PARTNER for Training Success: TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
The fourth step in the PARTNER* model is TRAIN: Deliver the training; know the context and required delivery method (classroom, e-learning, experiential, on-the-job, mentorship, coaching, etc.); always consider the needs of the learner.
Be Learner Centred
The concept of Androgogy, the principles of adult learning, was brought to life in the latter part of the 20th century by Stanley Knowles. He advanced that adult learners:
- need to know why they are learning something; they must believe it will have a personal benefit
- have lifetime experiences that should be tapped and built upon
- learn best from hands-on, problem solving approaches to learning
- will expect to apply new knowledge and skills immediately, which will aid retention
In the world of corporate training and development, we deal with adult learners every day. One of the challenges that we deal with is creating the win-win in the organization-learner relationship. Too frequently we focus on the needs of the organization and forget about the needs of the learner. An example of this could be a mandatory training session on health and safety. We focus on meeting the objective of “putting” every employee through the program, not necessarily on the employee as learner.
I posted what I thought was a great quote by D. Blocher on twitter; “Learning is not a spectator sport.” While it comes from the academic world, I believe that it is applicable across all learning milieus.
When you are preparing to deliver content, whether through the classroom, e-learning, experiential, on-the-job, mentorship, or coaching avenues, always consider how the learner is going to interact and if the approach being used meets the learning needs of each learner. Understand your learners and you will be well on your way to creating a learning environment that meets their needs.
The Checklist
Why not include “the” checklist? If you are a professional or seasoned facilitator, this list, while certainly not comprehensive, addresses many of the fundamental do’s and don’ts of working with learners in group settings:
- Do admit mistakes
- Do be enthusiastic and cheerful
- Do begin and end on time
- Do exercise time control throughout the training session
- Do greet learners and introduce yourself
- Do learn names
- Do provide positive reinforcement
- Do speak clearly
- Don’t compete with learners
- Don’t involve yourself in small groups
- Don’t say “start” and “stop”
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 5 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
- PARTNER for Training Success
- Look at the big PICTURE
- ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
- READY objectives, design, and delivery approach
- TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
PARTNER for Training Success: READY objectives, design, and delivery
So you have come to the realization that a training and development initiative is required. After stepping back to look at the big Picture, and then following that with an Analysis of the situation, it is time to prepare the most appropriate intervention; it is time to Ready your resources.
The third step in the PARTNER* model is READY objectives, design, and delivery.
Program Objectives
If you have successfully completed the first two stages of the PARTNER model, you should have the information necessary to develop key objectives for your training program. In fact, the objectives should be revealing themselves to you. You should be looking for answers to the following questions:
- What is the purpose of your program?
- How will you measure success?
- Have you considered which organizational metrics must be considered or improved for your program to be considered a success?
- What LROI (learning return on investment) issues need to be considered?
- How will you verify your program objectives?
- Who needs to give the program objectives the stamp of approval?
Design Methodology
The design process must work hand-in-hand with the delivery mechanism (see next heading). And like the process behind determining program objectives, there are a number of questions that you will want to answers for, either by seeking them out or coming to them on your own:
- Do you want to design a template that will be used to brand your program and provide consistency of application?
- Have you considered how your program will be evaluated and measured by learners?
- What feedback mechanisms and follow-up plans will be built into the design?
- Who will you be involving in the design process, (i.e. subject matter experts, trainers, curriculum designers, learners)?
Delivery Mechanisms
The methods of delivering training programs can be as varied as your imagination will allow. However, there are common approaches that have stood the test of time and continue to be used because they have a solid track record. Like any approach though, the time and effort put in up front will pay dividends. Consider the following approaches:
Resources and Infrastructure – Answering this question up front could well determine which approach or approaches you will be using and which ones you will not. This should hearken back to the research you did in the Picture step of the PARTNER model. Know what you are working with (and without) before inadvertently painting yourself into a corner.
External or Internal – An important consideration will be whether you are going to delivery your program using internal resources or if there will be more value for the learner and organization by using an external mechanism. And what would those be? They could include accredited post-secondary institutions offering continuing education programs or customized contract training solutions; they could also include national or multi-national corporate training companies that specialize in offering in-class or onsite training from a standard catalogue of easily customized content.
Coaching / Mentoring – This approach is more focused on working with individual learners. The individual filling the role of coach or mentor should have some type of certification in providing one-on-one coaching or mentoring. Mind you, the degree to which this may be required will be driven by the scope of your program.
