As learning teams look ahead to 2026, one question keeps coming up: what should an LMS really focus on next? Faster content creation is everywhere — but engagement, motivation, and real learner impact are still hard to crack.

That’s exactly what we covered during the Halight LMS Product Roadmap 2026 Town Hall, where we shared how we’re approaching the first half of the year.

The session was presented by Michael Watson, Director of Customer Success, and Sean Bridgeman, Head of Product at Halight, who walked through the strategy behind the roadmap and the features coming in H1.

You can watch the full video here.

 

 

The Big Picture: Why This Roadmap Matters

AI and automation are now table stakes across the LMS market. Content can be built faster than ever — but faster doesn’t always mean better.

Our perspective is simple: learning isn’t a content problem, it’s an engagement problem. While many platforms focus almost entirely on producers, like admins and content creators, we continue to design for the person consuming the training.

That belief is the foundation of our LMS product roadmap for 2026.

 

Our Strategic Focus for 2026

Three ideas shape everything in this roadmap:

  • Experience over automation: Automation helps efficiency, but experience drives motivation
  • AI makes creation easier — not differentiation: Engagement, habits, and relevance are what set platforms apart.
  • Energized learners improve every KPI: When learners care, completions, retention, and ROI follow

Simply put, when the learner experience improves, outcomes improve everywhere else.

 

What’s Coming in H1 2026

For LMS Admins and Program Owners

We’re focused on reducing friction and making it easier to scale programs without extra effort:

  • Mindsmith AI integration for fast, natural-language course creation
  • Upgraded virtual assistant, including voice-enabled admin actions
  • Coach on Q insights to identify content gaps based on real learner performance
  • More advanced workflow automation for personalized learner journeys 
For Learners

We’re doubling down on habit-forming engagement and learning that fits naturally into the workday:

  • Instant-impact onboarding to make a great first impression
  • Micro-engagements and daily loops that give learners reasons to return
  • Learning in the flow of work via SMS, Teams, Slack, or email
  • Knowledge-powered search that surfaces answers, not just courses
  • More experiential coaching and simulations through Coach on Q

 

Watch the Full LMS Product Roadmap 2026

To see the roadmap in action and hear the full context behind each initiative, watch the complete Town Hall recording on YouTube.

If you want to dig deeper into what this means for your organization, let’s continue the conversation in a Discovery Call.