Although we all know that training can have many amazing benefits, sometimes it can be hard to prove those benefits and attach a dollar value to training. Some topics, like sales training or time management, might have direct, tangible benefits. Other topics, like communication or leadership, might have benefits that you can’t put a dollar value on.

In this workshop, we will learn about the different ways to evaluate training progress, and how to use those results to demonstrate the results that training brings.

At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:

• Understand Kolb’s learning styles and learning cycle
• Understand Kirkpatrick’s levels of evaluation
• Be familiar with the types of evaluation tools, including goal setting, tests, reactionary sheets, interviews, observations, hip-pocket assessments, skill assessments, and learning journals
• Understand when to use each type of evaluation tool
• Perform a needs assessment
• Know how to write learning objectives and link them to evaluation
• Write an evaluation plan to evaluate learning at each stage of the training and far beyond
• Know how to identify the costs, benefits, and return on investment of training
• Familiarize themselves with the parts of a business case

Course Outline:

Module One: Getting Started

Icebreaker

Housekeeping Items

The Parking Lot

Workshop Objectives

Module Two: Kolb’s Learning Styles

The Four-Stage Process

Accommodators

Divergers

Convergers

Assimilators

Module Three: Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation

Overview

Level One: Reactions

Level Two: Learning

Level Three: Behavior

Level Four: Results

Module Four: Types of Measurement Tools

Goal Setting

Self-Evaluations

Peer Evaluations

Supervisor Evaluations

High-Level Evaluations

Module Five: Focusing the Training

Performing a Needs Assessment

Creating Learning Objectives

Drilling Down Into Content

Module Six: Creating an Evaluation Plan

What Will We Evaluate?

When Will the Evaluation be completed?

How Will We Evaluate It?

Who Will Perform the Evaluation?

Module Seven: Assessing Learning before Training

Workplace Observation

Objectives Assessment

Pre-Assignments and Pre-Tests

Module Eight: Assessing Learning during Training

Reviewing Learning Objectives

Performing Hip-Pocket Assessments

Quizzes and Tests

Skill Assessments

Module Nine: Assessing Learning after Training

Evaluation Timelines

Learning Journal

Goal Setting

Additional Methods of Evaluation

Module Ten: The Long Term View

Creating a Long Term Evaluation Plan

Methods of Evaluation

Documenting Lessons Learned

Module Eleven: Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI)

A Basic ROI Formula

Identifying and Measuring Tangible Benefits

Identifying and Measuring Intangible Benefits

Calculating Total Costs

Making a Business Case

Module Twelve: Wrapping Up 

Words from the Wise

Review of Parking Lot

Lessons Learned

Completion of Action Plans and Evaluations