How to Evaluate Training

Evaluating Training is the last part of Kolb's Training				This is one of the easiest levels to measure. If your
Cycle and an area that is often forgotten or carried				training has come from a Training Needs Analysis[1]
out half heartedly by Trainers and organisations.				then you should still have tools that you used to
This is often due to a lack of understanding of its				indentify what training is needed and you can use
importance or how to carryout effective evaluation.				them here as well. The easiest way to measure
Evaluation of training events is important on two				transfer is through observation. If training is to be
fronts.				effective it must be something that can be utilised in
1. For the Trainer it informs them if what they were				the workplace. If it is not being utilised then why did
training was received and it tells them if the event is				you train it? This puts no value on your training and
pitched at the right level. Without evaluating you				the motives for doing it will be questioned.
can deliver the same course year on year without				Effect on Organisation
ever knowing if the course is right. It is the only				The effect of training on an organisation is a difficult
feedback Trainers receive on a day to day basis as				to prove as other departments will always say that is
to how they are performing.				was them that improved. If you train the Sales
2. For the organisation is it vital to know how the				Team and sales improve the Sales Team will take
training was received to understand if it was				the credit for doing a good job and for understanding
worthwhile and justifies the expense. Having a				its customers better. This area of evaluation
Training policy and carrying out training is brilliant in				requires checking of figures against figures prior to
any organisation but, if you are not measuring how				the training and seeing if there has been an affect.
well it is received or what impact it is having back in				With ROI (Return on Investment) being a new buzz
the workplace then you may as well not have any				word it can be incorporated in the fourth level.
training at all. For training to be effective in the				There are many discussions on how you measure
workplace it must be				the Return on Investment in Training and there does
� i.				not appear to be a consensus of opinion on how it is
Relevant				done to measure it effectively.
� ii. Cost				Who is Involved
effective				Evaluation can be done by several people although
� iii. Adding				not at the same time. Level 1 (reaction) and Level 2
value				(knowledge) are done by the trainer or the person
Evaluating Training				delivering the learning in the classroom or through
There are a number of Evaluation Models ‘out				whatever medium you are using. Reaction is
there' but, the most widely used and accepted one is				measured throughout the training and at the end with
Donald Kirkpatrick's original 1959 4 level model. Now				the happy sheets. Knowledge is measured at the
there are 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 level evaluation models out				start and at the end. The pre-course knowledge
there but, as most organisation fail to evaluate on				should be measured after the objectives have been
more than two levels I feel that these are				stated e.g.
redundant. If you can say without wavering or a				Start
shadow of a doubt that you evaluate at the four				Introduction of self and course
levels then by all means take a look at the other				Domestics (Fire Exits, Toilets etc.)
models. If you do not evaluate your training events				Ice Breaker
at four level then don't waste your time looking at				Aim and Objectives
the 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 level models – why confuse				Level 2 Evaluation
the issue and have more tools that you won't use?				The purpose needs to be explained to the
Kirkpatrick's original 4 level model is more than				delegates. Couple of rules here; don't call it a test or
adequate to evaluate training in organisations. This is				evaluation!!
because it provides the information you need without				When we get to level 3 (transfer to work
overcomplicating the issue. The levels are				environment) the Trainer and the Line manager or
1. Reaction – reaction of the delegates to the				the person that requested the training can carry out
training				this evaluation.
2. Knowledge – the knowledge that has been				At level 4 (effect on organisation) this really falls to
transferred during the training				various departments;
3. Transfer – are they using or able to use the				1) Finance
knowledge and skills back in the work environment				2) Human Resources
4. Effect on Organisation – how has it impacted				3) Quality Assurance
the organisation?				4) Health and Safety
Looks simple and it is if you don't over complicate it.				Or any other department that calculates figures to
Reaction				show how productive or otherwise the organisation is
This is carried during the training event. It is to				being.
gauge if the delegatesa) Understand what you				Which levels to carry out
sayingb) Are comfortable with what you are				In an ideal world all four levels of Kirkpatrick's model
sayingc) Understand why they doing an				will be carried out and to their fullest. We don't live
activityd) Need a break				in an ideal world so if you are going to measure how
These things are gauged from asking the right				effective your training event was you need to do at
questions and observing body language and				least three levels and the first two are a must. Each
behaviour. A lot of training will be uncomfortable as				level on their own are meaningless especially level 1.
it will be pushing the comfort zone of the delegates				Many companies rely on this level to buy in the same
further. If it is a change to a process this will be				training organisation or to see if they need a training
uncomfortable and you have to sell the change well				department and it does not give the full picture. If
in order for it to be accepted.				you only measure induction training on the happy
The other way that Reaction is measured is at the				sheets you are going to think that it is the best
end of the Training event with ‘Happy Sheets'.				induction package around because new entrants
These measure anything from the size of the room				want to please and believe that they are still under
to the comfort of the chairs and the variety of food				interview conditions on their induction. If you only
on offer. These items are either marked on a scale				measure Health and Safety updates on the happy
of 1 – 5 (1 being poor and 5 being excellent) or				sheet you will get the impression that it is the worst
with smiley faces ( J K L ) to indicate how the				training that you offer and run the risk of rewriting or
delegate felt about each item.				changing it without knowing what to change.
Knowledge				Use level 1 in conjunction with level 2 and take the
This level is the most important for Trainers as it				knowledge factor to measure the training more
provides you with information about the course you				effectively. This way you will get a better picture
are delivering (Especially if you have designed and				of how the training was received. If you are using a
written it) and your delivery of it. This is because it				questionnaire ensure that it is not too easy or too
tells you if the knowledge has been transferred and				difficult. It should make the delegate think. If your
this helps you understand how good or not so good				learning gain is high and the happy sheets were not
you are at explaining things.				so good then the training was not affected by the
There are a number of ways to measure knowledge				room, the food or anything else on the happy
transfer. The easiest being a questionnaire. To do				sheet. If the learning gain was low and the happy
this effectively you need to hand out the				sheets indicated there was a problem with the room,
questionnaire before you start the training and again				chairs, lighting etc then the environment has had an
at the end of the training. This gives you a pre and				impact on the training.
post training score. There is one major rule about				With these two levels you know that the training is
evaluating knowledge. That is				doing its job. The next level you choose will
It is an evaluation of the trainer NOT the learners!				determine what affect it is having in the work place
This is very important to remember because if the				and it is up to you to decide which to use. Level 3
learners have not understood something or gained				would, for me, be the next logical step and from
the knowledge you wanted them to then it is your				there you can determine if you should continue to
fault. Your delivery, the methods you used, the				deliver the course again.
level of language used, the level of the course etc.
It is your responsibility as a trainer to ensure that				[1] The process of identifying and determining the
EVERYONE learns on your training events.				Training Need in Organisations and individuals by using
You can measure knowledge through a				interviews, observation, questionnaires, customer
demonstration of a skill with an observation sheet				complaints and various other tools that identify that
where you mark against set criteria.				there is a training requirement.
Transfer to the Work Environment

Horse Riding

How to Evaluate Training