My team works with many different training and enablement tools and collect information and data from several of those tools. One of our data collections can have anywhere from 100 to 300 numeric data points. We know Kirkpatrick allows us to categorize data outcomes, but we still need a plan. If there is no plan, the data can be overwhelming, so it is important to develop a plan for analyzing the data, so you can clearly articulate the data the story tells.
For example, let’s say there is a data point that tells the number of times a page in your internal-facing KMS was accessed. If:
– KMS Topic A article is accessed 31 times within the last month,
– KMS Topic B article is accessed 22 times within the last month,
– KMS Topic C article is accessed 150 times within the last month,
what are some possible stories from this data? This story is at the heart of evaluation. In this scenario, here are some things to consider:
– Do you have a baseline, or standard, for page views? 150 may not be out of the norm according to other data points (e.g., anticipated popularity of C’s topic).
– Is there any supplemental content to go with the KMS content (videos, etc.)? This could tell us to examine that supplemental content.
– Has the info/topic that KMS Topic C refers to been modified in the last month? Could this be the cause of the surge?
Our plan forward is determined by the story that is derived from the data. For example, do we need to modify or add supplemental content? Do we need to ensure Topic C is accurate? Or, maybe we do nothing? Not only this, but often training value is also derived from this story. When communicating the leadership (potentially requesting additional resources, expanded budget, etc.), both the numbers and the story and conclusions they imply are very important to communicate.
Level 1/Level 4 Example
“Our instructional designer has been able to achieve 96% CSAT for our 2 ID-designed external ILT workshops. An additional ID will allow us to support an additional 2 workshops, resulting in increased revenue and continued high client satisfaction, leading to client engagement.”
This shows that the workshops are not only valued by the clients, but they also drive revenue. This makes a strong case to provide more support for this workshop program.