplace where the users can buy quality learning content and connect with experienced corporate trainers.

Edcast is liked for its rich functionality and powerful AI. However, the administration side isn’t as good as the rest of the platform.

Degreed

Degreed operates out of San Francisco, California. It has won over 25 industry awards.

Degreed. Source

Degreed boasts the following core functions:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

All-in-all, Degreed has a wide array of powerful features. However, some of them, like the Skill Review (adaptive assessment system) require extra fees. In addition, the AI, while powerful, requires the learner to complete the content (or at least check the completion box), otherwise, the recommendations won’t be as precise.

Learn Amp

Learn Amp is a powerful, though relatively unknown product. It is developed by a small company and targets SMEs as its primary customers, although it certainly could work for large companies as well.

Learn Amp. Source

Learn Amp has the following main features:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

The functions also include classroom management and event management, both rare in the LXP market.

Learn Amp is a well-balanced system with efficient content curation. However, its analytical capabilities are lacking, compared to its better-known competitors.

LinkedIn Learning

Microsoft-owned LinkedIn Learning is a cross between a MOOC platform and an LXP.

LinkedIn Learning. Source

LinkedIn Learning has the following core features:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Learning analytics

One of the advantages this LXP has over its competitors is its access to the users’ LinkedIn profiles. The platform uses this to improve content curation: for example, you can get recommendations based on your job function, industry, or skills you’ve mentioned.

LinkedIn Learning has great UI and UX on both desktop and mobile devices. However, its customization options are extremely limited, and its analytics is not as robust as with other systems.

Instilled

This system has been released in 2019 but quickly gained the admiration of both its users and competitors.

Instilled. Source

These functions are at the core of Instilled LXP:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

Instilled is praised for its powerful authoring tools (especially video editing), robust analytics, major eLearning standards integration, and seamless UI and UX. Unfortunately, the lackluster data visualization and lack of content partners are the proverbial flies in the ointment. 

Percipio

Percipio is developed by Skillsoft - a company well-known for its Skillport LMS and content development.

Percipio. Source

Percipio has the following core features:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

This LXP has a Google Chrome extension that allows you to search for content on the platform just by highlighting certain words or phrases as you surf the web. Other advantages include good UI/UX, powerful mobile app with an offline mode, and integration with all the widespread eLearning standards (SCORM, xAPI, CMI-5, and even AICC). Still, the system isn’t perfect - for example, it suggests a lot of low-quality and outdated content.

Thrive

Thrive is a UK-based company that launched its LXP in 2019.

Thrive. Source

Thrive has the following core features:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Learning analytics

True to the LXP concept, Thrive has a great UI and UX, a powerful set of additional features, and a content marketplace with learning modules. However, the lack of an in-built authoring tool and gamification options sets it back.

Infuse

Infuse was developed by Absorb, an LMS vendor. This system is focused on corporate training. 

Absorb Infuse. Source

Infuse boasts the following major functions:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

Infuse’s UI is good, although inconsistent in some places. It also has certain in-built gamification elements and its skills/certification management is solid as well. However, it could use more social learning functionality and better integrations.

Coorpacademy

Coorpacademy has offices in the UK, Switzerland, and France. It focuses on microlearning and corporate training. 

Coorpacademy. Source

Coorpacademy has all the main functions an LXP needs:

• Personalized recommendations
• Flexible learning paths
• Third-party platform integrations
• Built-in authoring tool
• Learning analytics

This system has one of the best data visualization systems in the LXP field. It also features a unique game-based learning system allowing users to challenge one another to a trivia battle. Gamification is also there. Unfortunately, Coorpacademy is only compatible with xAPI and no other standards.