In our final course we discuss the sweet (or not so sweet) results of Kirkpatrick’s Level 4 of Evaluation. Recap the previous post on Level 3: Behavior if you want to comprehend how this level builds from the last one.
Level 4: Dessert (Results)
When we reach this level of evaluation we are looking at some form of return on our investment. This process stems from having training or learning goals that align to larger company outcomes. These could be performance outcomes or sales numbers or even efficiency and proficiency numbers. We essentially want to know if the training impacted job performance in a positive way.
We can measure this through pre-established goals and success markers that the company uses for reporting. For example, annual reviews. Concerted effort needs to be made to link training to performance goals of the company otherwise attribution is difficult. In addition, external factors should also be considered when examining performance measurements. Perhaps the economy was largely to blame for poor sales not the capabilities of the sales person or the training that developed their sales skills.
By far this is the largest, most tedious level of evaluation. However, there could be a delicious reward to those that dig this deep into their trainings impact on their learners (employees). This level of detail can yield clear pictures of what and where the training program needs to go to keep the performance stellar!
This concludes our four part series on Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation we hope it satisfied your appetite!
