Learning Management System (LMS) Product Evaluation Checklist
Selecting the right learning management system (LMS) is one of the most important technology decisions your institution will make. The right LMS does more than deliver course content; it helps instructors teach more effectively, engages students deeply, and supports data-informed decision-making across the institution.
But with so many platforms available, how do you know which one is right for you? The answer lies in a thoughtful, structured evaluation process that looks beyond features to focus on accessibility, support, scalability, and partnership.
At Anthology, we believe technology should empower both educators and learners through intelligent, data-informed experiences. Drawing on countless LMS evaluations and implementations, we’ve created this practical checklist to help you make a confident, future-ready choice.
Start with strategy: define your vision and goals
Before exploring different learning management system options, take a step back to clarify what success looks like for your institution.
Ask yourself:
- What learning outcomes are we trying to improve? Student engagement, accessibility, retention, or success metrics?
- How does the LMS need to align with our teaching philosophy and institutional mission?
- Which stakeholders should be involved? Faculty, IT, administrators, and students?
Taking the time to define your “why” ensures every decision that follows supports your broader educational goals. A clear vision also helps you evaluate how each vendor’s product, and partnership approach, aligns with your institutional culture.
Evaluate the vendor, not just the platform
An LMS is more than software, it’s a relationship. Your provider becomes a long-term partner in your teaching and learning journey, so it’s essential to evaluate the company behind the platform.
Look for a vendor that demonstrates:
- Experience and stability: Proven success supporting institutions similar to yours
- Dedicated account management: Personalized support from someone who understands your needs and goals
- Transparent implementation: A clear onboarding plan with timelines, resources, and training support
- Reliable support: Multiple support channels, quick response times, and clear escalation procedures
At Anthology, partnership doesn’t end at implementation. We assign experienced account managers, maintain a robust knowledge base, and provide 24/7 support to help institutions maintain uninterrupted teaching and learning.
Functional requirements: what your LMS should deliver
The best LMS should feel intuitive and flexible for every user, from administrators and instructors to students and IT staff. It should also make teaching and learning more engaging, accessible, and efficient.
Key features to assess include:
- Accessibility and inclusion: Compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards, screen reader compatibility, and inclusive design that supports all learners
- Teaching and learning tools: Assignments, discussions, assessments, rubrics, and content creation tools that adapt to diverse instructional styles
- Collaboration and engagement: Integrated messaging, group workspaces, and community features that encourage peer interaction
- Analytics and reporting: Insightful dashboards that help faculty track engagement and identify students who need support
- Customization and branding: Flexible templates and layouts that reflect your institution’s identity
- Mobile experience: Full functionality across devices, ensuring learning continues anytime, anywhere
Every feature should contribute to a learning environment that’s accessible, engaging, and easy to manage, for both instructors and students.
Technical foundations: security, scalability, and integrations
The best learning management system must integrate seamlessly into your technology ecosystem while also ensuring data security and reliable performance.
Focus on these technical essentials:
- Authentication and security: Single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication, and role-based access control to keep data secure
- Infrastructure and uptime: Cloud hosting, load balancing, and redundancy to ensure 24/7 availability
- Integrations: SIS, CRM, and virtual classroom compatibility (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom) to streamline workflows
- Standards and compliance: IMS Global, LTI Advantage, SCORM, and Caliper Analytics alignment
- Updates and innovation: Regular feature releases, transparent communication, and minimal downtime during upgrades
As your institution grows, your LMS should scale effortlessly, supporting more users, more content, and more learning experiences without compromising performance.
Pedagogical alignment and future readiness
Beyond technical features, your LMS should strengthen your pedagogical mission. Evaluate how each platform supports your institution’s approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, both now and in the future.
Look for solutions that:
- Encourage active and collaborative learning through discussion boards, peer feedback, and group projects
- Support co-creation and experiential learning, allowing students to contribute to their own learning paths
- Align with career readiness and digital citizenship outcomes
- Use learning analytics to personalize instruction and help faculty make data-driven decisions
Anthology’s LMS, Blackboard, is built with pedagogy at its core, combining learning science, analytics, and intuitive design to help institutions create more connected and inclusive learning experiences.
Build your scoring framework
Once you’ve outlined your priorities, use a structured scoring framework to evaluate potential vendors objectively.
Start by identifying your core categories, such as functionality, accessibility, technical stability, support, and innovation, and assign each a weight based on its importance to your goals.
Invite representatives from across campus, IT, instructional design, academic leadership, and accessibility services, to participate in the scoring process. Their input ensures every perspective is considered, from technical compatibility to classroom impact.
Finally, compile results into a comparison matrix that ranks vendors across your weighted criteria. This method transforms subjective impressions into a clear, data-informed decision process that reflects your institution’s strategic priorities.
Conduct demos and pilot testing
Before making your final selection, test your top choices in real-world scenarios.
Ask vendors to run customized demos that mirror your typical use cases, such as creating a course, grading an assignment, or tracking student progress. Then, run a pilot program with a small group of instructors and students to experience the platform firsthand.
During your pilot:
- Evaluate ease of use and overall user experience
- Test integrations with your SIS, video conferencing, and other key tools
- Collect structured feedback using surveys or scorecards
- Assess training materials and documentation for clarity and accessibility
Demos and pilots reveal how an LMS performs under real conditions, as well as help you confirm whether it delivers on its promises of simplicity, flexibility, and engagement.
Make the choice that grows with you
Choosing your LMS is the start of an ongoing partnership, not the end of a project. The right vendor should evolve alongside your institution, offering the innovation, collaboration, and support you need to grow.
When finalizing your decision, consider:
- Vision and innovation: Does the vendor’s roadmap align with your future goals and evolving teaching models?
- Ongoing support: Will you have access to dedicated account management, client success programs, and professional development opportunities?
- Community: Does the provider foster a collaborative customer community where institutions can share insights and best practices?
- Scalability: Can the platform handle expanding enrollment, new modalities, and future technology integrations without major disruptions?
At Anthology, we don’t just deliver technology, we build relationships. With over 150 million users in 80 countries, our solutions are designed to help institutions create learning environments that are data-informed, inclusive, and built for the future.
Ready to get started?
Download Anthology’s LMS Buyers Guide – Addressing Students’ Needs for Learning Technology: Today and in the Future – to guide your next RFP process and evaluation.
