The value of analysis

Clients that I’ve worked with over the years have asked me a tough question – “What do you think is the most critical step in designing a training program?” Putting on my Instructional Designer "cap", this question always gives me pause for thought because it’s difficult to narrow it down to just one. The ADDIE model that we apply to all of our client projects here at Limestone Learning includes Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation phases.  Although all are very important, my answer is always ANALYSIS!

Analysis is the cornerstone of training, and it’s a critical step in the planning of any potential training program because it provides an organization with justification on whether training should be developed or not. When employees see an issue in their organization, it’s automatically assumed that training will solve it, but this isn’t always the case. Other causes such as inadequate documentation, low motivation/incentive, inadequate policies in place, and environmental issues can also be factors. So it’s really important to analyse training needs first to ensure that your training solution, if required, is relevant, effective, and meets the specific needs of the audience and the organization.

The response I typically hear is “… we don’t have time/money/resources to do analysis.” It's important to have a plan of action before starting analysis to ensure you stay focused and effective and provide results that are linked to the objectives and goals of your business.  Many well-intentioned organizations have conducted analysis that went on forever, engaged unnecessary resources and ultimately didn't provide the information they needed. Any organization will save time, money and resources by conducting a focused analysis and any training that is developed will more accurately meet the needs of the intended audience.

In today’s belt-tightening economy, we need to make smart decisions and look for ways to ensure that money allocated for training is wisely spent. Stay tuned for a future blog article on the types of analysis that can be conducted in the Analysis phase.

 

Three reasons to consider e-learning for your next training project

According to the Canadian Society for Training and Development, approximately 80% of professional development in Canada now includes e-learning. It’s obvious that an increasing number of organizations are seeing the value of investment in e-learning as an alternative to traditional classroom training. We think there are three main reasons everyone should consider e-learning as an option when developing a training program:

1. Economic Value

• Travel costs for trainers and learners are significantly reduced, if not eliminated.
• Session costs – room rental, catering and the like – are eliminated.
• Learner’s training time is maximized.
• Tracking functions can ensure manager’s time is used efficiently.

2. Flexibility in Delivery

• No classroom setup required; learners can take training from any computer that meets minimum system requirements.
• Many learners can participate in training at once, at times convenient to them or to their team, and work at their own pace.
• Courses can be updated quickly to accommodate changes to content or make improvements.
• Multiple courses from one organization or division, or on a particular topic, can easily be organized and permissions can limit access to them.
• Learning paths can be customized for particular user groups.

3. Consistency of Outcomes

• All learners learn the same material in the same manner.
• There are potentially higher rates of completion and retention.
• Learning content can be the “best of the best”: all subject matter experts can collaborate more effectively to ensure all topics and perspectives are covered.

Of course there is also a time and place for face-to-face training, but e-learning can be a useful option that allows you to maximize the time spent in the classroom for those topics that really benefit from hands-on experience.

Welcome

Welcome to the Limestone Learning blog. Paula and I are hoping to share our thoughts and ideas about training and learning development here, as well as pass along interesting items we find around the Web. Feel free to comment and share your own thoughts!