The Value of Learning: How Organizations Capture Value and ROI and Translate It into Support, Improvement, and Funds
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More About This Title The Value of Learning: How Organizations Capture Value and ROI and Translate It into Support, Improvement, and Funds

English

The Value of Learning is a hands-on guide for the implementation of learning and development programs that can be applied across all types of programs, ranging from leadership development to basic skills training for new employees. In this book, Patti Phillips and Jack J. Phillips offer a proven approach to measurement and evaluation for learning and development that can be replicated throughout an organization, enable comparisons of results from one program to another, and ultimately improve ROI.

English

THE AUTHORS

Patricia Pulliam Phillips is president and CEO of the ROI Institute, Inc., the leading source of ROI competency building, implementation support, networking, and research. An expert in measurement and evaluation, she provides support to organizations around the world that want to prove the value of their programs.

Jack J. Phillips is a world-renowned expert on accountability, measurement, and evaluation. He provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and major global organizations.

English

List of Exhibits, Figures, and Tables xxi

Preface xxvii

Acknowledgments xxxi

Chapter One: Building a Comprehensive Evaluation Process 1

Challenges 2

Global Evaluation Trends  •  Measurement and Evaluation Challenges  •  Benefits of Measurement and Evaluation  •  The Myths of Measurement and Evaluation

Key Steps and Issues 13

Stakeholders  •  Levels and Steps  •  Chain of Impact • ROI Process Model  •  Objectives  •  Evaluation Planning • Data Collection  •  Analysis  •  Isolation of the Effects of Learning and Development  •  Conversion of Data to Monetary Values  •  The Cost of Programs  •  The Return on Investment Calculation  •  Intangible Benefits  •  Data Reporting  •  Operating Standards  •  Implementation Issues

Final Thoughts 31

Chapter Two: Defining Needs and Objectives: Ensuring Business Alignment 32

The Challenge 32

Business Alignment Issues  •  Begin with the End in Mind  •  Required Discipline  •  The Needs Analysis Dilemma

Payoff Needs 36

Key Questions  •  Obvious vs. Not So Obvious  •  The Reasons for New Programs  •  Determining Costs of the Problem  •  The Value of Opportunity  •  To Forecast or Not to Forecast

Business Needs 44

Determining the Opportunity  •  Defining the Business Measure—Hard Data  •  Defining the Business Need— Soft Data  •  Using Tangible vs. Intangible—A Better Approach  •  Finding Sources of Impact Data • Identifying All the Measures  •  Exploring “What If... ?”

Job Performance Needs 53

Analysis Techniques  •  Taking a Sensible Approach

Learning Needs 58

Subject-Matter Experts  •  Job and Task Analysis  •  Observations  •  Demonstrations  •  Tests • Management Assessment

Preference Needs 61

Key Issues  •  Impact Studies

Levels of Objectives for Programs 65

Reaction and Planned Action  •  Learning Objectives  •  Application and Implementation Objectives  •  Business Impact Objectives  •  ROI Objectives  •  The Importance of Specific Objectives

Final Thoughts 73

Chapter Three: Measuring Inputs and Indicators 74

Measuring Input and Indicators 75

Defines the Input  •  Reflects Commitment  •  Facilitates Benchmarking  •  Explains Coverage  •  Highlights Efficiencies  •  Provides Cost Data

Tracking Participants 78

Tracking Hours 80

Tracking Coverage by Jobs and Functional Areas 81

Tracking Topics and Programs 82

Tracking Requests 84

Tracking Delivery 85

Tracking Costs 86

Pressure to Disclose All Costs  •  The Danger of Costs Without Benefits  •  Sources of Costs  •  Learning Program Steps and Costs  •  Prorated Versus Direct Costs  •  Employee Benefits Factor  •  Major Cost Categories  •  Cost Reporting

Tracking Efficiencies 94

Tracking Outsourcing 95

Tracking for the Scorecard 96

Defining Key Issues 97

Input Is Not Results  •  Reports to Executives Should Be Minimized  •  The Data Represent Operational Concerns  •  This Data Must Be Automated

Final Thoughts 98

Chapter Four: Measuring Reaction and Planned Action 100

Why Measure Reaction and Planned Action? 101

Customer Service  •  Early Feedback Is Essential  •  Making Adjustments and Changes  •  Predictive Capability  •  For Some, This Is the Most Important Data  •  Comparing Data with Other Programs  •  Creating a Macro Scorecard

