Where Innovation and Measurable Results happen. We help businesses realize the real benefit of their training programs.
I like to keep my eye on industry and business trends. There is a foundation of knowledge that all skilled L&D teams need, but trends do affect our profession. They often impact how we approach our own jobs and practices.
Let’s examine some common business trends having an impact on the L&D profession. [Read more…]
The learning profession is running on a streak of optimism. In the annual survey of the Chief Learning Officer Business Intelligence Board, 57% of executives surveyed say that their spending plans for the next 12 to 18 months will increase, while another 28% say spending plans will stay the same. An article about the survey results notes that since 2015, most learning leaders have reported positive feelings about their spending plans. That’s always good to see. I hope your L&D operation is among those feeling optimistic, especially as you consider your L&D budget planning for the new year. [Read more…]
The article, No Status Quo for the CLO, on the Chief Learning Officer magazine website describes what those of us in this profession have known for quite some time: There’s no single path to the learning leader role. Learning leaders are a diverse bunch and the story of how we all arrived in this profession varies from person to person. [Read more…]
I’ve talked in the past about how soft skills are the hard skills.
I’ve also discussed why soft skills are no more difficult to measure than hard skills.
Today, I’m going to approach this topic from a slightly new angle. [Read more…]
It surprises me daily how much confusion still surrounds how to measure learning ROI. It will never stop astounding me and will never stop motivating me. [Read more…]
Improvement. For learning professionals, that’s our goal, both for ourselves and for the employees in our learning programs. We’re always on the hunt for effective and efficient ways to deliver that improvement. That was one motivation behind our development of Business Impact 2.0, a first-of-its-kind cloud-based software that is purpose built to link instructional design with business outcomes. Impact 2.0 allows you to design, measure, and report on learning program results for data-driven performance improvement. [Read more…]
I often wonder why measuring learning has not always been required in our professional practice. Honestly, how do you know if your programs are any good if you do not measure them? Measuring learning is not that difficult. You simply determine the outcomes you expect from your learning program and measure against those outcomes. This should be a basic standard of professionalism in our field.
In fact, measuring learning is only difficult if: 1) you cannot determine what your outcomes should look like or, 2) you do not know what you did to make learning happen.
In my experience, both challenges are linked and addressed in learning design. It is in learning design that you clarify the outcomes you are looking for. It is in design that you create a plan to achieve the outcomes. Therefore, our professional practice of measurement is all about verifying design decisions. [Read more…]
It never fails to surprise me how many of my colleagues hold on to the nonsense belief that measuring ROI is just too difficult. Far too many in our profession hold onto that notion that we simply cannot accurately determine the value of the product we provide.
So let me say again: Measuring ROI is a straightforward task. It’s not only clear, it’s an essential skill that you need to master. You need to know it for the sake of your profession and for the overall health of the organization that you support. [Read more…]
People are getting the message. Because that message is coming from executive business leaders, senior learning leaders, and industry agencies. Business and learning leaders are insisting on proof that learning programs are working. Consequently, they demand that learning professionals implement a measurement strategy.
Despite much talk for years in our industry on the importance of showing learning ROI, most organizations struggle to implement an effective measurement strategy. [Read more…]
Evaluation serves as a GPS for the learning profession. A GPS tool constantly gathers data to accurately describe your current position. It tells you where you are and helps you navigate to where you want to be. Regular student and learning program evaluation is the only way to know that you’re delivering learning outcomes that will impact your organization. [Read more…]
I can point to a test score that is directly tied to a question that is directly related to a job standard.
I can actually see if the connection was made.
eParamus was the only vendor able to do that.
Paige Goss, Director of Operations at The Select Group
As an educator, time after time, I see that when budgets get tight, often education is the first thing to go. This program helped me articulate the value of the department and the value of education.
Marilyn Pearson Morales, PhD, RN-BC, FNP
UNC Health Care Director Nursing Professional Development, Practice and Research