Measuring results from training means checking, with evidence, whether a programme changed what people know, how they work and what the business achieves. The practical method is to set clear objectives before the training and test learning during and after it. You then follow up on behaviour back at work and compare the tangible results with the full cost. BOTI’s train-the-trainer and training evaluation courses show L&D teams, trainers and managers how to do this in a South African workplace.
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Introduction: Measuring Results From Training Training Course
Most organisations accept that training has value, but that value can be hard to prove in rand terms. Some topics, such as sales training or time management, often have direct, measurable benefits. Others, such as communication or leadership, produce benefits that are real but difficult to put a rand value on.
In the Measuring Results From Training course, delegates learn different ways to evaluate training. They also learn how to use the results to show what the training achieved. Once a programme has been evaluated, the next step is to update the content so that it suits the delegates and the business better.
What training results can you measure?
A widely used way to organise training results is Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation. Each level answers a different question, and each needs a different measurement tool.
- Level 1: Reactions. Did delegates find the training relevant and useful? Measure this with a short feedback form at the end of the session. Ask about relevance to the job, not only about the venue or the facilitator.
- Level 2: Learning. Did delegates gain the knowledge and skills? Compare a pre-test with a post-test, or ask delegates to show a skill in a practical exercise.
- Level 3: Behaviour. Are delegates using what they learnt back at work? Use supervisor observation, peer feedback or self-evaluation a few weeks to a few months after the training.
- Level 4: Results. Did the business improve? Track the measures the training was meant to move, such as error rates, customer complaints, sales conversions, turnaround times or safety incidents.
Most organisations stop at Level 1. The results that matter to senior management usually sit at Levels 3 and 4, so plan for them before the training starts, not afterwards.
How to build an evaluation plan
An evaluation plan turns good intentions into evidence. It answers four questions:
- What will we evaluate? Link each learning objective to a specific workplace behaviour or business measure.
- When will the evaluation be done? Before the training (a baseline), during it, straight after it, and at agreed follow-up points.
- How will we evaluate it? Choose the tool for each level: tests, observation checklists, supervisor reviews or business reports.
- Who will do the evaluation? Name the facilitator, the line manager or the L&D officer responsible for each step.
The plan is only as good as its starting point. A clear training needs analysis shows which performance gap the training must close, and that becomes the baseline you measure against.
A basic ROI formula for training
Return on investment (ROI) compares what the training achieved with what it cost. A basic formula is:
ROI (%) = (monetary value of benefits – total costs of training) / total costs of training x 100
To use the formula honestly:
- Count all the costs. Include facilitation, venue, materials, travel, administration and the value of delegates’ time away from their work.
- Measure tangible benefits. These include time saved, fewer errors, less rework, higher sales or lower staff turnover. Convert them into rand using your own business figures.
- Record intangible benefits separately. Better morale, teamwork or customer goodwill are real but hard to value. List them in the business case rather than forcing a rand figure onto them.
- Isolate the effect of training. Ask managers and delegates how much of the improvement they believe came from the training, and use a conservative estimate.
For more on building a business case, read BOTI’s guide to training ROI. Good evaluation records also make it easier to report on the training your organisation completed in its Annual Training Report.
Recommended Prior Experience and Knowledge: Measuring Results From Training Training Course
No prior experience is needed for the Measuring Results From Training Training Course. The course is presented in English.
It suits HR and L&D practitioners, training coordinators, skills development facilitators, in-house trainers and line managers who need to show what training delivers. Delegates who also design and present training may find the Train the Trainer Essentials Course or the Facilitation Skills Training Course useful alongside it.
Outline: Measuring Results From Training Training Course
The one-day programme covers the following components.
Component 1: Starting Out
- Icebreaker activities
- Housekeeping and administration
- The Parking Area
- Programme objectives
Component 2: Kolb’s Learning Styles
- The 4-stage process
- Accommodators
- Divergers
- Convergers
- Assimilators
Component 3: Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation
- Overview
- Level 1: Reactions
- Level 2: Learning
- Level 3: Behaviour
- Level 4: Results
Component 4: Kinds of Measurement Tools
- Setting objectives
- Self-evaluations
- Peer evaluations
- Supervisor evaluations
- High-level evaluations
Component 5: Focusing the Training
- Performing a needs assessment
- Creating learning objectives
- Drilling down into content
Component 6: Creating an Evaluation Plan
- What will we evaluate?
- When will the evaluation be completed?
- How will we evaluate it?
- Who will perform the evaluation?
Component 7: Assessing Learning before Training
- Workplace observation
- Objectives assessment
- Pre-assignments and pre-tests
Component 8: Assessing Learning during Training
- Reviewing learning objectives
- Performing hip-pocket assessments
- Quizzes and tests
- Skills assessments
Component 9: Assessing Learning after Training
- Evaluation timelines
- Learning journal
- Setting objectives
- Further methods of evaluation
Component 10: The Long-Term View
- Making a long-term evaluation plan
- Methods of evaluation
- Documenting key learnings
Component 11: Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI)
- A basic ROI formula
- Identifying and measuring tangible benefits
- Identifying and measuring intangible benefits
- Calculating total costs
- Making a business case
Component 12: Concluding
- Words from the wise
- Review of the Parking Area
- Key learnings
- Evaluations and completion of action plans
Frequently asked questions
How do you measure the results of training?
Set clear objectives and a baseline before the training. Test knowledge before and after the session, and check with supervisors whether delegates use the new skills at work. Then track the business measures the training was meant to improve and compare the benefits with the full cost of the training.
What are Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training evaluation?
Level 1 measures reactions, meaning how delegates rated the training. Level 2 measures learning, meaning the knowledge and skills gained. Level 3 measures behaviour, meaning whether delegates apply the learning at work. Level 4 measures results, meaning the effect on business outcomes such as quality, sales, service or safety.
How do you calculate the ROI of a training programme?
Subtract the total cost of the training from the monetary value of its benefits, divide the answer by the total cost and multiply by 100 to get a percentage. Include all costs, including delegates’ time away from work, and record intangible benefits separately in the business case.
When should training results be measured?
Measure at several points: a baseline before the training, learning checks during and straight after it, and follow-up on behaviour and business results a few weeks to a few months later. A written evaluation plan should state when each check happens and who is responsible for it.
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To give your team a practical method for evaluating training and proving its value, book the Measuring Results from Training: Training Evaluation Course, a one-day programme. You can also request a quote for a group. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected]. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
