Within the broad spectrum of technology-enabled training delivery, individual products have different strengths, weaknesses, architectures, supported computing platforms, licensing approaches, and levels of standards conformance. Depending on an organization's interest, the field of potential products can vary widely. More and more, these products are expected to support a "blended learning" approach - or the ability to support both traditional (i.e., instructor led and paper-based) as well as technology-enabled delivery (i.e., Web-based or CD-ROM). Depending on whether your organization is interested in content delivery, competency management, content authoring, traditional classroom, or fee for service requirements; the alternatives can vary significantly.

Modern learning content delivery systems are normally Web-based, Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) systems that can be characterized into two general classes: 1) Learning Management System (LMS) software that automates the administration of learning events; and 2) Learning Content Management System (LCMS) software that enables authors to register, store, assemble, manage, and publish learning content for delivery via Web, print, or CD. Put simply, students and courseware authors interact with an LMS (e.g., select a web-based training (WBT) course and register), while content owners and business process owners interact with an LCMS (e.g., to develop new content or reuse existing content, and to refine, automate, and enforce business processes). Some products, however, provide a mix of these functionalities.

The purpose of this document is to outline the characteristics of LMS and LCMS products, present some best practices and considerations for selecting an appropriate system, offer self-evaluation questions to help interested organizations focus on products that best fit their particular needs, and highlight suggested next steps for acquiring and implementing the new system.