subject: Kirkpatrick's Four Level Evaluation Of Training - A Simple Guide [print this page] Your boss says no to your request for further training. How do we take that no and turn it into a yes?
For those of us who have been in training for a long time, there is a simple formula which when delivered to the boss, makes it difficult for him or her to resist.
It's called Kirkpatrick's evaluation model for training. Donald L Kirkpatrick was a professor at University Of Wisconsin when he published his series of articles in the Journal of American Society of Training Directors in 1959. A training phenomena was born.
Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model uses four levels which are:
Level 1: the reaction of student - how they enjoyed the training experience and felt about it afterwards.
Level 2: learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability.
Level 3: behaviour - extent of behaviour and capability improvement and implementation/application.
Level 4: results - the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainee's performance.
All these measures are recommended for full and meaningful evaluation of learning in organizations, although their application broadly increases in complexity, and usually cost, through the levels from level 1-4.
Think back to your last course? Work your way through the four levels and then prepare a short briefing for your boss, because you're going to ask him for funding for your next course.
Your boss, of course, wants to know that your previous training was beneficial to the company, otherwise there is a poor return on investment. So, we need to persuade him that you're an exceptional learner.
Remind him of how the last course went: 'It was a brilliant course; the instructor was excellent, the classrooms were large and airy, the receptionists and staff were incredibly helpful.
Now move on to level 2: I learnt how to do spreadsheets, calculations, and functions and I became so much more productive as a team member. I am preparing myself to produce even more advanced work.
It's going well - now move on to level 3: I really feel like I have turned a corner in this role. I'm so much more productive, I'm now helping some of the more junior guys when they're stuck. When I wake up in the morning, I jump out of bed because I'm so excited about the work and the professional progress that I'm making.
And now level 4 - what are the distinguishing results of the training? Well at my last appraisal I was told that my productivity has risen by 30% and my error rate has significantly been reduced. I am currently utilising my professional skills in helping less experienced colleagues and I intend to run a voluntary training session in the coming months.
If it's possible to persuade the boss that every cent of expenditure on your continuous professional development will return an amazing return on investment, you are surprisingly closer to that confirmatory signature.
