Last week I celebrated an anniversary at a nice restaurant. The food was great, and I left feeling nicely full. What made the meal so good was certainly the quality of each dish, but also the combinations of food and drink. The sauces worked perfectly with the main dishes and the dessert was decadent. Together, it made for a winner.
Recently, we wrapped up an ongoing project for a large client. We designed the training to support and reinforce a major process change for the organization that will lead to significant savings in the coming years. This project meant changing some integral patterns and processes for many roles across diverse divisions. We are extremely pleased our client is already well ahead of its financial savings goals in the first year!
When someone asked about the keys to the training program’s success, I was reminded of my great anniversary meal. Certainly, we believe in the importance of each part of the program, but choosing the right combination of elements to meet learners’ needs is what made it a winner.
When supporting organizational change, it is critical to recognize what each learning component can accomplish and what each can’t. Given the content, it would have been naïve to believe a series of online courses alone would result in widespread behavior change. At the same time, an all-classroom solution was logistically and financially out of the question. Success depended on a well-thought-out approach to the needs of both the individuals involved and the organization.
At Gillespie, we use Action Mapping as our go-to method for rapidly determining what individual and team performance will look like once we complete a program. For our client, this method enabled us to formulate an overall curriculum blueprint for their needed performance. We utilized a combination of:
E-learning overviews to introduce each part of the process and act as prerequisites to various classroom offerings.
Targeted classroom sessions for critical process steps, including significant practice time for participants.
Training local Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to support the effort in the field.
Training coaches to ensure learning continued after the training.
Multiple job aids to assist with performance in real time.
None of these items are groundbreaking on their own. And all of them are available to both large and small companies alike. The important issue is to concentrate on what performance you want and what are the best ways for you to get there. Carefully consider:
What preparation will benefit the learner ahead of implementing any formal program.
What are the best methods for enhancing learning comprehension and retention.
How you will support learners after the event.
How you will know if the program is successful.
If you can answer those questions, then you can develop a successful program, even with a very modest budget. After all, you don’t need a fancy restaurant to enjoy a great dinner—wonderful and creative meals are prepared in home kitchens every day.