Sources of Data 106

Participants  •  Participants’ Managers  •  Internal Customers  •  Facilitators  •  Sponsors/Senior Managers

Areas of Feedback 107

Content vs. Non-Content  •  The Deceptive Feedback Cycle  •  Key Areas for Feedback

Timing of Data Collection 114

Early, Detailed Feedback  •  Pre-Assessments  •  Collecting at Periodic Intervals  •  For Long Programs with Multiple Parts

Data Collection with Questionnaires and Surveys 115

Questionnaire/Survey Design  •  Intensities  • Questionnaire/Survey Response Rates  •  Sample Surveys

Data Collection with Interviews and Focus Groups 123

Improving Reaction Evaluation 123

Keep Responses Anonymous  •  Have a Neutral Person Collect the Forms  •  Provide a Copy in Advance  •  Explain the Purpose of the Feedback and How It Will Be Used  •  Explore an Ongoing Evaluation  •  Consider Quantifying Course Ratings  •  Collect Information Related to Improvement  •  Allow Ample Time for Completing the Form  •  Delayed Evaluation • Ask for Honest Feedback

Using Data 127

Building the Macro-Level Scorecard

Shortcut Ways to Measure Reaction and Planned Action 129

Final Thoughts 130

Chapter Five: Measuring Learning and Confidence 132

Why Measure Learning and Confidence? 132

The Importance of Intellectual Capital  •  The Learning Organization  •  The Learning Transfer Problem  •  The Compliance Issue  •  The Use and Development of Competencies  •  The Role of Learning in Programs  •  The Chain of Impact  •  Certification  •  Consequences of an Unprepared Workforce

The Challenges and Benefits of Measuring Learning 137

The Challenges  •  The Benefits

Measurement Issues 140

Objectives • Typical Measures  •  Timing • Cognitive Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Data Collecton Methods 144

Questionnaires/Surveys  •  Objective Tests  •  Criterion- Referenced Tests  •  Performance Tests  •  Technology and Task Simulations  •  Case Studies  •  Role Playing/Skill Practice  •  Assessment Center Method  •  Exercises/Activities  •  Informal Assessments

Administrative Issues 157

Reliability and Validity  •  Consistency  •  Monitoring  •  Pilot Testing  •  Readability  •  Scoring  •  Reporting  •  Confronting Test Failures

Using Learning Data 161

Final Thoughts 162

Chapter Six: Measuring Application and Implementation 163

Why Measure Application and Implementation? 163

The Value of Information  •  A Key Transition Time • The Key Focus of Many Programs  •  The Chain of Impact  •  Barriers and Enablers  •  Reward Those Who Are Most Effective

Challenges of Measuring Application and Implementation 166

Linking Application with Learning  •  Designing Data Collection into Programs  •  Applying Serious Effort to Level 3 Evaluation  •  Including Level 3 in the Needs Assessment  •  Developing ROI with Application Data

Key Issues 168

Methods  •  Objectives  •  Topics to Explore  •  Sources  •  Timing  •  Responsibilities

The Use of Questionnaires 172

Progress with Objectives  •  Relevance/Importance of the Program  •  Knowledge/Skill Use  •  Changes with Work/Action Items  •  Improvements/Accomplishments  •  Define the Measure  •  Provide the Change  •  Monetary Value  •  Total Impact  •  List of Other Factors • Improvements Linked with the Program  •  Perceived Value  •  Links with Output Measures  •  Success of the Program Team  •  Barriers and Enablers  •  Management Support  •  Appropriateness of Program and Suggestions for Improvement  •  Checklist  •  Improving Response Rates

Data Collection with Interviews 189

Types of Interviews  •  Interview Guidelines

Data Collection with Focus Groups 191

Applications for Focus Group Evaluation  •  Guidelines

On-the-Job Observation 193

Guidelines for Effective Observation

The Use of Action Plans and Follow-Up Assignments 196

Developing the Action Plan  •  Successful Use of Action Plans  •  Action Plan Advantages and Disadvantage

