Talented Learning Announces 2017 LMS Award Winners

Learning technology analyst and consultant, John Leh, announced the 2017 LMS award winners in 12 categories.

BLOOMSBURG, PA — December 14, 2017 — Independent research and consulting firm Talented Learning LLC today announced winners of its 2017 LMS Awards, celebrating the “best of the best” among business-oriented learning systems for the third consecutive year. Winners were revealed by the firm’s CEO and Lead Analyst, John Leh, in an announcement on the Talented Learning blog.

“Working each day in the trenches, side-by-side with both LMS buyers and sellers, gives us a unique insider’s view of the learning systems landscape,” John Leh said. “It’s tempting to become distracted by hot new technology trends, but ultimately buyers want solutions that deliver real business value. It’s not about technology, per se. It’s about how technology can help improve the process of learning. That’s the driver behind our 2017 LMS award choices.”

How LMS Award Winners Are Selected

With more than 700 diverse LMS vendors in today’s complex learning solutions market, choosing individual vendors of merit is challenging. Talented Learning selected this year’s award finalists from more than 125 top-tier vendors it has evaluated in-depth over the past four years.

Analysts meet directly with LMS vendors to understand who they are, what they do, why they are unique, who their customers are and how they are using these systems in real-world scenarios. Then they compare solutions by documenting and evaluating dozens of predefined product, service and business characteristics.

When the awards were launched in 2015, Talented Learning selected 10 finalists in 11 categories. Last year, the firm expanded the awards to 12 categories, but narrowed the finalists to only 5 vendors, so winning choices would not be diluted. After choosing the top 5 vendors for each award, analysts designated three winners, and two honorable mentions.

This year, the 12 categories remain, and 3 top winners have been selected for each. However, the “honorable mentions” have been expanded in several categories, where analysts believe more vendors deserve recognition.

2017 LMS Award Winners By Category

The top three vendors in each category are listed below, ordered by award rank (1) (2) (3):

Best All-Purpose Extended Enterprise LMS: (1) eLogic Learning, (2) Docebo, (3) Litmos
Best Channel and Partner LMS: (1) Bluevolt, (2) NetExam, (3) YourMembership/YM Learning
Best Customer LMS: (1) Skilljar, (2) Litmos, (3) ServiceRocket/Learndot
Best Compliance LMS: (1) NetDimensions, (2) Blackboard, (3) eLogic Learning
Best Talent LMS: (1) Cornerstone, (2) Saba, (3) SumTotal Systems
Best Continuing Education LMS: (1) YourMembership/YM Learning, (2) Thought Industries, (3) eLogic Learning
Best Association LMS: (1) WBT Systems, (2) Blue Sky eLearn, (3) YourMembership/YM Learning
Best Academic LMS: (1) Instructure Canvas, (2) Blackboard, (3) Claned
Best Learning Technology Innovator: (1) EdCast, (2) Degreed, (3) Pathgather
Best LMS Thought Leader: (1) WalkMe, (2) ServiceRocket/Learndot, (3) Totara
Best LMS Demonstrator: (1) Raja Venkata, EthosCE, (2) Scott Hundley, Community Brands/YM Learning, (3) Linda Bowers, WBT Systems
Best LMS Sales Star: (1) Amber Bovenmyer, Web Courseworks, (2) Travis Hudleson, Saba, (3) Julie Ann Lenox, Community Brands/YM Learning

To see all winners (including honorable mentions), and to learn more about how Talented Learning defines award categories and evaluates learning technology vendors, read the original announcement.

About Talented Learning

Talented Learning, LLC is an independent research and consulting firm devoted to helping organizations of all sizes choose and use modern LMS solutions and related technologies for their unique business needs. Insights from Talented Learning help organizations at every stage of the learning technology implementation lifecycle, from business case development and requirements definition, to vendor evaluation and selection. The firm’s analysts also serve as trusted advisors to modern LMS vendors who must manage product positioning and roadmaps in today’s dynamic elearning landscape. For more information visit TalentedLearning.com.