Classroom – The traditional method of training and development, classroom delivery is the picture that comes to mind most frequently when people are asked to describe a learning process. And it still has an important role to play in the world of corporate learning and training. The classroom model can make sense when you have a large group of learners who are all required to learn the same content, or when you want to capitalize on external subject matter experts coming in to deliver customized content.
On the Job – When needing to transfer the unwritten, unspoken, and hidden storehouse of knowledge that resides within organizations (frequently referred to as tacit knowledge), on-the-job experiential training approaches should probably be considered.
E-learning – Referred to as e-learning, online learning, or computer based learning (you get the picture), this exciting and recent development in content delivery is being considered by more and more organizations as costs continue to come down. If you are considering e-learning delivery as an option, you will want to go back to the Picture step again to ensure that you have the infrastructure required to make it happen. This may need to be one of those “internal or external” resource discussions.
Blended – This is where training and development really begins to shine. And this is where both the needs of the learner and the organization can truly be met. When e-learning first hit the scene, many organizational leaders, interested in addressing escalating training costs and in using technology to train employees, took the implied e-learning promise to be that training efficiencies realized through using the new technology will go straight to the bottom line while revenue growth resulting from training will go straight to the top line. The pendulum has swung back. Combining e-learning with other forms of more traditional learning like classroom, has proven a winner and is bringing those training wins to the organization.
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 4 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
- PARTNER for Training Success
- Look at the big PICTURE
- ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
- READY objectives, design, and delivery approach
- TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
PARTNER for Training Success: ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
The second step in the PARTNER* model is ANALYSIS: Determine the needs and wants of the different stakeholders. Identify the gaps and prepare to address them.
When following the PARTNER* model, the first step (PICTURE) should have answered the “where” questions … “where is the organization going?”, and “where does the organization want to be?” It is not unlike planning a trip and pulling out the map to pin point a destination. ANALYSIS then is like determining where we are currently located on the map.
So what steps or considerations are involved in analyzing the needs and wants of the organization? And how will you identify the gaps? Be sure to consider the following:
Who – When you begin analyzing needs and wants, determine up front who you will be including in the process. Joseph Schwab, an educator who developed a program design approach based on curriculum deliberations, believed that the lead curriculum-making specialist should have input from all concerned parties. In the world of corporate learning and development, that would mean subject matter experts, learners, trainer-facilitators, organizational leader(s), and human resource representatives. He did caution subject matter experts will frequently want to control the curriculum making process or will discount input from others, so a strong and focused curriculum lead is required. Schwab’s approach is sound and ensures that all involved parties have a voice.
Unique Issues – Having completed the PICTURE step, you should be aware of the organization’s unique challenges that arise from issues like culture or geography. In the ANALYSIS stage, you must also consider and be aware of unique skill or process issues and constraints. Are there health and safety issues, legal constraints, or ethical considerations? What role does the learner take in relation to these? How about the organization’s leadership?
Competency Maps – Have competency maps been developed for the different internal roles? A competency map is an outline, or listing of skills and traits required to successfully fulfill the requirements of a particular position. If competency maps are available, great! Review them to ensure that they are current and reflective of the positions that exist. If competency maps are not available, consider completing them as part of the ANALYSIS process.
Questions – Through this entire process, you will be asking yourself (and possibly others) questions. Be sure to keep a running list of those questions somewhere where you can refer to it. Review the list and determine which questions are important in helping to determine where the organization currently is (remember the map analogy above?).
Methods/Media – Reach out and engage with individuals at all levels within the organization that will be effected by and involved with any training initiatives. There are a variety of ways to do this:
- Paper surveys
- One-on-one interviews
- On-line surveys, using tools like Survey Monkey
- 360 or modified 360 feedback instruments
- Exit interviews
- Roundtables
- Focus groups
One note of caution … it is often tempting to take as gospel the anecdotal input provided by the organizational leadership, and make decisions based on only their input. Leadership team input is only one part of a thorough analysis or needs assessment step.
Roll Out – When preparing to undertake a needs assessment, consider how to position it. Depending on its purpose, consider having a senior member from the leadership team provide an introduction of the process to all those who will be participating. This could be a simple as an e-mail/memo or voicemail blast, or it could be as elaborate as an all-hands meeting. Attaching as much credibility to this process will help to ensure that you get the information needed to help make the necessary recommendations.
