Are your internal/external training customers asking you to deliver ‘Training Outcomes’ in ‘Business Outcome Terms’

I know, many training managers are already crying foul and yelling in their minds, “Training Results Cannot Be Measured”. Yet, I suggest that you continue reading.

In most cases, current Training Methodology is:

STEP-1 : Our regular Instructional Design based approach in defining Learning Objectives is to state objectives as ………………. On successful completion of this module, the participant will be in a position to ……………(for example)…… , “Demonstrate methodology of Greeting, Listening and Acknowledging Customers” or “Demonstrate how to eliminate doubts that arise in the minds of customers and propose a solution to their query” or “Demonstrate Selling Skills learnt successfully through role plays”.
STEP-2: Develop training materials as per design
STEP-3: Implement/Execute training intervention
STEP-4: PRAY TO GOD. EXPECT A MIRACLE TO HAPPEN!
STEP-5: A Ha! – Results achieved................ Or is it?
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The days partying for training people seems to be over. Every organisation, however high on profitability, has multiple uses of money it can invest. Customers, at least the big spenders are asking ‘value for their training money’ translated into ‘Business Outcome’ terms. From a customer’s perspective, they want to know how, by achieving the stated Learning Objectives, it contributes to the way in which their company creates value. Customers want to know -

1. What benefit will this training programme have for my company?
2. How will this training programme result in performance improvement for the participants / organization?
3. What are the training effectiveness measurement parameters?
4. What is the methodology for measurement of these parameters?
5. What is the total Cost-to-Company (include all costs including opportunity costs)?
   

Firstly, let us understand what “in business terms” means? Its meaning is not limited to money terms. It means more than money. “in business terms,” means “verifiable outcomes that are relevant to business”. Suggested methodology -

1. Create complete intervention plan with timelines, including, instructor led training, e-learning, coaching by supervisor, self-paced learning, assessments, etc.
2. Link intervention objectives to business needs. Respective line manager of the customer needs to define business needs.
3. Have customer agree on definition of success for the complete intervention and for each of its components (milestones). “Customer” here means the respective line manager of the customer and not HR manager (flout this rule only if the intervention is for HR personnel).
4. Define what participants will do differently and better after successfully participating in each of the components of the intervention.
5. Secure effective management support for implementation of the intervention.

Of course there real-life roadblocks to be overcome in this endeavor. And….. this exercise costs money. Both customer and training vendor should sit across the table and take informed decisions as to the extent of Business Outcome measurement to be done for a particular intervention. A prudent way is to consider only those business needs that are high on the priority ladder and that too, a manageable number. Say 2 or 3 max. In many cases, the training programme will address only one business need.

As a rule of thumb, larger the number of participants for a particular programme, lower is the per participant cost (I feel like saying, “What an idea, Sirji!”).