Your Chief Virtual Learning Architect

Learning to Performance

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Custom Design & Delivery

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Predictive Evaluation

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Enterprise Learning Strategy

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Dave Basarab Consulting has elevated the training experience, offering an end-to-end comprehensive approach that includes training strategy, instructional design, development, delivery , post program training transfer, and evaluation (via the unique Predictive Evaluation methodology). Virtual Chief Architect Dave Basarab has combined all of these individual training elements with his user-friendly, comprehensive Learning to Performance approach, which significantly increases companies' training ROI.

Why we are different

Innovation: Our primary focus is creating learning programs using a Learning to Performance approach.
Expertise: Dave offers the depth and breadth of his experience, including working internally at prestigious companies (Motorola, Ingersoll Rand and Pitney Bowes) as well as his knowledge and expertise as a highly-respected, sought-after consultant.
Partnership: Basarab collaborates with companies, serving as their own Chief Learning Officer whenever they need to plan, strategize, or implement training initiatives.

Training Services

Enterprise Learning Strategy

Enterprise Learning Strategy

At Dave Basarab Consulting, we're experts in creating Enterprise Learning Plans. We work with you to develop your company's learning strategy and direction.

Custom Design, Development, & Delivery

Custom Design, Development, & Delivery

Custom training is an effective way of developing the capability required to execute your strategy. We are a custom design house that creates programs specific to your business.

Learning Burst Development

Learning Burst Development

We can create and deliver your courses via our unique Learning Burst Method - keeping your employees at their jobs while receiving world-class training.

Predictive Evaluation

Predictive Evaluation

We predict the ROI for your courses and establish success gates. We then evaluate the course against the success gates to show value realized and continually improve results.

Leadership Development

Leadership Development

Turn-key virtual custom leadership development program that combines world-class leadership speakers/educators with post-event personalized coaching to provide you with a cadre of highly skilled leaders.

Predictive Evaluation

Building a Framework for Evaluating External Training Partners

External training providers can bring specialist expertise, fresh content and delivery capacity that an internal learning team may not have. The challenge is separating polished sales presentations from a partner capable of changing workplace behaviour and producing measurable business value.

A sound evaluation framework connects supplier capability with organisational priorities, learner needs and operational realities. For Australian organisations, that may include dispersed teams across Sydney, Melbourne and regional areas, hybrid work, FIFO workforces, tight procurement controls and the need for culturally appropriate learning.

Start With The Business Outcome

The first decision is not which provider has the most attractive course catalogue. It is what the organisation needs people to do differently and how that change will support performance. A leadership programme, compliance intervention and technical capability project each require different evidence of quality.

Define the intended outcomes in observable terms. For example, managers may need to conduct better performance conversations, sales teams may need to improve conversion rates, or frontline staff may need to follow a safer operating process. These outcomes create a consistent basis for comparing suppliers.

An external partner should be able to link learning objectives with business measures, such as productivity, quality, retention, customer satisfaction or risk reduction. If the provider speaks only about attendance, satisfaction scores and completed modules, its evaluation model may be too narrow.

Examine Design And Delivery Capability

Review how the provider diagnoses needs, adapts content and supports transfer into the job. A strong supplier will ask about existing systems, manager expectations, workflow constraints and the experience of the target audience before proposing a solution.

Customisation should mean more than adding an organisation’s logo to standard slides. It may involve Australian examples, relevant policies, realistic scenarios and activities that reflect the tools employees actually use. For bespoke programmes, assess the partner’s custom training services alongside its capability in facilitation and post-course reinforcement.

Delivery logistics deserve equal attention. Confirm whether the provider can support face-to-face, virtual and blended learning, including participants in Perth, Brisbane, remote sites or different time zones. Check facilitator availability, accessibility standards, technical support and contingency plans for cancelled flights, internet limitations or operational disruptions.

Compare Partners Using Consistent Evidence

A weighted scorecard prevents one impressive presentation from dominating the decision. Each provider should respond to the same brief, provide comparable evidence and explain how its approach would work in the organisation’s context.

