Choosing the best elearning solution: custom vs ready-made

Firstly, off-the-shelf platforms offer a range of advantages that save you plenty of effort.

Secondly, quick implementation is one of the biggest perks. No need to spend hours trying to reinvent the wheel. Everything is already set up and waiting for you, like a laid-out buffet.

Thirdly, let’s not forget about cost-effectiveness. Ready-made solutions help businesses skip all the tedious hassle and save money in the short run.

All in all, ready-made solutions offer a pocket-friendly way to get started. No wonder businesses consider them a trusted sidekick in the eLearning world.

Yet, there is a major downside. They are designed to cater to a wide range of users, which means they’re pretty generic.

They don’t take into consideration your specific needs, goals, or vision. It’s like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole – it just doesn’t work.

What’s more, ready-made solutions often come with restrictions on functionality.

Sure, they have all the basic features you need, but what if you want to add something extra? That’s where customization comes in handy.

Customization. Daunting but worthwhile

Every company has a unique set of requirements based on its business model, projects, organizational culture, and finances.

Good news, custom solutions take all these into account. You can have features you really use, all the necessary integrations, and eLearning standards compliance.

Basically, everything that will help your business expand. Yet, creating an eLearning platform (for example, LMS or LXP) from scratch may seem like an uphill battle.

Let’s see why companies may feel this way.

Resistance to change

Change can be a bitter pill to swallow. eLearning companies are accustomed to their existing systems, which may not be cutting-edge but are still infallible.

However, we live in a rapidly evolving world. By resisting change, they are missing out on countless opportunities to innovate, adapt, and stay ahead of the game.

The fear of the unknown

Resistance to change goes hand in hand with the fear of the unknown. Companies are comfortable within their familiar territory, and stepping into uncharted waters might simply scare them.

Risk of failure

On top of that, there’s a fear of failure and reluctance to take risks, especially if a common approach works quite fine.

There are other factors that can be seen as potential threats. For example, dependence on a development team. Yet, if you choose a trustworthy vendor, there’s nothing to worry about.

Thus, development from zero is challenging. Yet, with an adaptive approach to customer needs, collaboration with experts, and reasonable usage of existing resources, efforts will pay off, allowing companies to build a unique brand identity and stay ahead in the market.

Increased retention

Keeping users engaged, customization boosts retention rates. When content is personalized and interactive, learners feel connected and more invested in their education.

Personalization goes beyond just content. It extends to the navigation, user interface, and assessment tools.

According to McKinsey, the shift to more interactive and diverse learning models will likely continue. The pandemic pushed the need for a new learning experience online.

So, it’s high time to take advantage of that.

Aligning with branding

When LMS matches the company’s branding, it creates a seamless user experience. It’s all about staying consistent and maintaining that brand identity.

Competitive advantage

By investing in development from scratch, you can create an eLearning platform (LMS/LXP) that is unique. Innovative solutions will stand out from other eLearning companies’ products.

As a result, you gain a competitive advantage in the market and attract more clients.

Easy integrations

Customization allows for integration with existing systems.

By customizing an eLearning solution, you can ensure that it integrates smoothly with the systems used by the company. The pieces fit together like a puzzle.

Better support

With a ready-made solution, you have to rely on the vendor for customer support. With the development from scratch or customization, you have more control over LMS and can provide better support to your clients.

Flexibility

Development from scratch or customization allows you to have more control over the eLearning platform and make changes as needed. You can customize your platform at any moment.

Is there a middle ground?

Both custom and off-the-shelf solutions have their pros and cons. Custom software can take a year to build, while off-the-shelf solutions aren’t tailored for specific requirements.

At Aristek Systems, we’ve developed a solution that allows you to have it all without compromising – a pre-built LMS.

It includes all the essential features of a ready-made product but is highly customizable at the same time.

Therefore, it means a quick launch and rapid deployment, making it a go to option for those who need to get started quickly.

On the one hand, this is a completely ready platform. It has all the must-have LMS features:

• Content management;
• Course catalog;
• Convenient course builder;
• RTL support;
• User management;
• Skill-based recommendations;
• Certification management;
• Advanced reporting and analytics dashboards;
• Webinars module;
• Subscriptions management.

On the other hand, we provide full customization. Any feature or integration you need, we can make it happen.

We can even rebuild the ecosystem with a different tech stack. Our framework will help us develop fully custom EdTech software, but much faster.

Besides saving you plenty of time, it also saves money, as a pre-built solution is very affordable.

Whether you need fully custom software or a Pre-Built LMS, we’ll be glad to help you. Feel free to reach out.