Training Design: Considerations

You're a new trainer, and you just got assigned to design a training program for a topic that you know fairly well. Or you're a supervisor who's been asked to give coaching to some of your direct reports. Or you're a manager who is considering of upgrading the skills of your team. In any case, you have to come up with a course that would address the need for learning.

You will be designing a training course. Do you know what to do? What are the things that you should consider? Let this post be a guide to the most critical factors and additional considerations (if you have the resources).

You could categorize considerations for training design into three groups: Business Concerns, Training Functions, and Support.

Business Concerns

These are the considerations of the organization as a whole and the specific business unit that the learner is a member of (e.g., Accounting Department, Operations Division, etc.). This is the most critical in terms of achieving training that is aligned with business objectives and consistent with organizational values.

• Organizational Goals, Strategy and Culture - Though not exactly directly affecting training methodology, it would affect training design in the values and attitudes that you would like the learners to get. Work is not just a set of tasks and skills, but also making decisions that must be aligned with business goals, strategy and culture.
• Skills and Tasks Required - This should include not just What and How things should be done but also the level of performance (e.g., how much time to perform) and the conditions required to perform the tasks.
• Current Level and Quality of Performance - Level refers to productivity or quantity, while quality refers to closeness of the end product of performance to the standard. Knowing this prevents planning sessions that would just lecture the learner on what they have already learned on the job which might not have been documented with previous training programs.

Training Function

This function refers to the factors that are intrinsic to the training function--existing programs, training styles, prior learning, among others.

• Existing Programs - Before starting and spending on designing a new training program, it makes sense to research what already exist. Besides saving money, it allows you to get ideas what needs not to be restated or what previous learning programs may have been implemented but did not achieve the desired objectives. Lastly, it would allow you to know more about other training programs' techniques and approaches.
• Prior Learning - Besides existing programs, your learners may have learned from other sources. It makes sense that you use less time for topics that your learners already know well and focus on those which they do not know yet. You can also use this to share experience between learners.
• Learning Styles - An often neglected aspect of the learning process is the receiver of the learning itself, which results in poor reception. In a nut shell, familiarity with and acknowledgment of the different dominant learning style of each trainee will allow us to deliver more effectively our training courses. By effective, it means at the end of the training and when the learners get back to work to apply what they have learned, they can apply them and they will apply them.
• Assessment Methodology - Part of the learning process should continuing assessment--Do the learners get the skills and knowledge they need to get? Can they demonstrate it? How? The assessment methodology should be aligned of course with the business objectives and target skills. It should demonstrate ability and willingness to apply the new knowledge they have acquired.
• Trainers - Of course, consider who among the training team (or the company) may best deliver the course, or if you might need a consultant. Remember cost and benefits here.

Support

This refers to the administrative and logistical support for training. Training cannot be successful without support of various functions. Consider the following and coordinate with the responsible departments:

• Budget - If you are designing a new course, you have to consider the budget right from the beginning. You can have the best ideas only to be frustrated by the lack of budget. If you are working on re-designing an existing course, the same consideration exists. Budget would also allow you to consider getting external or internal (line managers or subject-matter experts not from the training team that may have capability to share their expertise) consultants in the training design. Budget will dictate availability of whatever you want to do.
• Human Resources and Operations - The learners are also workers. Time they spend on training is the time they are not working, not earning the company revenue. The available time they can learn should also be considered in working out the length of your course, or maybe even delivery (like using online resources which the learner can access at his or her own free time). Consider also the time of your training sessions if you are in a geographically dispersed company. Lastly, consider the possible support that they can give to the training function, such as coaching and counselling. Training may not be the best solution.
• Information Technology - This includes both audio-visual equipment as well as online resources and learning management systems (LMS). Learners generally can grasp the lessons if they have multiple types of input and experience close to first-hand. If available and appropriate, use them.

This short article should give you significant guide on designing your training course. Next Post: Linking Business Objectives to Learning Outcomes.