After conducting a learning initiative, every company must have answers to a few questions:
- Did the training add value?
- Was the value it added worth it?
- If it was successful, then how can it be made more effective in the future?
- If it didn’t produce the expected results, then what needs to be done about it?
When a corporate training is conducted, documenting results is a critical factor because it lays the foundation for making future training-related decisions. It helps companies find out whether they should continue a particular training initiative, revise or abandon it? These questions must be answered with credible and relevant evidence of the impact created by the training program. An in-depth analysis of all the factors that contributed to the success or failure of the training program is a prerequisite for improvement.
After listing the results with accurate information and proper evidence, organizations should state precise recommendations for actions based on the findings. Documenting results is a futile effort if it doesn’t lead to an action plan for improvement. Organizations that are successful with their training initiatives are those that document the results in ways that guide investment decisions and support improvement.
To document results effectively, it is advisable to design an effective evaluation plan in advance. Your training partner could assist you in designing an evaluation mechanism that is powerful enough to document a difference and provide unbiased and reliable results.
