Imagine buying a car after only watching a YouTube video about it.
You have never sat in the driver’s seat, tested the brakes, or taken it on the highway, but you are confident it will be perfect. Sounds crazy, right?
That is exactly what many organizations do when they purchase a learning management system (LMS). They fall in love with the demo, sign the contract, and then realize six months later the system does not actually fit their needs.
Demos Can Be Deceptive
Vendor demos are designed to shine. They are rehearsed, carefully curated, and show only the best-case scenarios. Honestly, I speak from personal experience as someone from the training department who often did sales demos for potential customers of financial -based software in the early days of my career. You will rarely see the clunky admin workflow or the extra steps required for integrations.
That is why I always tell clients: never buy an LMS without testing it. You need a sandbox, a test environment where you can explore, build, and break things safely.
What to Do in the Sandbox
Once you get access, do not limit testing to the L&D, HR, or IT team. Bring in a diverse group of users who will interact with the system in different ways. Each perspective reveals something unique.
- Learners can tell you if navigation is intuitive.
- Instructors can test how easy it is to upload materials, track completion, and communicate with learners.
- Sales or Finance can ensure e-commerce or billing processes work properly.
- Admins can check for ease of setup, reporting, and user management.
When everyone “bangs around on it,” as I like to say, you get a full picture of how the system performs in the real world, not just in a sales presentation.
What to Watch For
During testing, take note of:
- Usability. How intuitive is it for first-time end users? How easy is it for admins? Can they easily upload SCORM and non-SCORM content? Build out a curriculum?
- Speed. How long does it take to complete common actions?
- Customization. Can you adapt it easily without code?
- Reporting. Can you pull the data you need without an IT degree?
- Integration. Does it play nicely with your HRIS, CRM, or other systems?
The goal is not just to find flaws. It is to see how the system will really fit into your organization’s daily operations.
The Hidden Gold of Testing
Sandbox testing often exposes process issues you did not know existed. You may realize your enrollment workflows are overly complicated or that your current naming conventions confuse learners.
By identifying those gaps now, you can fix them before going live and save your team hours of frustration later. See my earlier blog post, Don’t Replicate Broken Processes in a New LMS.
The Bottom Line
A sandbox is not a nice-to-have; it is a must-have.
It is where you uncover hidden challenges, ensure the LMS works for everyone, and confirm that your investment is sound.
Because the only thing worse than an LMS that does not fit your needs is realizing it too late.