Made in Germany · ISO 27001 · GDPR-compliant
Training Metrics with an LMS – Measuring Learning Outcomes and ROI
Boost learning success, unlock potential, shape the future!
Whether it’s in-person training, e-learning, or blended learning—without educational analytics, it remains unclear which content is effective, where learners drop out, and whether the investment is paying off. This is especially true for combined learning formats: Blended learning generates two separate data sources (in-person and digital) that cannot be compared without monitoring.
Learning and development analytics bridges this gap: It aggregates data on learning progress, engagement, and outcomes, makes it comparable, and provides L&D decision-makers with a solid foundation for budget decisions, program optimization, and compliance reporting.
Tracking & Monitoring
Reports
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Definition
What is educational management?
Training management—also known as continuing education management—refers to the systematic process by which companies track, evaluate, and manage the effectiveness of their training programs. The goal is not merely documentation, but rather to provide a basis for decision-making: Which programs result in measurable gains in competence? Where is the allocation of resources inefficient?
Specifically, a well-designed training management system answers three key questions:
• Have employees actually acquired the targeted competencies?
• Are the skills they have learned being applied in their day-to-day work?
• How does the investment in continuing education contribute to the company’s bottom line?
Particularly in the case of combined learning formats—such as blended learning, where in-person and digital data have often been kept separate until now—an LMS with integrated reporting provides the technical foundation for consolidated management control.
Why Educational Management is Worth It
Benefits and Advantages of Training Management Using an LMS:
✓
Measurable learning outcomes: Transparent documentation of progress and competencies by employee, department, and location.
✓
Efficiency and Cost Savings: Automated analyses replace manual Excel reports.
✓
Strategic Learning Needs Analysis: Identify skill gaps before they become performance issues.
✓
Compliance and Security: Mandatory training and certifications are monitored without exception.
✓
Greater Engagement: Personalized learning paths and timely feedback increase completion rates.
✓
Data-Driven Program Optimization: Weak content and high dropout rates become apparent.
Differences in Comparison
Educational Management vs. Learning Analytics
Educational management and learning analytics sometimes use the same data sources and metrics, but they take fundamentally different perspectives:
• Learning analytics asks: “How do people learn, and how can learning be improved?”
• Educational management asks: “How do educational initiatives contribute to a company’s success, and do they justify the investment?”
| Dimension | Educational Management | Learning Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Cost-Effectiveness and Effectiveness of Continuing Education | Optimization of Learning Processes and Learning Outcomes |
| Key Questions | "Is this measure worthwhile?" | "How do people learn, and how can we better support them?" |
| Perspective | Management and Organizational Perspective | Learner and Learning Process Perspective |
| Level of Analysis | Organization, Divisions, Programs | Individuals, Groups, Learning Activities |
| Typical Stakeholders | HR, Talent Development, Executive Management, Financial Planning and Analysis | L&D, Instructional Designers, Trainers |
| Time horizon | Medium- to long-term | Often short- to medium-term |
| Data Sources | HR Systems, LMS, ERP, Financial Data, Surveys | LMS, LRS, xAPI Data, Learning Platforms |
→ What learning analytics can do that educational management usually cannot: click paths, video usage, task sequences, learning patterns, predictions of learning success, adaptive recommendations.
→ What educational management can do that learning analytics usually cannot: cost analysis, budget control, ROI calculation, cost-benefit analysis, and cost-effectiveness comparisons.
Conclusion: The two approaches do not compete with each other; rather, they complement one another. Learning analytics optimizes the learning process itself, while educational controlling evaluates the investment in learning. The most meaningful results are obtained when learning process data is linked to business and HR metrics.
Key Figures
Key KPIs for Measuring Success
| KPI | What is being measured? | Relevance for L&D Management |
|---|---|---|
| Course Completion Rate | Percentage of participants who successfully complete the program | Early indicator of content quality and loss of motivation |
| Average Learning Time | Time Spent Per Participant | Comparison of Efficiency Among Learning Formats, Basis for ROI |
| Knowledge Gain (Pre-/Post-Test) | Test Results Before and After the Intervention | Direct Measurement of Learning Outcomes |
| Participation and Engagement | Level of Activity in Webinars, Forums, and In-Person Sessions | Indicates active involvement vs. formal participation |
| Feedback and Satisfaction | Ratings from Standardized Surveys | Indicator of Quality, Correlated with Learning Transfer |
SoftDeCC LMS and LXP automatically track all five KPIs without the need for manual data entry. Reports can be filtered by department, location, learning format, and time period, and exported as PDF or CSV files.
