It’s now time for a mid-year evaluation of your training programs

It is time to evaluate your training as we approach the end of the first quarter. This is an opportunity to analyze your training performance in the current year, identify any issues, determine what went well, and plan for the future.

The analysis will cover two main areas:

The Key Training Analysis Factors for the Year (setting goals, monitoring outcomes, organizing training)

The Technologies Used (converting outdated courses, selecting an LMS, avoiding open-source software)

We will start by examining the first area. Were the essential training enablers implemented? If so, how were they measured? If not, why not?

Evaluating the Key Components for Training Analysis

Training enablers are support activities for training that provide direction for employee development plans, define ways to measure outcomes, and organize an informal training program into a structured system.

Include the following elements in your training plan for a thorough analysis:

Objectives Setting
Did the company set specific objectives for employee training in the current year? If not, what was the focus of the training programs?

Was the main aim to enhance employees' skills, to boost profitability, or to pursue some other objectives?

The setting of training goals is crucial for the success of development initiatives. Without clear and defined objectives, a training program lacks direction and focus, much like a body without a head.
Outcome Measuring
The implementation of a training program and the setting of goals was done. However, was there an evaluation of the results of the training program to compare them with the established goals?

This is a significant issue that many learning and development professionals face, as noted in the Top 10 Challenges Faced by Learning & Development Professionals by CMOE, with challenge number 5 being the tracking of corporate training outcomes.

Measuring performance is crucial as it provides valuable data that can be used to improve, modify, or fix the existing training program.
Training Program
Organizing your training program is a crucial aspect. The structure serves as the foundation for the training program. A well-organized training program considers the following elements:

• Target audience and training needs

• Type of training (compliance, skill, improvement)

• Delivery method (audio, video, combo)

• Training technology (LMS, eLearning, social learning, etc.)

• Frequency (weekly, monthly, yearly)

Corporate training decisions are always based on previous results. The objective is to evaluate and adjust for future success. Ineffective goal setting results in the difficulty of tracking training outcomes. A training goal must be directly related to a specific issue, attainable, and measurable. If a goal is lacking any of these criteria, it becomes difficult to track. It’s important to review current goals and ensure they meet the mentioned parameters. If not, consider creating new goals that have a better chance of success. This will ensure that the success of training is directly tied to the number of goals achieved and easily visible.

On the other hand, having a well-structured training program is crucial. Once goals and tracking parameters have been established, the structure of the training helps to achieve them. The structure acts as a guide for your development program and is critical to its success. It’s important to take the time to evaluate whether your training program was structured in the past year and if not, start the process of structuring it for the upcoming period.

Technologies involved:

Technologically, the tools used or under consideration are a component of your training structure. However, since this is such a broad topic, it should be analyzed separately.

Nowadays, technology is becoming an increasingly important part of many organizations’ training programs. Neglecting it can result in significant errors in evaluating training programs.

Many training programs fail because of the insufficient or incorrect use of technology. Therefore, it’s important to examine your program and determine whether you are using the appropriate technology.

Flash Transformation and modernizing old E-learning
Flash technology became outdated in 2020. If some or most of your training programs still use Flash, it's time to seriously consider updating them. Failure to do so will result in a collection of outdated courses that are susceptible to hacking, malfunctions, and inoperability. This should be viewed as a proactive step in assessing current needs and preparing for the future.

Updating technology is just one aspect of the process. Have you considered updating the content as well? If your organization is using old eLearning or training materials that are two years or older, it's time to assess them. Have any changes occurred in the actual process that need to be reflected in the course? If so, make the necessary updates immediately.

In some cases, simply updating the design can breathe new life into an outdated eLearning module.
Evaluating your current LMS
As part of your mid-year training evaluation, also consider the learning management system used to host training content and learners.

Is it effectively helping you achieve your training goals and providing the necessary structure for your training program?

Surprisingly, some organizations still use outdated legacy LMS platforms. These platforms can slow down training, frustrate administrators, and make it difficult to schedule and host training effectively. Additionally, they may not be appealing to learners.

When reviewing training, it's also important to consider the cost associated with the training. The LMS plays a role in these costs. Are you paying more than necessary for an LMS that you rarely use?

Could you potentially reduce the cost of an overly expensive, underutilized LMS and redirect the saved funds to other areas that require more attention?
Migrating from openware
Finally, if you are still using an open-source LMS for training, it's time to examine its limitations, which are many. As an LMS vendor, we have encountered numerous organizations that initially chose an open-source LMS because it was free. These organizations invested a significant amount of time and effort to set up their training programs, only to later realize the limitations of an open-source LMS.

As the training program evolves and becomes more complex, the open-source LMS becomes increasingly inadequate in addressing these issues. Therefore, consider your current open-source LMS. Do you believe it is capable of handling advanced training requirements in the future?

The answer is likely "no". It's a trap that can lead to additional costs down the line. As organizations eventually switch to a full-fledged LMS, the cost of migrating years of training, courses, learners, and other important data to the new system will add to the overall cost of the new LMS.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this article only covers the basic elements to consider when conducting a training analysis. However, there is much more to analyze in the field of training. The author of this article has tried to highlight the most important and fundamental factors to keep in mind.

If you’re curious to learn more about analyzing learners or training programs, there is an article available that may interest you. The author has extensive experience in the eLearning domain and understand where training programs go wrong for many organizations. Our focus is on developing technology to simplify your training process. If you’re considering updating your training infrastructure, feel free to contact us.

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