The Use of Performance Contracts 203

Transfer of Learning 204

Developing ROI for Level 3 206

Data Use 209

Final Thoughts 211

Chapter Seven: Measuring and Isolating the Impact of Programs 212

Why Measure Business Impact? 213

Higher-Level Data  •  Breaking the Chain of Impact  •  A Business Driver for Many Programs  •  Show Me the Money Data  •  Easy to Measure  •  Common Data Types

Types of Impact Measures 215

Hard Versus Soft Data  •  Tangible Versus Intangible  •  Scorecards  •  Specific Measures Linked to Programs

Business Performance Monitoring 219

Identify Appropriate Measures  •  Convert Current Measures to Usable Ones  •  Developing New Measures

The Use of Action Plans to Develop Business Impact Data 221

Set Goals and Targets  •  Define the Unit of Measure  •  Place a Monetary Value on Each Improvement  •  Implement the Action Plan  •  Provide Specific Improvements  •  Isolate the Effects of the Program  •  Provide a Confidence Level for Estimates  •  Collect Action Plans at Specified Time Intervals  •  Summarize the Data and Calculate the ROI  •  Advantages of Action Plans

Use of Performance Contracts to Measure Business Impact 227

The Use of Questionnaires to Collect Business Impact Data 228

When You Don’t Have a Clue  •  When the Measure Is a Defined Set  •  When the Measure Is Known  •  Response Rates

Selecting the Appropriate Data Collection Method for Each Level 235

Isolating the Effects of the Program 237

Identifying Other Factors: A First Step  •  Using Control Groups  •  Using Trend-Line Analysis  •  Forecasting  •  Using Estimates  •  Calculating the Impact of Other Factors

Use of the Techniques 255

Final Thoughts 255

Chapter Eight: Identifying Benefits and Costs, and Calculating ROI 257

Why Calculate Monetary Benefits? 258

Value Equals Money  •  Impact Is More Understandable  •  Money Is Necessary for ROI  •  Monetary Value Is Needed to Understand Problems  •  Key Steps to Convert Data to Money

Standard Monetary Values 262

Converting Output Data to Money  •  Calculating the Cost of Quality  •  Converting Employee Time Using Compensation  •  Finding Standard Values

Data Conversion When Standard Values Are Not Available 271

Using Historical Costs from Records  •  Using Input from Experts to Convert Soft Data  •  Using Values from External Databases  •  Linking with Other Measures  •  Using Estimates from Participants  •  Using Estimates from the Management Team  •  Using Staff Estimates

Technique Selection and Finalizing the Values 282

Use the Technique Appropriate for the Type of Data  •  Move from Most Accurate to Least Accurate  •  Consider the Resources  •  When Estimates Are Sought, Use the Source with the Broadest Perspective on the Issue  •  Use Multiple Techniques When Feasible  •  Apply the Credibility Test  •  Review the Client’s Needs  •  Is This Another Project?  •  Consider a Potential Management Adjustment  •  Consider the Short-Term/Long-Term Issue • Consider an Adjustment for the Time Value of Money

Why Monitor Costs? 288

Why Measure ROI? 289

Fundamental Cost Issues 290

Monitor Costs, Even If They Are Not Needed  •  Cost Will Not Be Precise  •  Disclose All Costs  •  Fully Loaded Costs  •  Reporting Costs Without Benefits

Cost-Tracking Issues 293

Prorated Versus Direct Costs  •  Employee Benefits Factor

Major Cost Categories 294

Initial Analysis and Assessment  •  Development of Solutions  •  Acquisition Costs  •  Application and Implementation Costs  •  Maintenance and Monitoring  •  Support and Overhead  •  Evaluation and Reporting

Cost Accumulation and Estimation 296

Basic ROI Issues 296

Definition  •  Annualized Values: A Fundamental Concept

BCR/ROI Calculations 297

Benefit/Cost Ratio  •  ROI Formula  •  ROI Targets  •  ROI Is Not for Every Program

Other ROI Measures 303

Payback Period  •  Discounted Cash Flow

Final Thoughts 304

Chapter Nine: Measuring the Hard to Measure and the Hard to Value: Intangible Benefits 307

Why Intangibles Are Important 308

Intangibles Are the Invisible Advantage  •  We Are Entering the Intangible Economy  •  More Intangibles Are Converted to Tangibles  •  Intangibles Drive Programs