Evaluation area	Evidence to request	Suggested weighting
Strategic alignment	Outcome map, stakeholder plan and business measures	20%
Design quality	Sample materials, needs analysis and learning architecture	20%
Facilitator capability	Profiles, references and observed delivery	15%
Transfer and adoption	Reinforcement plan, manager involvement and support tools	15%
Measurement	Evaluation method, baseline measures and reporting approach	15%
Commercial fit	Transparent pricing, scalability and contract terms	15%

Weights should reflect risk and importance rather than being treated as universal rules. A safety-critical programme may give greater weight to compliance expertise and assessment integrity, while a leadership initiative may prioritise behaviour change, coaching and executive sponsorship.

Ask for a short demonstration or pilot where practical. A pilot reveals how well the provider listens, handles feedback and adjusts the learning experience. It also exposes hidden costs, such as participant travel, manager release time, platform licences and content maintenance.

Test Measurement And Return On Investment

Evaluation should be designed before delivery begins. Establish the baseline, identify the expected behaviour change and agree when evidence will be collected. Useful measures might include error rates, sales activity, time to competence, employee mobility or customer complaints.

Predictive evaluation is particularly useful when leaders must choose between competing learning investments. The methodology described in predictive evaluation can help estimate adoption, impact and potential return before significant resources are committed.

Ask each supplier how it will distinguish training effects from other influences. A credible partner will acknowledge factors such as technology changes, restructures, incentives and manager practices. It should also explain how findings will be reported to executives in commercial terms rather than relying solely on smile sheets.

Check Governance, Risk And Working Fit

Due diligence should cover insurance, privacy, information security, intellectual property, subcontractors and data storage. Australian organisations should clarify whether learner data is hosted offshore, how personal information is handled and whether the provider can meet internal procurement and risk requirements.

Where training relates to regulated work, verify relevant credentials and currency. If an organisation requires nationally recognised training, confirm the provider’s relationship with the appropriate registered training organisation and check applicable ASQA expectations. A corporate workshop and an accredited qualification are different products and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Working style is another practical indicator. Seek references from organisations of similar scale and complexity, preferably with Australian operations. Ask referees whether the provider met deadlines, accepted challenge, communicated clearly and remained responsive after the invoice was paid.

Build A Decision And Review Process

A provider should be selected through a process that includes business sponsors, subject matter experts, procurement, technology and representatives of the learner group. This reduces the risk of choosing a programme that looks strong to the learning team but is difficult for supervisors or employees to use.

Consider whether the partner can support the full learning lifecycle, from diagnosis and design to delivery, reinforcement and evaluation. An enterprise learning strategy can provide the broader architecture for deciding what should be built internally, outsourced, automated or retired.

Use clear contract requirements for milestones, acceptance criteria, reporting, content ownership and improvement cycles. Schedule a formal review after the first delivery wave and again when outcome data becomes available. The aim is to manage the relationship as a performance partnership rather than a one-off purchase.

Practical Checks Before Appointment

Request evidence of comparable results, not just client logos.
Observe a facilitator or review a realistic sample session.
Confirm all delivery, travel, platform and support costs.
Agree adoption measures and business outcomes before launch.
Test accessibility, cultural relevance and regional delivery arrangements.
Define renewal, content-update and exit provisions in the contract.

The best external training partner is one that can translate expertise into workplace performance, adapt to Australian operating conditions and make its assumptions visible. A weighted scorecard, practical pilot and agreed measurement plan provide a disciplined basis for selection. Before signing, document the target behaviour, baseline measure, owner and review date for every major learning investment.

Learning to Performance

Learning to Performance, a complete training approach, gives companies world-class training to drive significant return. This approach includes upfront work (Impact Mapping, design), training (for staff and company executives), and post-training efforts to ensure training transfer. This unique recipe - the key for successful training and adoption - is changing the way companies implement training. This methodology could work with any content for organizations in any industry.