A handy guide to make sure your training has impact.

Written By Nick Villani

When designing training programmes and interventions, there is a lot to consider. Particularly in post-pandemic times, with more people learning in online classrooms than ever before.

Back in 2011, research conducted by Grossman, Sales and Lacerenza identify three major components which play a large part in the effectiveness of any type of training intervention, and this is more relevant a decade on.

Within each of these pillars there are many elements, some of which may be within your control, and others you can only try to influence.

 

Below is a checklist of questions to ask yourself and your team as you plan any type of training initiative. You don’t need to satisfy all of them, but hopefully going through the checklist will reveal some quick wins that will help you to consider how to make your programme as impactful as possible.

 

Participant Characteristics

Cognitive Ability

  • Are the participants going into the programme able and ready to learn?

  • Are they fast learners, or is it important to ensure the training runs at a slower pace?

  • Do the participants have a high IQ?

Conscientiousness

  • How eager are the participants to learn these new skills being taught?

  • Do the participants show great pride in their work and strive for continuous improvement?

  • Are there clear goals for the programme which align with the participants own goals?

Self-efficacy

  • Do the participants already feel confident already in the subject matters being taught?

  • Does the programme support learners in building their own confidence and self-esteem?

  • If a participant struggles or fails in the programme, what support mechanics are in place?

Perceived utility of training

  • Does the programme represent your company values and mission statement?

  • Are participants aware of what they will get out of the programme?

  • Does the programme serve participants on a personal level, in addition to professionally?

 

Training Design

Needs analysis

  • Where is this training need coming from? What are we trying to achieve?

  • Are we providing a pre-training assessment?

  • If we are asking participants to self-assess, how will we ensure that we benchmark this?

Learning objectives

  • Do we have clear objectives for the programme that we can measure our success against?

  • Do the learning objectives strike a balance between understanding of the topic and application of the skills?

  • Do the learning objectives represent the wider team and company objectives?

Space between sessions

  • Are we providing adequate space between the training sessions for participants to apply their learnings?

  • Does the programme include some kind of “homework” or guidelines within these sessions to structure this application?

  • Do we have a culture of high psychological safety where people can experiment with new techniques without the fear of failure?

Voluntary attendance

  • Are participants allowed to self-enroll on the programme or is it being mandated?

  • What mechanics do we have in place to ensure that participants remain engaged?

  • Are we capitalising on peer-learning opportunities by creating a community to support one another and create accountability?

Mixed delivery methods (including modelling and practice)

  • Does the training follow the 70:20:10 principles of learning?

  • Are we allowing appropriate time for reflection and discussion during the classes?

  • Is there summative “project” work to demonstrate application of learning?

Realistic training environment

  • Are the frameworks we are referencing free of jargon and relatable to the business?

  • Is the training taking place virtually or in person and have we adapted the delivery to suit the medium?

  • If we are using an external training partner, are they familiar with the business and work environment to ensure the training is relatable?

Work Environment

Transfer climate

  • Are there external factors within the team/business that may derail this training effectiveness?

  • Is the business going through some type of organisational change, and how are the participants likely to be feeling about this?

  • Are participants aware of the reasons the training programme is taking place and why they are involved in it?

Support from superiors

  • Do we have the buy-in from the participants line-managers to be taking part in the training?

  • Is the management team ensuring that adequate time is being given to the training, given the cost and resource investment?

  • How does the training facilitate discussions between a participant and their manager?

Support from colleagues

  • What type of comms are being sent internally to promote the training programme?

  • Are direct team members aware that the participant is engaged in the training programme?

  • How does the training facilitate discussions between the participant and their peers or direct reports (if applicable)?

Opportunity to perform

  • Is there adequate time for the participant to demonstrate their newfound knowledge and skills?

  • Is there any formal recognition, such as a certificate, to show completion of the training?

  • Does the training empower the participants to challenge ways of working?

Follow up

  • Is this training standalone or part of a wider learning journey?

  • Is there any type of formative or summative assessment to measure the impact of the training?

  • Are we facilitating a community amongst the participants to support one another after the training ends?

Nick Villani
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