1.
RESPONSIVE LMSs VS.
NATIVE APPS
@juliettedenny

2.
Mobile is no longer the future of learning and
development. It’s the now. And it has been ever
since mobile usage surged ahead of desktop
usage back in November 2016.
According to Dscout research, people touch
their phones 2,617 times a day (on average).
Smartphones aren’t just a helpful tool, they’re
part of the way we interact with the world. Ray
Kurzweil explains that ‘Mobile phones are
misnamed. They should be called gateways to
human knowledge.’
THE IMPORTANCE
OF MOBILE LEARNING

3.
THE
OPTIONS
Whilst most learning and development professionals
recognise a need to incorporate a mobile learning strategy
within their wider training approach, there is still some
debate regarding the best way to deliver this. There are two
available options:
• Mobile learning via a responsive website or LMS.
• Mobile learning via a native app solution.
Let’s take a look at both options.

4.
WHAT IS A
RESPONSIVE LMS?
A responsive website or LMS is a site that adapts to any screen
size. It should be easy to use, regardless of the device you
choose to access it with. As such, it should look great on
mobile, tablets and desktops alike.
Unresponsive websites will usually look great and perform well
on desktops, but create a variety of user experience issues on
mobile devices. This can often result in a lot of horizontal
scrolling and pinching. Ultimately, if the experience is
frustrating enough, the user might well give up.
That’s not something you want to happen during the course of
your online learning roll-out.

5.
WHAT IS A
NATIVE APP?
A native application is a software programme that has been
developed for a particular platform. You access these apps via
your phone by tapping on an icon on your home screen.
Examples include, WhatsApp, Spotify, Tinder and Growth
Engineering’s very own Knowledge Arcade. Mobile learning
apps can be used to support, or even act as the bedrock of
your training campaign.
As mobile learning apps run on specific operating systems
they’re able to make use of a smartphone’s built-in features.
This means your learning app could use features like video,
GPS or cameras.

6.
WHAT ARE THE PROS
OF A RESPONSIVE LMS?
ADVANTAGES:
• Less Expensive: Responsive websites are usually cheaper
to produce, as you don’t have to create versions for every
operating system.
• Availability: A responsive website is available to everyone,
regardless of their operating system. It doesn’t require
downloading.
• Updates: It’s easy to make changes to responsive
websites, as the end users don’t need to install any
updates or patches.

7.
WHAT ARE THE CONS
OF A RESPONSIVE LMS?
DISADVANTAGES:
• Less functionality: Responsive websites are limited in the way
they access your smartphone’s inbuilt features. For instance,
with a responsive website, you can’t utilise push notifications.
• Internet Connection Required: Unlike some mobile app
solutions, which will work whilst you are offline, responsive
websites must be accessed via an active internet connection.
• Off Trend: Smartphone usage is built around accessing apps –
according to an eMarketer report, the average person spends
90% of their time in mobile apps vs the mobile web.

8.
WHAT ARE THE PROS
OF A NATIVE APP?
ADVANTAGES:
• Superior UX: Because native apps have a mobile first design,
the user experience often improves on that offered by a
responsive website.
• Extra Functionality: Native apps have direct access to your
smartphone’s inbuilt functionality. This enables you to unleash
the power of push notifications!
• Offline Access: You don’t need a live internet connection to
access an app. In fact, many mobile learning apps offer online /
offline sync capacity.

9.
WHAT ARE THE CONS
OF A NATIVE APP?
DISADVANTAGES:
• Manual Download Process: It’s easy to access a responsive
website via your browser. To access an app, however, you
need to locate it in the App Store and download it. These
additional steps can damage the uptake of your learning
programme. Likewise, updates need to be installed across all
user devices, rather than automatically rolled-out.
• Additional Cost: Because separate apps have to be
developed and updated for every operating system, native
apps can end up being expensive endeavours.

10.
THE
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, the right solution for you depends on a variety of
factors, including (but not limited to): your budget, your audience,
your timescale and your overall learning goals. We hope that this
slide deck empowers you to make an informed decision.
Should you go down the native app route, you’ll need to consider
whether your learners have the capacity and know-how they’ll need
to download your app solution. If so, you should be well positioned
to deliver masterful mobile learning experiences.