Inside Learning Experience Platforms: Complete Guide to LXPs

A learning experience platform (LXP or LEP) is a type of corporate learning software that employees can use to learn new skills in a self-directed way. In a standard LXP, employees create profiles and complete courses, often in a gamified learning environment. Users design the training content and course offerings on LXPs. The software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to recommend relevant learning content to each employee based on their interests and user history.

Companies developed learning experience platforms as a more fun and autonomous alternative to learning management systems (LMS), which are software containing (usually required) employee training programs selected by administrators.

The purpose of a learning experience platform is to empower employees to learn new skills and explore training opportunities in a self-directed way, rather than just completing formal training required by the organization.

Most learning experience platforms incorporate the following features:

• A wide variety of offerings. LXPs are databases made up of courses and competency training generated by users—usually the employees of a company—so they can include numerous learning opportunities, including podcasts, articles, videos, seminars, modules, and other initiatives and learning programs.
• Self-directed learning. LXPs offer many options from which employees can choose, encouraging employees to customize their experience according to their specific learning needs. LXPs often use gamification (such as competitions, collaborative elements, achievement systems, or other social learning tactics) to encourage employees to participate.
• A sleek interface. The LXP market aims for a smooth learner experience, so the software is usually created with design in mind, providing sleek learning delivery methods that feel modern and fun. They also typically prioritize mobile functionality to encourage employees to continue learning on their mobile devices.
• AI curation. LXPs use AI technology to evaluate an employee’s interests and user history and recommend tailored learning paths—whether more extended programs or short microlearning tidbits—that they’re more likely to enjoy. In this way, LXPs prioritize employee engagement and relevant content.

Learning experience programs (LXPs) and learning management systems (LMSs) share the goal of training employees, but they differ in significant ways:

• Curation: LXPs are an open-system, self-directed learning ecosystem in which employees can seek out whatever trainings they want from a course catalog generated by other employees. LXPs use AI to curate this content and recommend particular options to each employee. LMSs are a much more top-down or closed-system approach to learning, in which administrators (usually HR or management personnel) select which courses to add to the program.
• Offerings: Since LXPs operate on self-directed learning, they’re a place for a vast number of optional pieces of training and skills development; since LMSs are curated by administrators, they’re most often used for narrow compliance training (or training that every employee is required to complete), like harassment training or onboarding.
• Interface: LXPs are often designed with user experience in mind, looking attractive and exciting to help encourage employees to participate; they are also usually mobile-friendly (or even mobile-only) so employees can learn on the go. By contrast, a traditional LMS doesn’t usually prioritize design and is most often accessed via desktop computer only.

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