The first step in my Learning to Performance system is to create an Impact Map for the proposed training course or curriculum.  Today’s competitive advantage goes to those who can learn and adapt faster. High Impact Learning integrates learning, leadership and change management competencies to produce documented, sustainable results and ensures courses are linked to business results . The Impact Map is a proven method for rapidly identifying training needs , evaluating options, and quickly prototyping innovative solutions.  Its power lies in providing a clear line of sight linking the content of the training through to the outcomes desired by management.  It is therefore indispensable to the instructional designer as well as those tasked with delivering the training.

If these courses are to produce valuable business results, then they need to produce lasting effects and lead to behavioral change in critically important job tasks that are linked to the business issue.  Making training work is all about being sure that learning drives performance, since it is performance, not just capability that contributes the most to impact from training. The Impact Map methodology leverages powerful principles and tools to achieve conversion of learning-to-capability-to-performance-to-results.  Two key principles guide my Impact Map method:

1. Strategic Leverage – it is more effective to focus training content and efforts on a few strategic actions rather than seek to be comprehensive.
2. Deep Business Linkage- business results determine the primacy and priority of training content.  The linkage between these overall results is used to identify strategic outcomes.  Next, the critical linkage among job role and team processes and team results is defined.  Finally, linkage is determined and defined at the individual performer level.

The Impact Map drives the design of exquisite learning solutions (the finest quality … keenly sensitive and responsive).  The Impact Map will focus the design and delivery efforts to create this type of solution and is characterized as an “intersection” of high leverage skills and results that enables performance in those tasks.  Figure 1 portrays the format of an Impact Map.

Figure 1: High Impact Learning Map Construct

Figure 2: The Impact Mapping Process

I recommend the 3-stage process above to create the best Impact Map possible for any firm.  The deliverables and steps in the process are:

• The design and facilitation of a 1-day mapping session with selected company personnel (the steering committee).  Outcome of this session is a draft of the Impact Map.
• Design and administer a survey to the target audience to validate column 1 of the draft Impact Map.
• Review results and create recommendations for possible Impact Map changes.
• Conduct a web meeting with the steering committee who attended the mapping session, share findings from the validation efforts, and facilitate the meeting to produce the final Impact Maps and report (final report to include implications for design and delivery ).

Deliver the Impact Map and the report for instructional design and delivery.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts on this approach.