Evaluating training - Measure output
Evaluating training
Evaluating training is an important step to confirm that the training you selected is achieving your intended outcomes and has been a worthwhile investment for your participants, your workers and your organisation.
The easiest information to collect relates to training outputs. Outputs are activity-based and describe ‘what’ training was provided. For example, the number of people who enrolled in the training compared to the number who successfully completed it. Outcomes focus on ‘why’ training was provided, measured in terms of value and impact on performance. Outcomes are the most important measures, but they are also more difficult to measure.
Measuring outputs
Output measures are about the training program and can provide useful information to assess whether the type of training you chose was well suited to the learning preferences of workers and whether it is likely to be seen as useful by other workers. Training providers routinely measure outputs such as enrolment numbers, assessment results (where assessment is conducted as part of the training) and learner satisfaction. Organisations should check with the training provider about the information they will provide on training outputs and consider whether to collect additional output data to inform their training choices.
Some information you may want to review is listed below. If the training provider does not collect and provide you with this information, you could adapt these questions and discuss them with workers who participated.
Content:
Format
Trainer expertise (for facilitated presentations)
Application