Measurement and Analysis of Intangibles 310

Measuring the Intangibles  •  Converting to Money • Identifying Intangibles  •  Analyzing Intangibles

Customer Service 316

Team Effectiveness 319

Cooperation/Conflict  •  Decisiveness/Decision Making • Communication

Innovation and Creativity 320

Innovation  •  Creativity

Employee Attitudes 324

Employee Satisfaction  •  Organizational Commitment  •  Employee Engagement

Employee Capability 326

Experience  •  Knowledge  •  Learning  •  Competencies • Educational Level  •  Attention

Leadership 333

360-Degree Feedback  •  Leadership Inventories • Leadership Perception

Job Creation and Acquisition 335

Productivity Versus Job Growth  •  Importance of Job Creation and Growth  •  Recruitment Sourcing and Effectiveness •  Recruitment Efficiency

Stress 339

Networking 343

Final Thoughts 345

Chapter Ten: Reporting Results 348

Why the Concern About Communicating Results? 348

Communication Is Necessary to Make Improvements  •  Communication Is Necessary to Explain Contributions  •  Communication Is a Politically Sensitive Issue  •  Different Audiences Need Different Information

Principles of Communicating Results 350

Communication Must Be Timely  •  Communication Should Be Targeted to Specific Audiences  •  Media Should Be Carefully Selected  •  Communication Should Be Unbiased and Modest  •  Communication Must Be Consistent  •  Testimonials Are More Effective Coming from Respected Individuals  •  The Audience’s Opinion of the Program Will Influence the Communication Strategy

The Process for Communicating Results 352

The Need for Communication 354

Planning the Communications 355

The Audience for Communications 356

Basis for Selecting the Audience

Information Development: The Impact Study 359

Communication Media Selection 361

Meetings  •  Interim and Progress Reports  •  Routine Communication Tools  •  E-Mail and Electronic Media  • Program Brochures and Pamphlets  •  Case Studies

Presenting Information 364

Routine Feedback on Program Progress  •  The Presentation of Results to Senior Management  •  Streamlining the Communication  •  Building Scorecards

Reactions to Communication 372

Using Evaluation Data 372

Final Thoughts 373

Chapter Eleven: Implementing and Sustaining a Comprehensive Evaluation System 375

Why the Concern About Implementing and Sustaining Evaluation? 375

Resistance Is Always Present  •  Implementation Is Key  •  Consistency Is Needed  •  Efficiency Is Necessary

Implementing the Process: Overcoming Resistance 377

Assessing the Climate 378

Developing Roles and Responsibilities 379

Identifying a Champion  •  Developing the Evaluation Leader  •  Establishing a Task Force  •  Assigning Responsibilities

Establishing Goals and Plans 382

Setting Evaluation Targets  •  Developing a Timetable for Implementation

Revising or Developing Policies and Guidelines 383

Preparing the L&D Team 384

Involving the L&D Team  •  Using Measurement and Evaluation as a Learning Tool  •  Teaching the L&D Team

Initiating Evaluation Studies 385

Selecting the Initial Program  •  Developing the Planning Documents  •  Reporting Progress  •  Establishing Discussion Groups

Preparing the Sponsors and Management Team 387

Removing Obstacles 388

Dispelling Myths  •  Delivering Bad News

Monitoring Progress 390

Final Thoughts 390

Appendix: How Results-Based Are Your Workplace 391 Learning and Performance Programs?0020An Assessment for the L&D Staff 391

Glossary 403

Index 407

About the Authors 423

English

"The authors are renowned for their work as advocates of the ROI concept in training." (T + D, Dec 2007) "Clearly the Phillips are the established experts, and in this book offer tested, step-by-step ways to succeed and gain the necessary organizational support for learning. Just to underscore the importance that a number of us at Capella University place in the Phillips’ work, we are proud to use their methods and tools in our courses to allow our learners to obtain ROI certification as part of our masters and doctoral programs in Training and Performance Improvement. I recommend this book to anyone interested in proving the value of learning."
Michael J. Offerman, president, Capella University

"Understanding the value of learning is critical for all business professionals. This book provides specific tools and techniques for evaluating learning effectiveness. A must read for anyone interested in the value of learning."
Tamar Elkeles, Ph.D., vice president, Learning and Development,
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