Creating A Post Training Evaluation Article

Creating a Post-Training Evaluation Plan
Many training and development professionals stay in the comfortable world of Kirkpatrick
Level 1 and Level 2 evaluations. Their reasons for avoiding on-the-job behaviour and
organizational results often include “It’s too expensive,” “It’s too difficult,” “It’s not part of
our job,” or “We don’t have access to training participants after they leave training.” But
reaching Kirkpatrick Level 3 or Level 4 is not as difficult, time-consuming, or expensive as
many believe.
A cautionary tale
What’s at stake by working strictly on the learning side of the equation? Perhaps your job.
Consider the following scenario.
Two years ago, we presented a one-hour lunch-and-learn to approximately 100 training
professionals at a large corporation. Our message was clear: It is no longer sufficient to
develop and deliver training solutions. Instead, professionals in our field need to reinvent
themselves into true, strategic business partners. The likely consequence of not doing so is
to be replaced by technology that can inexpensively deliver training content. One person in
the rather disengaged group retorted, “Well, with all due respect, we are exceptions to that
trend. Look around you. This beautiful facility was constructed for us within the past year
because our company executives know that training is valuable to our business.” Six months
later, we found out that 75 of those attendees were given pink slips.
The bottom line is that training and development professionals cannot afford to concern
themselves only with learning—and assume that performance and results are someone
else’s responsibility. Here are practical, business-proven tips to help you create a powerful
post-training implementation and evaluation plan.
Begin with the end in mind

At the beginning of any learning initiative, consider the highest level result your organization
is charged with accomplishing. This could be profitable sales growth, saving lives, or
computing data. Use this sort of Level 4 result as your target. If you cannot describe how the
intended learning solution will positively affect the overall target result, you are not on the
right track or the initiative is not truly mission-critical.
Next, think about the specific actions or Level 3 behaviour the training participants must
perform to contribute to that result. Make sure that expected behaviours can be observed
and measured. This is particularly important for soft skills programs such as leadership
development.
For example, a good critical behaviour for leadership development is, “Touch base weekly
with all direct reports.” The goal of training would be to provide a model for leaders to
effectively touch base with colleagues.
When you begin your needs analysis and program design with the end in mind, you are
setting the stage to create and demonstrate the value of your program. Once you clarify
what you want people to do and how it will contribute to organizational results, you can
move to developing the learning objectives and designing training.
Build post-training activities during program design

Research by Robert O. Brinkerhoff shows that only 15 percent of what is learned during
training will be applied on the job if it is not reinforced and monitored. Creating a post-
training support structure as part of the initial training design and development process
increases the likelihood that resources will produce a measurable increase in performance.
Effective reinforcement activities and tools ask “Is training working?” instead of “Did
training work?” When developed in this way, issues can be identified and remedied before
they decrease the effectiveness of learning and overall business results. Here are three
actions to follow:
• Work with the managers before designing the solution to determine critical behaviours
that training participants will need to perform on the job. Discuss their roles in supporting
good on-the job performance, and outline any tools and assistance they will need to do
their part.
• Write learning objectives as statements of how a training initiative will prepare
participants to perform critical behaviours on the job. For example, “After this program,
learners will be able to accurately enter an order into the system.”
• Design post-training follow-up while you design the training materials. Think of the
training program not as an event, but as an ongoing process with multiple components. Be
sure to create job aids, refreshers, and reminders that reinforce learning.
Explain performance expectations to learners
The purpose of training is to prepare participants to perform certain tasks effectively on the
job. Unfortunately, this basic objective is often lost in a misguided focus on Level 1 reaction
and Level 2 learning evaluations.
Here are some practical ideas for preparing participants for on-the-job implementation
during the training program:
• Introduce all job aids during the training session, and have participants practice using
them during activities.
• Perform occasional pulse checks by asking, “How do you think you might use this
information on the job?”
• Describe thoroughly any follow-up activities so participants can prepare for them.
• Discuss participants’ confidence and commitment to apply what they learned near the end
of the program. Allow plenty of time for concerns to surface and for participants to reflect
and support one another.
Use technology for support activities

Most training and development professionals are so busy that it’s difficult to be systematic
about good program design and execution. But if you don’t have time to do it right, when
will you have time to do it over?
Take advantage of technology to schedule and automate refresher messages that you can
draft during program design and development.
You also can set up automatic reminders or appointments to check in with some or all
participants after they have had a reasonable amount of time to try new behaviours on the
job. Ask them to share examples of how they are implementing what they learned, and if
they need any additional resources to be successful. In addition, automate reminder emails
to reach out to managers of program participants.
Monitor findings and make adjustments

Numerous factors influence on-the-job performance. Failing to identify, monitor, and
correct these factors allows them to negatively affect performance and reduce the impact
that training can have on overall business results.
As you gather preliminary information about performance, make adjustments to follow-up
and future programs. Changes are normal and to be expected.
Equally important to using evaluation data to modify training and reinforcement is keeping
stakeholders, managers, and training participants informed of overall progress. Ask
stakeholders at the beginning of the initiative how they would like to receive progress
reports (for example, written presentation, dashboard, or debriefing).
Once training participants have started to perform critical behaviours, make regular reports.
Don’t wait for final numbers and big changes; report incremental steps in the right direction
to keep everyone motivated and confident.
To be sure, stakeholders are demanding more tangible results from training initiatives, often
on a reduced budget. Training and development professionals who can establish themselves
as business partners and demonstrate on-the-job application of knowledge will be valued as
key contributors to achieving core business results.
The Kirkpatrick Model

Level 1: Reaction
To what degree participants react favourable to the learning event
Level 2: Learning
To what degree participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, and attitudes based on their
participation in the learning event
Level 3: Behaviour
To what degree participants apply what they learned during training when they are back on the job
Level 4: Results
To what degree targeted outcomes occur as a result of learning event(s) and subsequent
reinforcement
The Kirkpatrick Model

Level 1: Reaction
To what degree participants react favourable to the training event
Level 2: Learning
To what degree participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, and
attitudes supported their participation within the learning event
Level 3: Behaviour
To what degree participants apply what they learned during training after they are back
on the work
Level 4: Results
To what degree targeted outcomes occur as a results of learning event(s) and subsequent
reinforcement

Creating A Post Training Evaluation Article

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Creating A Post Training Evaluation Article

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Creating a Post-Training Evaluation Plan

Begin with the end in mind

Build post-training activities during program design

Explain performance expectations to learners

Use technology for support activities

Monitor findings and make adjustments

The Kirkpatrick Model

The Kirkpatrick Model

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