Who Needs What Information
Reporting from Three Perspectives
Educational management provides different answers to different target groups: the same data, but with a different focus:
Students
I want to know: What have I already completed? What skills do I have? Where do I have gaps? How close am I to earning an upcoming certification? What topics should I review?
HR/L&D
requires more aggregated metrics: completion rate, time spent on learning, assessment results, competency development, certificate status, participation and completion rates, and skill gaps.
Executives/Managers
need reporting that focuses more on skills and business relevance: “What skills have been acquired, and where does the employee stand?”—rather than “How many videos were watched?”
It is important to note that learning analytics should not be confused with competency. A high video completion rate does not necessarily indicate actual competency development—therefore, reporting should, whenever possible, be based on application and assessment results rather than solely on usage metrics.
Feature Overview
Educational Management with SoftDeCC: An Overview of Features
SoftDeCC combines learning infrastructure and performance management in a single platform. What sets it apart is the complete integration of in-person and digital data—a feature that is usually missing from standalone e-learning tools.
Automated Tracking:
Learning progress from digital modules, webinars, and in-person courses is consolidated into a unified data model.
Adaptive Learning Paths
With targeted AI support, SoftDeCC automatically adapts learning paths based on test results.
Reporting and Dashboards:
Predefined and customizable dashboards at the organizational, team, and individual levels.
Resource Planning:
Instructors, classrooms, and learning materials are automatically coordinated.
Consolidated database
Attendance and digital data can be analyzed in a single system.
Use Cases
Real-World Examples: ROI and Learning Outcomes Through Educational Metrics
Cost Reduction Through Format-Specific Use
By analyzing each format, the in-person component can be focused on content that benefits from group interaction.
Higher Completion Rates Through Adaptive Learning Paths
Adaptive learning paths kick in before learners drop out.
Comprehensive Proof of Compliance
Mandatory training sessions are automatically tracked, and audit reports are generated at the click of a button.
Continuous Program Optimization
Module-level analyses show where learners are struggling or dropping out.
Get More Information for Free Now
Ready for targeted educational management?
In just 30 minutes, learn how SoftDeCC’s educational management and analytics features can make your learning organization more efficient and focused.
✓
Over 25 Years of Expertise
✓
Made in Germany
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs on Educational Management
At what company size does structured training management become worthwhile?
Structured training management pays off as soon as more than two parallel learning formats or mandatory compliance training courses need to be managed. For organizations with approximately 200 or more employees who participate in regular continuing education, the benefits of automated reporting significantly outweigh the implementation costs.
What KPIs does SoftDeCC measure for learning programs?
By default: completion rate, learning time, test results, participation and engagement rates, and feedback scores. All KPIs can be filtered by department, location, and learning format.
How is the ROI of learning programs in the LMS demonstrated?
ROI is calculated as the ratio of training costs (trainers, facilities, digital licenses) to measurable results: lower error rates, shorter onboarding times, or reduced travel costs. SoftDeCC provides the data; the evaluation is the responsibility of L&D Controlling.
What data protection requirements apply to the tracking of learning progress?
Tracking is subject to the GDPR and generally requires a company policy. SoftDeCC stores learning data on-premises or in an EU cloud instance; granular permissions control who is allowed to view which analytics.
Can SoftDeCC transfer educational management data to HR or ERP systems?
Yes. SoftDeCC offers interfaces to common HR and ERP systems as well as standardized data exports (CSV, XML).
What is the difference between educational management and learning analytics?
Educational controlling evaluates the economic contribution of continuing education initiatives to a company’s success. Learning analytics analyzes learning behavior at the process level. The two complement each other.
Does educational management apply only to blended learning?
Educational analytics works for any learning format—in-person, fully online, webinars, or blended learning. It is particularly relevant for blended learning because two data sources (in-person and digital) must be combined. Read more about implementing blended learning.
