One aspect of training evaluation is to seek small improvements in course design, delivery, and transfer with the objective of increasing impact. Continuous improvement should be one of the tools that underpins the philosophies of training evaluation. Through constant study and revision of evaluation results, better training occurs, resulting in increased impact (value to the business). Continuous Improvement is a set of activities designed to bring gradual but continual improvement to training results through constant review.

The principles that underlie continuous improvement using training evaluation are the following:

• Focus on the stakeholder. Training is designed, developed, and delivered to meet stakeholder requirements and needs. To accomplish this, stakeholders were solicited in the planning phase and their requirements were built into the evaluation. A decision is then made by stakeholders as to proceed with training, based on the attractiveness of benefits (value) to be gained. Training results are then measured from the perspective of the stakeholder.

• A preventive approach. “Do it right the first time” instead of correcting through evaluation (inspection) if possible. This requires a systematic instructional design process (such as ADDIE [Analysis Design Development Implementation Evaluation]) to ensure that the training will deliver the results that stakeholders require.

• Management by data. Fact rather than supposition drives continuous improvement actions. Evaluation data communicated in the dashboards against respective Success Gates—direct decision in improvements and outcomes.

• Commit to ongoing improvement. Each time that Success Gates are reached, consider setting new and improved success measures. Training Evaluation is not a project or a task with a definite end point, but an ongoing commitment to seek out opportunities to deliver better results.

• Cross-functional problem solving. Training problems do not usually fall neatly into a single function such as design, development, delivery, management support, etc. They usually call for solutions that cut horizontally across organizational functions. People with different responsibilities and talents need to develop habits of working together to improve training and its results.

• Constancy of leadership commitment. A commitment to using evaluation as continuous improvement must be a way of life, built into the fabric of the company. In most organizations, this represents a fundamental change in culture and values. Tenacious and visible commitment of top leadership to evaluation is required if employees inside and outside of the training function are to be motivated to make the investment to change.

Previous posts in this series:

Getting Started

Questions Evaluation will Answer

Elements in an Evaluation Plan

Evaluation Deliverables & Schedule

Performing the Evaluation

Coming up in this series of posts:

Training evaluation organizational readiness

As always, I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on this topic.