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I chose to complete my Masters degree in Human Resources Development (adult learning/instructional design) because I thought training was “acting with a steady paycheck.” All I had to do was sharpen my facilitation skills, print out some snazzy colored transparencies (OOOOH) or add stock clipart to Powerpoint (AHHHH) and I was on my way to getting anyone in any organization properly trained. Hey, these were high tech tools in the 90’s!
Catapulting a few decades in the future, we now have: e-learning, in-app support, video conferencing, gamification and video tools as options in how to “get my people trained.”
I’ve played in most of the technologies and lived on both sides of the fence as one who designed and delivered training to the one determining training for my team, and I can share with you patterns of success. You may not be in the weeds creating the materials, but you may find these tips a way to guide those who do.
We hear “my team needs training” for many reasons: new processes or technology, changing roles, low performance, or just to hit the “# of training hours” KPI (key performance indicator). Training is the cure all, the savior and the one-time event to banish all errors and get things back on track. Bless my “acting with a steady paycheck” heart – this is not the case. In fact, when I’d observe the organization, roles, processes, systems and interview the problem children, I often found that training is not what’s really needed:
Whether or not you’re trying to determine if training is needed, start here:
STEP 1 - Slow down before you speed up
Have a third-party observe and interview a representative sample of different levels of performers and longevity in the position to collect themes on pain points, best practices, and potential process gaps. If you uncover issues that are not remedied by training, stop here and face the elephant.
If you are introducing new processes or technology, this exercise is still the first step to determine what your team’s workflow is like today so the communication and learning can be properly tailored. Ideally, you would have already done step #1 before finalizing the new process or technology so you could properly fine-tune and configure. What’s that? I’m hard to hear up here on my soapbox?
STEP 2 - Identify your personas or audience
Don’t throw everyone into your 250-person capacity room just because you can. Determine whom your audiences are based on how they will interact with the process or technology. Some audiences will just need a high-level overview while others will require deeper practical knowledge and application. These personas and audiences are not always identified by title; therefore, they could be based on future role, level of interaction with the process or technology, skill level, or user type (remote, mobile, global, etc.).
STEP 3 - Go old school with learning objectives
Once I have my personas or audiences, I begin with the end in mind. What does each of these groups have to KNOW or DO at the end of the training program? I use the revised Bloom's Taxonomy to align where each audience is and write appropriate learning objectives for each. Does this audience need to remember, apply, analyze, etc.?
I thought I could get away without these pesky learning objectives in the past; but, I find they are a necessary means to truly tailoring both the content and the approach to each audience. I’ve rekindled my romance with Bloom.
Oh, one other thing, I don’t always share these objectives with the audience. I put them into more ‘agenda’ speak. We don’t want to start a section putting folks to sleep - just make sure they know where you’re taking them so they’ll relax and pay attention.
STEP 4 - Determine how to evaluate
Before I write content, I take the learning objective by audience and determine how I’ll know if they are successful. The higher up they are in Bloom’s Taxonomy, the more complex the assessments may be.
Create the assessment and evaluation before you get mired in content and death by slides.
STEP 5 - Design your One-Two Punch
We’ve come so far in technology, but I still find most of us learn best alongside our peers and in a safe place to ask questions. We also need more than one opportunity to hear a message, internalize it and ask questions.
STEP 6 - Train ‘em!
You have your approach and now you want to design your solution. Your learning objectives and assessments will guide you in what points to make.
STEP 7 - Do they get it?
Smile sheets on how the users liked the learning session are still useful in making quick decisions and adjustments on what is and what is not working. However, the facilitator may be full of energy and the food fantastic, but the needle may not move on productivity because the content wasn’t what is needed to be:
I went into the learning and development field thinking I’d bask in the spotlight upon a stage. I realize the power of great learning; however, the real power lies backstage with proper analysis, planning and developing a blended learning environment with substantial support mechanisms. That’s OK. All the cool people hang out backstage.
And….cut
Photo credit: Flickr User Mohammad Jangda, CC license