Evaluation – The final step in the ANALYSIS process is to collect, document, and present your findings (even if you are only presenting those finding to yourself). This is where you will be able to confidently say, “this is where we are, and this is where we want to (or need to) be.” In some cases you may learn that the organization and its people are where they need to be, or are very close to it; in other cases it will be quite obvious that a significant gap exists. From here, we will move on to the READY stage in the PARTNER* model and begin the process of determining how to get from “here to there”.
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 3 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
- PARTNER for Training Success
- Look at the big PICTURE
- ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
- READY objectives, design, and delivery approach
- TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
PARTNER for Training Success: Look at the Big PICTURE
The first undertaking in the PARTNER* model is to take a look at the big PICTURE … the context; the overarching objectives; the who’s who in the company, trainer, learner triumvirate. Take a step back and critically look at:
History – Where has the organization come from? Understanding where it has been, how it has grown, and the challenges that it has faced and overcome will help you to develop an appreciation for the culture that exists today.
Mission; Vision; Values. – Are the mission, vision, and values congruent with where the organization has been, where it is, and where it wants to go? As a developer of training, being clear about the organization’s raison d’être will be a key component of any program. Integrating the organization’s mission, vision, and values into your training initiatives, whether internal or external, is important.
Culture – How would you characterize the organization’s culture? Having and demonstrating a learning culture means that organizational leaders walk the talk, clearly value their people, and demonstrate this through investing in them. If appropriate, and positive, the company’s cultural milieu should be integral to every training initiative developed internally (and should be customized into any external or off-the-shelf initiatives brought inside).
Leadership – Do you see a culture where the leaders not only talk high principles but also live them? Do you see people who make noises about their teams needing certain skill sets and leadership philosophies not drinking from the same cup? In short, do you see an organization that walks the talk? As much as those of us in the learning world want to say that it’s all about the learner, we can never forget that the learner will seldom get what they need without the support of the organization’s leaders.
Org-chart – Reviewing the org-chart will help you to identify the structure and resources available, and if necessary, to note any constraints that you may be working with. Determine where learning and development as an organizational activity fits. Is it a stand alone department that has a seat at the organizational leadership team table or is it a sub-group that reports to HR or IT? Clearly the answer to this question will necessarily color learning and development goals and objectives.
Stakeholders – Who are the stakeholders? Is the organization a not-for-profit, a sole proprietorship, a limited partnership, or a publically traded company? Is there an employee ownership component? Is there a union? What role do all of the different stakeholders play? What influence do they have on the day to day operations of the organization? Does the C-level team within the organization consider the shareholders a key component of the structure and consider the delivering of profit to shareholders as trumping all else? Yes, lots of questions. Knowing the answers will help you ensure that the needs of the learners and the stakeholders are addressed.
Metrics – If the organization operates in an environment that has very focused metrics and runs a by-the-numbers shop, be sure to investigate just what that means. Are costs and margins razor thin as a result of the industry that the organization is involved in? Does this result in tight controls and little flexibility? Or are the key metrics viewed in a more holistic manner, meaning that they are an important part of the whole, but not the only factor considered when training initiatives are advanced?
Budget – How much will be available in money and other resources? Through the process of investigating some of the issues mentioned above, it will become apparent as to what type of monetary and resource constraints you will be working with. Up front you should know if you will be operating on a shoestring budget, a negotiable as required budget, or the best of all possible worlds, an unlimited budget. Knowing these broad parameters at the beginning of any program development is important, because going in on a wing and a prayer will likely lead to failure and frustration. The sooner you can hone in on a number, the better you will be able to sell those to whom you report on the program itself. There should be little room for ambiguity here.
Are there other areas or issues that should be examined as part of the big PICTURE? Let me know.
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 2 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
- PARTNER for Training Success
- Look at the big PICTURE
- ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
- READY objectives, design, and delivery approach
- TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
PARTNER for Training Success
My blog entry from November 23/09 introduced a model that I designed to address the needs of individuals or teams that had little background in the design and delivery of training programs. The PARTNER model’s purpose is to provide an easy to follow, step-by-step process that will result in a program that will, at the very least, have a much better chance of succeeding and in providing a positive LROI (Learning Return on Investment).
The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template. This blog post will be the first of a series of posts that will explore each step and it’s application.
