This article describes guidelines for to use of an intuitive and practical 4-tier model for measurement of technical training effectiveness through 4 simple indices: training reaction index, improvement index, effectiveness index, and impact trends.
I wrote some papers and articles on measuring the effectiveness of training (including impact and ROI) back in 2005. I conceptualized a simple, intuitive, and practical 4-tier “Return on Effectiveness (ROE)” model for measuring training effectiveness and ROI as an engineer would do. Since then I have received quite many requests, particularly from technical training managers to elaborate the approach a bit more. Somehow, the approach I originally published showed quite an instant connection with a technical audience who had not a whole lot of business responsibilities directly. Sometimes Kirkpatrick’s Training Evaluation model and Phillips’ ROI models, though widely used, either turn too abstract or turn too infeasible for engineering managers to even apply. This post is not an attempt to discredit existing models of training effectiveness or ROI measurement. The model may initially look like generic models like Kirkpatrick’s model. However, the attempt here is not to over-confuse new technical training managers with training lingo.
All in all, I believe professionals and training managers needed a ‘common-sense’ measurement approach – a simple feasible way to measure the effectiveness of the training. The model which I proposed was geared toward the language of ratio and indices, and a practical way to implement this approach that makes an instant connection with technical training managers. In this post, I will share a 4-tier workable model of measuring training effectiveness of complex training operations with a focus on briefly how to implement or use it.
The whole picture
While the model below is described from a training standpoint but the moment we talk about on-the-job measurement, it is a collective measurement of learning and on-the-job performance which could be a result of several other support factors. In complex training dynamics and factors impacting the outcome may be hard to isolate as the sole effect of training per se. The basic premise of the approach described in this post is that training does not work in isolation. It has a close connection with other support functions like direct management of the employee, performance support systems, and continuous learning that happens post-training. The business performance of any company comes as a result of the learning and performance of employees, not just because of training. Therefore it should actually be a measurement of learning impact in the business rather than training alone.
The general outline of the model is described in the figure. It has 4-tiers, in line with the most popular training effectiveness models. The model contains 4 tiers.
- Tier-1: Reaction index
- Tier 2: Improvement index
- Tier 3: Effectiveness index
- Tier 4: Impact index
4-Tier Training Effectiveness Measurement Modle (Image copyrights: Raman K. Attri)
