Training on Trial: How Workplace Learning Must Reinvent Itself to Remain Relevant

Citation

Newman, C. (2012), "Training on Trial: How Workplace Learning Must Reinvent Itself to Remain Relevant", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 59-61. https://doi.org/10.1108/13665621211191113

Published in 2010 this book is a wake‐up call for all serving in positions of experienced or entering the field of learning and development activities working in corporate, non‐profit, small business, or academic environments. Let's face it. You have read the headlines about downsizing and cutbacks. The economy is on a downhill slide. Businesses are looking for ways to cut corners and doing more with less. Training and development are easy areas to target. Authors James and Wendy Kirkpatrick use the metaphor of a jury trial with a corporate training and development manager acting as the attorney trying to save the training department. Are you able to prove without a doubt your trainings are valuable? Do you have a “chain of evidence” for the defense? What will be the outcome verdict for your trainings?

James and Wendy Kirkpatrick cleverly devise a systematic way to create a pathway in just 12 easy‐reading chapters to demonstrate training value using a new plan called the Kirkpatrick Business Partnership Steps (KBPS). Is the name Kirkpatrick familiar? The tried and tested 50‐year old techniques of Donald Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation transfer effectiveness is the core of developing the “chain of evidence” which include Level 1 (reaction), Level 2 (learning), Level 3 (behavior) and Level 4 (results).

Chapters 1 through 3 deliver the power punch of reality that research has shown that “training events do not always yield significant business results, and that all training and learning professionals are being watched and judged to see if their value to the business exceeds their expenses” (p. 17). Maybe you have not been asked to show the value of your training yet, but that does not excuse your responsibility to be proactive before you are asked? James Kirkpatrick points out training professionals have an opportunity to make a big impact on their organizations by becoming a strategic partner by redefining our roles by extending influence beyond the development and delivery of training programs and into the business itself (Kirkpatrick, p. 28). Building a bridge between the training side and business side, picking the right corporate members who have an interest and are willing to participate is the first key for building a firm foundation for Kirkpatrick's “chain of evidence.”

Chapters 4 through 6 give some foundational keys to putting the plan into action. Business leaders and the training department should pledge to work together to realize that “training itself is rarely a major problem or solution” (p. 67) to work‐related problems, but what happens after the training program on the job is a key to providing positive outcomes that build the “chain of evidence.” Addressing and agreeing on the objectives, outcomes, and return on expectations (ROE) rather than just a focus return on financial interests (ROI) in the beginning with the stakeholders (corporate jury) is very important. Asking business leaders “what will success look like” to them, “leading to what,” and “in order to do this, we need to do what” (p. 92) are some great phrases to use in meetings with the business leaders.. “Reaching beyond your areas of influence (D. Kirkpatrick's level 1 and 2) into your areas of influence (levels 3 and 4) to create real value to trainings is another key point in the “chain of evidence”.

Chapter 7 through 9 encourages targeting and redefining key critical behaviors, drivers, and measurable outcomes. “These are processes and systems that reinforce, monitor, and encourage key performances of critical behaviors on the job.” The more successful you are with these identifications the more direct impact on increased Level 4 results will build value (p. 121). Deciding the necessities of what actually is a “need to know” and “regular measuring and reporting of Levels 3 and 4 evaluation results gives you and the jury the data to determine if adjustments are needed and required during execution” (p. 161).

Chapters 10 through 12 focus on Execute and ROE=PARTNER in the KBPS. Writing strategic objectives and outcomes for trainings and collecting data reports help build a strong “chain of evidence.” Developing job aides, quizzes, checklists, preparing participants for training, and involving supervisors to reinforce trainings back on the job are important parts of action learning and monitoring the action plans. The way you present these reports will depend on how your business leader team prefers to see presentations, such as written reports, testimonies, witnesses, Power Point presentations, graphs, tables, or charts. These actions contribute to successful outcomes as key points to developing “chain of evidence.” These chapters include “STAR” business cases which are interesting but can be laborious in reading through each case. The “STARS” give realistic detailed answers and illustrated examples with step‐by‐step presented in table form. Presenting your “chain of evidence” to the corporate jury can be accomplished through following the KBPS plan.

My mind was opened to the treacherous waters of the possibility of becoming complacent in the management and leadership of training and development. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick's (2010) Training on Trial reminds us we are always on trial to prove our value whether we have been asked or not. If training managers are not following through with more than a Level 1 (reaction) or Level 2 (learning) and skipping Level 3 (behavior) and Level 4 (results), there will be little data to build one's value case (Clark, 2011). There are several system‐based models available in the literature in addition to the Kirkpatrick 1959 model. Models include: Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP Model 1987), Input, Process, Outcome (IPO Model 1990), and the Training Validation System (TVS Model 1994). The Kirkpatrick Model is goal‐based model that is focuses on simple questions that translate into four levels of evaluation (reaction, learning, behavior, and results). This may help practitioners think about the purposes of evaluation ranging from purely technical to covertly political purposes (Eseryel, 2002). The training manager needs to consider selecting the appropriate evaluation methods (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed). Only a small percentage of organizations succeed in establishing a sound evaluation process that feeds back into the training design process that is without proper revision of training materials based on evaluation results according to Eseryel (2002).

He supports the idea that evaluations should include training designers, training managers, supervisors, and others.

The book, Training on Trial: How Workplace Learning Must Reinvent Itself to Remain Relevant is a must‐read resource for anyone working in the learning and development field. Practical Business Partnership Tips are scattered throughout each chapter to help guide the “chain of evidence” development, as well as key driving points at the end of each chapter for review. James and Wendy Kirkpatrick present a good case to always be proactive in proving the value of our trainings in the workplace by reminding that us of the following advice: “The best way to defend yourself is to create value for the business and then demonstrate to your corporate juries. Become a strategic business partner and help convert your business partners into strategic learning partners” (p. 31). This is definitely a book worth reading for all the details of the Kirkpatrick Business Partner Steps plan.

Corresponding author

Carolyn Newman can be contacted at: ccnewman@nc.rr.com