March 20, 2025
3 Min. Read
Learning and development (L&D) professionals know that finding the best corporate LMS is often only half the battle. The real challenge? Getting organizational buy-in and ensuring L&D has a strategic seat at the table.
In episode 22 of the “They Learn, You Win” podcast, host David Wentworth sits down with DJ Jaeger, Senior Team Manager for Global Technical Training at Akamai Technologies, to discuss how her team successfully implemented and scaled their LMS platform. What makes their story exceptional isn’t just the technology they chose but how they approached the entire process—from selection to implementation to continuous evolution.
Most LMS implementations fail to meet expectations, but Akamai found a way to succeed. DJ reveals the strategy that helped them scale their learning platform without the usual chaos, using a ‘crawl, walk, run’ methodology that allowed gradual expansion over four years. Let’s explore three key lessons from Akamai’s success.
Don’t rush the decision
Akamai Technologies, a cloud computing provider with highly technical products, needed a robust learning platform to train not only its employees but also customers and channel partners who sell its products. This unique ecosystem required a specialized approach to learning technology.
“My company is very technically minded,” explains DJ. “As a result, there’s a lot of technical training that needs to happen. And so we needed a way to train our customers, and we need a way to train our channel partners on how best to navigate and even pitch and sell our products on behalf of us.”
The selection process for their corporate LMS wasn’t rushed—it took about a year from initial scoping to implementation. Instead of pursuing a top-down approach where executives dictated the solution, Akamai empowered their L&D team to drive the decision-making process with input from key stakeholders across the organization.
DJ and her team considered both immediate needs and future requirements. This forward-thinking approach contrasts how many organizations select their learning technology—fixating on immediate problems without considering long-term strategic goals often leads to poor decisions, wasted time, and wasted money.
Cross-functional input creates alignment
When asked about how many stakeholders were involved in the selection process, DJ revealed an impressive collaborative approach. The team included:
- Sales enablement team to align resources within the platform
- IT and technology specialists who would configure the platform
- HR for technical onboarding coordination
- Marketing team members who ensured alignment with brand standards
Their approach ensured that when the platform launched, it already had champions across the organization who understood its value proposition. It also ensures that the platform continues to serve the needs of all departments, not just L&D. Unlike implementations where L&D teams select a platform in isolation, only to face resistance later, Akamai’s cross-functional approach built buy-in from the start.
Take a phased approach to introduce a corporate LMS
“Our platform has been around for about four years now, and it looks different every year.”
When many organizations implement a new LMS, they try to launch all features at once, often resulting in overwhelmed users and technical issues. Akamai took a more measured approach, which DJ describes as a “crawl, walk, run methodology.”
This phased implementation approach allowed Akamai to:
- Continue evolving the platform based on emerging business requirements
- Start with core functionality that met immediate business needs
- Gather user feedback and learn from actual usage patterns
- Gradually introduce more complex features as users become comfortable
The “crawl, walk, run” approach prevented analysis paralysis while enabling the team to work toward a strategic vision. Rather than being derailed by complex integration requirements, they started with minimal integrations and added more as specific needs emerged. It also enabled Akamai to start small but demonstrate quick wins, like launching the platform within a year (a reasonable timeframe for the company), successfully segmenting learning for its distinct learner groups, and equipping each team with the training resources they need to succeed.
The phased approach required careful planning and a platform that could support different learning paths and content access levels. By gradually implementing these distinctions, Akamai ensured that the learning experiences were tailored to each unique learner group without overwhelming the implementation team.
Turn skeptics into advocates
One of DJ’s most valuable insights was about change management and handling resistance to a new learning platform. She suggests having an open and direct conversation with whoever opposes investing in the platform because they likely have valid reasons for voicing their opposition. According to DJ, the best bet is to understand their concerns and do your best to explain how a corporate LMS platform can actually alleviate them.
This approach turns conventional wisdom on its head, making advocates out of your adversaries. Rather than focusing exclusively on finding champions who are already supportive, Akamai actively sought out the most vocal critics and involved them in the process. By addressing their concerns directly, DJ transformed potential obstructors into valuable allies.
Measure impact by connecting learning data to business outcomes
When asked what she wishes she had known or done differently at the beginning, DJ pointed to one critical area: connecting learning data to business outcomes.
“I think the biggest issue that I wish we would have tackled earlier on is this idea of data fluency and connecting the data points already collected to the needs of the business,” shares DJ.
This insight highlights a common challenge for L&D departments: demonstrating their value beyond being perceived as a cost center. DJ acknowledges the excitement that learning professionals have about delivering training but notes the importance of translating that into business impact.
Akamai is now working on connecting its LMS data with its enterprise data warehouse, which will allow DJ and her team to draw more meaningful insights about training activity, learner behaviors, and the connection to customer retention and growth.
The path forward
Akamai’s approach to L&D offers valuable lessons for any organization seeking to select and implement the best corporate LMS for their needs. Their success wasn’t just about choosing the right technology—it was about a strategic approach that engaged stakeholders across the organization, implemented changes gradually, and focused on both immediate needs and future possibilities.
For L&D leaders looking to secure their seat at the table and gain organizational buy-in for learning technology initiatives, Akamai’s experience offers several actionable insights:
- Involve cross-functional stakeholders early in the selection process to build alignment and ensure a rigorous selection process
- Adopt a phased implementation approach that delivers quick wins while building toward longer-term goals
- Connect learning data to business outcomes to demonstrate the value of L&D initiatives beyond compliance and course completions
- Engage with skeptics to understand their concerns and potentially transform them into advocates
- Build for future flexibility rather than just solving immediate problems
The best corporate LMS isn’t just about features and functionality—it’s about how well it aligns with business goals across the organization. These principles can help L&D teams position themselves as strategic partners to the business rather than just service providers.
Want more insights from learning leaders who have successfully implemented and scaled their corporate learning platforms? Subscribe to the “They Learn, You Win” podcast for timely conversations about L&D with professionals driving real business impact through strategic learning initiatives.
