Our Evaluation Methodology
The following diagram illustrates our overall approach to evaluation and how it relates to the widely recognised Kirkpatrick model. In practice, most evaluation activity occurs at the 'Learning' level, however we help our clients extend their evaluation up into the 'Performance' and even 'Business' levels.
Business level. In our experience, this is the most important level. A clear understanding of the business need (in terms of key indicators) gives you the best starting point for identifying any performance shortfall. It ensures your learning is aligned to the business goals and also offers a sound basis for measuring the eventual business benefit.
Performance level. Here we're at the operational level, measuring the current performance levels and articulating what performance levels are required (the performance gap) before learning takes place. Repeating the same measures after the learning allows us to register any improvement.
Learning level. At this level we translate the performance gap into learning needs, then develop and deliver learning to meet those needs. From an evaluation perspective we offer the familiar post-training reaction questionnaire (Kirkpatrick Level 1). We can also measure how much the learners have learned (Kirkpatrick Level 2). Finally we can measure the outcomes of learning: how much the learning has been transferred to the workplace and (moving towards the Performance level) the extent to which learners have changed their behaviours because of the learning (Kirkpatrick Level 3).
