Measuring Training Effectiveness
Training effectiveness refers to the degree to which a training program or initiative achieves its intended goals and produces desired outcomes. It assesses the impact and value of training efforts on individual learners, teams, and the organization as a whole. Measuring training effectiveness involves evaluating the transfer of learning from the training environment to the workplace and assessing the tangible and intangible benefits that result from the training program. By understanding and measuring training effectiveness, organizations can make informed decisions to enhance their training strategies and allocate resources more effectively.
At Infinity Endeavours we base our effectiveness measures on Kirkpatrick Model, and as expanded by Phillips et al to relate to ROI, and we also carry best practices from various other models in corresponding events in Kirkpatrick Model. Thus outside of basic methods such as attendance tracking, completion rates, and skill assessments, it is time to consider new and engaging solutions that shed light on the effectiveness of your training programs.
Kirkpatrick’s 4 Levels of Evaluation
The Kirkpatrick Model of training evaluation is best known for analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness and results of employee training programs. It takes into account the style of training, both informal and formal, and rates them against four levels of criteria:
Reaction – Understand learner satisfaction through feedback forms.
Learning – Gauge the understanding of a topic and degree of skill development by taking pre and post-test measures and hands-on assignments. This helps understand if the training objectives were met.
Behaviour – Evaluate if employees apply their learnings from training to their everyday work.
Results – Check if the business objectives (such as greater productivity and fewer errors) linked to corporate training are met.
Phillips ROI Model
The Phillips ROI Model is a methodology that ties the costs of training programs with the actual results. It builds on the Kirkpatrick Model and classifies data from different types employee training programs to measure:
Reaction – Training managers use short surveys to gather data about participants’ responses to their training.
Learning – Participants complete an MCQ survey or quiz both before and after the training for training managers to determine how much knowledge has been acquired.
Application and implementation – The Phillips Model doesn’t only collect data to find if the training worked or not; it also evaluates the WHY behind the success/failure of the training. It adds qualitative feedback to the data process to help organizations improve their training programs.
Impact – The model lets you analyze the impact of training content and other factors that contribute to participants’ final performance.
Return on investment – Uses cost-benefit analysis to map impact data to tangible monetary benefits and a set of intangible benefits. Training managers can use this data as hard evidence to prove the value of training to the authorities.
This also explains the C-A-R methodology of Infinity Endeavours, where C is Conceptual Discussions / Classroom sessions on learning objectives (which includes outbound experiential task-based learning); A is for Application & Implementation wherein from classroom a participant takes one or more LO for implementation and verification, in real-life or simulated scenario, then reports to training facilitator/ trainer; R is Review/ Reinforcement of learning and to see realistically whether the alternate way recommended by Infinity experts have delivered desired results and what needs to continue/ modify/ dropped for improved performance.
Infinity Endeavours (Through TMG HR) has registered this C-A-R methodology and has been using in various L&D interventions of theirs since 2005.
The Infinity Endeavours Way
Since we have an elaborate process of Training Need Analysis, that gives us individual's "Comprehensive Development Plan", we track the effectiveness and improvement on each personality factor (pf), individual's priority and gap with regard to his/ her Role, Level, Functional Area etc.
In the Infinity Endeavours Way, the belief is that when a complete diagnosis of competency gap has been done, explained & understood by the participants, they can find suitable guide/ coach/ trainer/ institute/ program, to learn and develop self. Infinity programs is only one of the many options that he may have. We don't hard sell or force them to take the training from us. We also recommend books top read, activities to do and so on, so they know what is required and how it can be done.
However, most come to us for solutions as well. Then we administer training but put the onus of learning on them. This way by default the effectiveness is more, because they want to learn/ upskill/ develop, not we. When some incremental changes are observed and tracked and recorded as progress graph etc on participant dashboard, we suggest the C-A-R cycle to be repeated for all gap areas, till all gaps are filled (ideally, in reality it doesn't happen, and newer pain points emerge).
We believe that if there is desire to take the rigours of learning, and every cycle sees small incremental change, the sum of all small changes will lead to significant shift and may trigger radical change at some point. We consider this approach as handholding approach, and taking training/ learning beyond finish line.