Get a Pro

"If you were to ask Ray Kelly IV to characterize the learning function of most organizations, he might say it was analogous to coins underneath the cushions of a couch: You have to dig around to recover all that money" (As seen at hrotoday.com on 2-17-09). As Andy Teng continues to write for HRO he points out the fact that there are tangible benefits when an organization commits to outsource task and functions.

When an organization outsources or contracts with someone like LearningCurve to create or manage the learning and training functions of an organization they get what they you pay for. They simply know what it cost in hard dollars and see the results. Outsourcing is a viable option to get visible results for an organization that knows it can not afford to cut out learning yet has trouble justifying unaccountable dollars in tough economic times.

In addition to making the cost and benefit of investments in human capital explicit the quality and delivery can often improve making the learning process a positive experience for employees and clients. Does that sound like a win-win?

Rudderless Training?

The purpose of the training should be relevant, real, and applicable. A ship without a rudder can launch out on a journey but has little hope of reaching any specific destination.

The training objectives are the intended destiny for each participant or learner. The purpose of the training in this analogy is the rudder. To use the rudder the purpose must direct the activity and direction of the training. Although there may be many useful and exciting ports along the journey the instructional designer must use the training purposes to provide direction in the creation and execution of the training.

Although this sounds simple and logical; reality requires careful discipline and dedication to the purpose at hand to carry the participants on to the intended destination.

Why are we training?

When you develop training materials one of the most important questions to ask is simply; why train? The sponsor for the program has an agenda. Understanding that agenda is essential. The agenda may be latent and quite simple. However, a successful training instructional designer will have that agenda crystal clear in their mind.

Beware, sometimes a training sponsor suspects training is needed simply because the expected behaviors are not pervasive. If in fact the problem lies somewhere else like in the compensation program; then your wonderful training program still won’t have the impact the sponsor sought out.

Again the need to be crystal clear about the intent of the program and the dynamic factors around the program are essential to successful performance improvements. You need to either buy-in to sponsor’s agenda or coach the sponsor to a more enlightened perspective given your relative expertise.