To recap PARTNER …
“P”icture: Look at the big picture; the context; the overarching objectives; the who’s who in the company, trainer, learner triumvirate
“A”nalysis: Just what are the needs and wants of the different stakeholders? Identify the gaps and prepare to address them
“R”eady: Define your objectives and write them down; design your program(s); prepare for an effective delivery through facilitator preparation (e.g. train-the-trainer initiatives)
“T”rain: Deliver the training; know the context and required delivery method (classroom, e-learning, experiential, on-the-job, mentorship, coaching, etc.); always consider the needs of the learner
“N”urture: Coach the application of learning; have a before, during, and after training learner plan; use different tools as applicable and appropriate (e.g. learner contracts)
“E”valuate: Know your objectives before you begin; understand what LROI is and why it is the cornerstone of your entire training program; use a proven evaluation model and work it to fit your needs (e.g. Kirkpatrick, Phillips)
“R”evisit: It’s not over until it’s over; measuring success means using all of the feedback generated from all the stakeholders to further refine and modify your program as required; engrain the concept of learning as vital to the work culture
This is post 1 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
- PARTNER for Training Success
- Look at the big PICTURE
- ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
- READY objectives, design, and delivery approach
- TRAIN delivery, context, and learner needs
External or Internal Trainers?
When looking at different training initiatives for your organization, it can be very tempting to go with an exclusively internal solution … especially if the focus is on the bottom line cost and not the learning-return-on-investment (LROI). While cost should play a role in ultimately determining which way you will go, too frequently it disproportionately outweighs all others.
When looking at different training initiatives for your organization, it can be very tempting to go with an exclusively external solution … especially if the focus is on the bottom line cost and not the LROI. While cost should play a role in ultimately determining which way you will go, too frequently it disproportionately outweighs all others.
Do I hear an echo in here?
Clearly the same argument can be made for either internal or external resources, especially if the focus is exclusively on the bottom line (and in your experience, you may well have heard it used both ways). So what other factors should be considered in the LROI equation? There are two that I think should sit at or near the top of the list
1. Cultural connection
It is important that the organization’s culture be understood and respected. Depending on the purpose of the training, the cultural connection could possibly be best addressed using internal resources … or it may best be left to external resources (e.g. implementing a program that will result in a cultural shift). There’s no short answer here, just a need to be aware of this key consideration.
2. Expertise
Here is where taking advantage of subject matter experts (SMEs) comes into play. If you are in an environment that is unique, with little external subject matter expertise available, then clearly your internal SMEs will be playing a significant role. Or perhaps there is a requirement to engage with external sources because your needs/gap analysis has revealed that the required knowledge or skill sets don’t exist internally.
So what is the bottom line here? Focusing exclusively on your bottom line cost when designing and/or delivering training programs could end up costing you more in the long run. At the very least, the three key factors mentioned above, (bottom line, cultural connection, expertise), should be considered when attempting to maximize your LROI.
What other factors do you feel should be considered in creating a positive LROI equation?
Don’t Train for the Sake of Training
Have ever heard the statement, “if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there?” You could also say it this way, “if you don’t know where you are, and you don’t know where you are going, pick a road.”
When it comes to learning and development in the workplace, the same principles apply. Have you considered what outcomes you are looking for? Do you know the current capabilities of those who will be participating as learners? So as easy as it might be to consider that offer from the nice learning company account representative that paid you a visit earlier today, hyping the special rates available on their super-duper-training-course, be sure that you are first clear about where you want your organization to be going.
In other words, know where it is that you want to go (let’s say Montreal), know where you are (let’s say Toronto), and then determine the most effective way to get there. Could it be flying? Perhaps driving? What about the train or bus? There are many factors that will consider into this decision, including time, money, and possibly personal considerations like a fear of flying. Some factors are qualitative, some quantitative; some may be based on anecdotal feedback from others that have taken the trip previously.
A little effort will put you in control of determining what training initiatives are truly necessary (if at all) for your organization. That means identifying the goals and objectives of the organization, determining where your employees skill sets currently fit, and their ability to accomplish the goals set out using those skill sets. From these determinations, and if necessary, you can develop an organizational training plan.
The bottom line is don’t train for the sake of training. If that is your intention, then by all means take advantage of the latest super-duper-training-course that the nice learning company account representative presented to you … after all, any road/training will get you to your destination … won’t it?
