Holly MacDonald

If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where you had to develop and implement a training or learning strategy, it helps to consider using a framework, like the one outlined below.

Evaluation & Analysis

First things, first. You need to confirm that you are doing the right things and doing things right.

• Operational Metrics – align to the organizational strategies
• Learner metrics –Define who your learner is create metrics that make sense for you – either at the course, program, or service level. You may not want to do rigorous measurements, but even on select programs it is a good idea.
• Performance analysis – Make sure that this is an ACTUAL training problem! Sadly, many trainers/training departments get caught up in designing fantastic training solutions that make absolutely no difference, as the cause of the performance problem is something completely different.
• Vendor capability/analysis – Small HR teams may need to bring in outside expertise and it is a good idea to plan ahead for this. In-house training is often preferred, but may not always be practical. Create a process for selecting vendors or consultants and be selective. Many of these folks are salespeople, so their job is to convince you to buy their product/service.

Design considerations

21st Century learning provides you with a really big toolbox to deliver learning. This can range from traditional on-the-job training by a co-worker or manager, all the way through to a virtual reality immersive learning platform like SecondLife. Your job is to be the architect and head designer for the learning experience. It isn’t just about the right courses; it is about the philosophy that your strategy delivers on.

• Learning Offerings – what courses/programs/options will you provide for your employees? Do you plan to build things in-house or are you going to outsource?
• Underlying beliefs/guiding principles – what do feel the role of your group/service is?
• Instructional design templates, branding, standards – it is a good idea to apply industry standards around instructional design.
• Learning architecture – how do these all fit together? How will you match your offerings to your learners?

Technology

One of the key elements that will distinguish a 21st Century learning strategy is the role that technology plays. It is a key piece that powers the learning in every way. It is essential that you include your IT department/group in this discussion. Following are aspects to consider:

• Learning platform – how will they access your learning content? How can you integrate learning into business systems that are currently used in your organization? Will they be able to access outside the “firewall”?
• Authoring tools – if you are creating any kind of learning content, you need what the industry likes to call “authoring tools”. These are usually specialty software products for creating learning. However, general business use software, such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint are authoring tools as well!
• Integration for third party solutions – if you have your own Learning Management System, you’ll need to figure out the interoperability of your systems with any off-the-shelf or custom designed program you may wish to purchase.
• Administrative processes/learning governance – technology is most useful when it is well-thought out, including the mundane such as administration. How will you update information? Who is responsible for certain components of the technology?
• End-user support systems – how will you help users navigate the learning technology – you’ll need to include support for the system, which can range from FAQs to a live Help Desk.

Learner Engagement

We all know that you can have wonderful programs that employees just don’t sign up for, for a variety of reasons. How do you engage the learners within your learning framework?

• Implementation plan – for any new program, you need to put on your project manager hat and really spend time mapping out a detailed implementation plan.
• Communication strategy/plan – have you ever heard the saying “people need to hear the same message between three and seven times in a variety of ways before they get the message”? That may not be scientifically accurate, but the truth is that we often under-communicate messages.
• Marketing materials and tools – you may be communicating to the audience, but are you marketing the product/service in a persuasive manner?
• Learner/line-manager support tools – what questions/challenges will people have about accessing the program(s)? Make sure you answer them.
• Advisory council – you may want to consider introducing a cross-functional advisory council to help guide the creation of your programs, but also to provide an existing network of communicators and champions to spread the word.

Creating a 21st century learning strategy will help you spend your limited resources on the right things, for the right people, at the right time.

About the Author:

Holly MacDonald, the “Chief Spark” for Spark + Co, is a learning and performance strategist with over 15 years of demonstrated success in developing learning, talent management, employer brand strategies, coupled with solid project management techniques, to craft workable, scalable, business oriented solutions. Holly specializes in crafting 21st century learning strategies, creating performance support systems and partnering with organizations to develop their talent, as well as writing persuasive business cases which identify return on investment for people strategies.