| Much has been written about the technology of | | | | applicable, company-wide stakeholders must forge |
| training. The story is often the same: companies | | | | specific, relevant learning objectives out of the |
| are chomping at the bit for the opportunity to | | | | training fire and builds in comprehension and |
| exercise the latest and greatest training | | | | application from a knowledge-based platform. |
| technologies in an effort to reduce costs and | | | | Creating an implementation strategy allows |
| reach employees effectively. | | | | managers to decide what resources or |
| The trend is understandable. Technology has | | | | technologies are appropriate to achieve prescribed |
| made training much more convenient, and | | | | training goals and philosophies. By determining the |
| essential for global enterprises that need to train | | | | phases of the training, the competency goals for |
| employees across the world. Instead of big travel | | | | each phase, and the characteristics of the training |
| budgets to bring employees to the home office | | | | audience, decisions can be made about: |
| or training center, companies are reducing the | | | | Appropriate methods for the delivery of the |
| bottom line by using technology to push training | | | | training. |
| out into regional offices. | | | | What resources are needed, and in what form |
| But are employees better trained as a result of | | | | are they needed to be effective - paper based or |
| this technology boom? With companies fast | | | | interactive media, for example. |
| abandoning traditional instructor lead training in | | | | Whether to build or buy the required |
| favor of tech-based training, it is increasingly | | | | resources. |
| important to ensure technology remains the | | | | Whether internal or external resources will be |
| training messenger and does not become the | | | | utilized, based on needed expertise. |
| message. | | | | As a result, managers can better negotiate |
| Regardless of whether a training system is a | | | | purchases of technology-based training programs |
| high-ticket technological wonder, or simply a | | | | and avoid spending money on features that bring |
| bound, paper manual, the quality of training results | | | | little or no value to the established learning |
| should be the same. All training methods should: | | | | objectives. |
| Accelerate the productivity of new and | | | | Establishing Accountability |
| existing employees. | | | | It's been said of training that the real genius is not |
| Accelerate the identification of poor | | | | in building the materials; it's in getting them used. |
| performers. | | | | Each year, companies waste money on resources |
| Provide the structure required to use existing | | | | that are either not used, or are used improperly. |
| resources and implementation tools efficiently. | | | | If the answer to an effective training |
| Create "across the board" accountability for | | | | infrastructure rests with the implementation |
| training results, from top management to every | | | | strategy, then the answer to the issue of |
| new hire. | | | | implementation is accountability. Lack of |
| Enhance the ability of the trainer/supervisor to | | | | accountability in a training program will sink even |
| provide effective training. | | | | the most expensive systems. |
| Technology can enable such results, but it can't | | | | Trainees have a responsibility to be prepared and |
| assure they've been achieved. Technology can | | | | willing to be trained. But the ultimate success or |
| provide a platform for imparting knowledge, but it | | | | failure of a training program depends on |
| can't distinguish between theory and practice. | | | | management's commitment to own the outcome. |
| Technology can be used to measure quantitative | | | | That kind of accountability can be assured by |
| retention, but it can't evaluate qualitative | | | | establishing a platform upon which the learning is |
| application. Such assurances, distinctions, and | | | | orchestrated. |
| evaluations can only be provided by people. | | | | A Learning Platform |
| Thus the question technology can't answer: are | | | | Establishing a learning platform requires identifying |
| employees actually learning from technology | | | | standards by which results are measured, then |
| based training programs? When the training is | | | | providing a "roadmap" that empowers the learner |
| complete, are employees able to demonstrate | | | | to achieve those standards. It is a process of |
| comprehension and application of their knowledge | | | | incremental measurement which enables |
| in real-world situations, removed from the | | | | everyone with a stake in the training and its |
| classroom and pointed questions? | | | | outcome |
| Training vs. Learning | | | | - trainee, trainer and management - to be aware |
| In typical training scenarios the trainer does 80% | | | | and responsible. And it allows the following |
| of the work, and while participants may be able | | | | questions to be answered definitively: |
| to pass a final written or computer test, they | | | | Has the trainee learned what needed to be |
| have only a 10-30% retention rate and in many | | | | learned? |
| cases are not expected to demonstrate | | | | Was the trainer actively involved in the |
| application-based knowledge. | | | | learning? |
| By contrast, in performance-based learning | | | | Was management aware of the quality of |
| environments where participants are expected to | | | | learning delivered? |
| discuss, explain and demonstrate application, | | | | Keeping the Messenger in Place |
| participants perform 80% of the work, resulting in | | | | Technology can play an essential role in monitoring |
| a retention rate of 50-80% of the knowledge. | | | | and tracking activities required by the |
| The moral? Even million-dollar Internet delivery | | | | performance system. But technology can become |
| systems can be ineffective unless three basic, | | | | a crutch if we let it. If we rely on technology to |
| decidedly non-technical cornerstones are | | | | do all the work, we'll almost certainly have |
| established for all training programs. First, there | | | | reduced training costs and perhaps increased |
| must be an effective human intervention | | | | training test scores. But will employees be able to |
| strategy. Second, accountability for results must | | | | discuss, explain, and most importantly, apply the |
| be established. Third, there must be an | | | | knowledge they've learned once they leave the |
| instructional design that empowers trainees to | | | | training room? |
| take ownership of their learning. With these simple | | | | Corporate training programs may be well served |
| foundations in place, every company can | | | | by technological advances. For that reason, it is |
| experience superior learning results with the help | | | | increasingly important to keep technology in |
| of technology. | | | | check. By first establishing a clear implementation |
| Human Intervention Strategy | | | | strategy and by setting in place a performance |
| A performance-based learning environment must | | | | system with clearly defined roles of accountability, |
| have an effective Human Intervention Strategy | | | | any training program can experience a dramatic |
| to mold and monitor the learning experience. Such | | | | increase in efficiency and effectiveness, and will |
| a strategy is the foundation of an effective | | | | ensure the money spent on technology returns |
| training program. | | | | the investment. |
| In order to keep the knowledge relevant and | | | | |