Company News: Page (1) of 1 - 09/25/12

2012 Version of Meridian Global LMS Boasts New Architecture and UI

(September 25, 2012)

HERNDON, VA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/25/12 -- The newly released version of Meridian Knowledge Solutions' Meridian Global LMS 2012, part of Meridian's human-capital software platform, looks different from its predecessor inside and out. The product's architecture, user interface, search, administrator's console and online help are new.

"We built our new architecture to maximize speed of navigation and page rendering to ensure that our users can get to where they want to go as efficiently as possible," said Vinay Nilakantan, director of product development and research for Meridian. "But our engineers preserved the product's 'software code wall,' which allows customers to protect customizations they might make to the LMS."

"By walling off the customized code, Meridian is solving a problem that causes frustration among LMS users," said Bryan Chapman, chief learning strategist for Chapman Alliance, a learning-technologies consultancy. "The move could save Meridian users tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of dollars."

Meridian carried out extensive research, testing and design to create a new user interface that mirrors leading-edge consumer applications. The new software platform's UI includes: portlets to display streamlined data sets; simplified menus; a smarter and faster search engine that combines text search with a progressively narrowing set of choices (i.e., faceted search); and, help features that are at users' fingertips whenever needed.

To help organizations enjoy a greater degree of self-service with the new LMS, the software maker retooled the LMS administrator's console. LMS administrators can now carry out more configurations of the system, such as customizing fields on user profiles and setting up the appearance of pages, without relying on help from others.

Meridian has increasingly found organizations buying its software to train customers and business partners, instead of just employees. In the last year, the percentage of systems the company has sold for external training has increased by 33 percent year over year.

"The changes we're making to our software platform help customers use the system with very little instruction," said John Leh, vice president of sales and marketing. "Associations, in particular, are looking for learning-technology platforms that facilitate the sale of courses. Making our system the most intuitive product on the market helps these customers' bottom line."

Meridian Global LMS 2012 includes a social module for customers to integrate discussion forums, wikis, blogs, document sharing and chat within the learning management system's collaboration spaces -- the areas learners can use to share know-how or discuss courses they have taken. Learners can also post comments and links about courses, videos or podcasts to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to share and discuss. The new version of Meridian's LMS has also adopted the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) 2004 4th edition. SCORM helps vendors enable the interoperability of content.

About Meridian
Meridian Knowledge Solutions is the #1-rated human-capital management company for customer loyalty, with a documented customer retention rate of 98 percent. Meridian provides integrated solutions for over 350 clients with 8.5 million active users including AutoZone, Bell Helicopter, CSX Corporation, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., Panera Bread, Sunrise Senior Living, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and more than 80 federal, state and local governments. Meridian takes a unique approach to tailor every solution to exact client needs. Meridian asks the right questions, listens and molds its solution to fit its customers' unique requirements. Meridian offers SaaS, private cloud or on-premises deployments.

Meridian's flagship product, the Meridian Global LMS, integrates advanced learning management, mobile learning, social learning, e-commerce, learning content management, performance management and workforce analytics into one fully integrated solution. Meridian also provides strategic professional services, mobile and e-learning courseware development and hosting services.

Meridian is a wholly owned subsidiary of Visionary Integration Professionals. To learn more, visit meridianksi.com, or follow Meridian on Twitter @meridianks.

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Media contact:
Bill Perry
bperry[at]meridianksi[dot]com
Mobile: 614-975-7538

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