Let the Learner Play a Role in your Program Design
A few years ago I was charged with the task of developing an orientation and professional development curriculum for newly hired sales people. Given that no program had previously existed, I was required to build one from the ground up … an exciting and challenging prospect.
Joseph Schwab, an educator who developed a program design approach based on curriculum deliberations, believed that the lead curriculum-making specialist required input from subject matter experts, learner representatives, milieu residents (e.g. customers), and instructor-facilitators. And he cautioned that subject matter experts typically want to either control the curriculum making process or will discount input from others (learners, milieu residents, teacher-facilitators, and of course, the curriculum-making specialist). My previous experiences have only reinforced this perspective for me.
If you find yourself taking on the role of curriculum-making specialist, it is important to ensure that any one party in the process (e.g. subject matter experts) doesn’t take over; it is your responsibility to have the wherewithal to guide this process. In particular, you must ensure that learners are involved, heard, and active in the design process. It is after all the learner that is expected to benefit from the program.
The earlier the learner becomes involved in the process, the more likelihood that you will have a successful outcome. Wouldn’t you rather have the learner involved at the beginning of the process than simply as a passive recipient of training? Wouldn’t you rather ensure that your program avoids common or potential pitfalls before rolling it out? Wouldn’t you rather minimize potential missteps that could cost you unnecessary money, money that could be used elsewhere in your training budget?
I’m not suggesting that the learner should be designing your program, just that you should consider using the learner as a key resource on your design team … in addition to subject matter experts, instructor-facilitators, and milieu residents.
Understand your organization’s leadership orientation
Trust. Responsibility. Respect. Focus. All terms that should be used when describing the leadership orientation of an organization; or at least in describing an organization that wants to survive and thrive. The science of leadership (or is it a practiced art?) within organizations today has been studied, documented, and discussed by both those in the know and those who don’t know but think they do.
My intent is not to run through a list of what I consider the do’s and don’ts of effective leadership, but rather to suggest that if you are going to be involved in designing and/or delivering training and development initiatives for your organization, you need to take the time to understand what kind of leadership orientation or practice exists within the organization.
How much latitude is there at different levels within the organization when it comes to taking responsibility for making decisions? Is leadership centralized or devolved? Does the organization have a self-leadership model that is encouraged and capitalized on? Do those who are required to take on the role of follower understand what it means to be an effective follower?
Some of these questions are easier to answer than others. Regardless, it’s important to take the time necessary to answer them. If you are preparing any type of training program that touches on understanding the culture of the organization or in developing leadership skills to help the organization succeed, it needs to be consistent with, and reinforce how the organization sees and presents itself to the world. If these questions cannot be answered because there clearly is a lack of trust, responsibility, respect, and focus when it comes to organizational leadership, then you may want to suggest that the place to start is with the C-level leadership team itself.
Know Your Audience
Public speakers, sales people, and marketers live by the mantra of “know your audience.” And so taking a page from their book, when it comes to designing and/or delivering training, know your audience. I’m not talking about making assumptions based on stereotypes, (an approach fraught with pitfalls at best and dangerous at worst). I’m suggesting that it is important to put some effort in to know and understand your audience … the learner. Success in training hinges on helping the learner to make the necessary connections and in experiencing those “A-ha” moments.
What is it helpful to know about, and why?
Background
Who are they (as individuals and as a group)? Where have they come from? What is their working history? This is where knowing a history and understanding the culture of the organization is also extremely helpful.
Competencies
What does their competency map look like? (more on competency maps in another post) This should include competencies directly related to the work environment … and those that are not; the lived experiences that learners bring to the organization shouldn’t be overlooked.
Education
What is the educational background of each individual and the group as a whole? When building and/or delivering programs, it is important to work with learners … not around, below, or beyond them.
And how do find out about backgrounds, competencies, and education?
Ask
Enough said.
Survey
If the organization is large, learners are dispersed, or time is a limiting factor, consider using a survey tool to collect some of this information for you. Online tools like SurveyMonkey will allow you design, distribute, collect, and analyze data for no charge (there are limitations of course, but have a look).
Assessments
In some cases, pre-course assessments are important to ensure that the learner is being matched up with the correct course level, or if you are designing a program, that you are designing it to the right level. Web based survey tools can also be used for this, as can paper based instruments.
If you are aware of any other online tools that can be used for surveys and assessments, please feel free to share.
