A Model for Assessing the Effectiveness of Training Program - Assignment Example

Personal Evaluation Some time it appears evaluating a program takes more effort than designing it. Though we plan and implement a specific program itneeds evaluation for achieving the goals of the program. The real success of the program lies in evaluation rather then merely implementing a designed program. Evaluating is not focused on finding the faults of the event rather it's a positive approach for the programs improvement. This evaluation on the training program on leadership contains evaluation based on personal views, few proposed methods and on the views provided by few of my colleagues. In the personal evaluation session of the designed training program I have made efforts to assess its effectiveness as well as for the improvement of the design by taking inputs from my colleagues from the university. I have summed up some of the important aspects pointed out by them. The success of the training program is decided always by the impact it has produced in the participants. Having designed a training program for a specific need, its effectiveness can be measured or the quality of the program can be evaluated by various methods. The training program was an interactive session, involving the participants. In the exercise to the participants, it includes few exercises for addressing a specific leadership trait; the participant can recollect and definitely would have resulted in simultaneous change in their attitude. Designing a program with live examples from day to day affairs will always help in highlighting a problem. However providing a model for this assignment would be more helpful to the target audience. Donald Kirkpatrick (1994) has devised a model for assessing the effectiveness of training program. The model developed by him evaluates the program at four successive levels. Though the model takes time to critically analyze its effectiveness, it gives a precise measure of the overall program effectiveness. According to his methods we can adopt to evaluate the session up to two levels. First step addresses or finds out their reaction or response towards the training program, the second step assesses the learners advancement in skills, knowledge and attitude. This requires a prior assignment to know their level of skills, awareness, and knowledge on these mentioned aspects before training and measuring these aspects at the end of the training. The program should have included criteria to find the previous knowledge, skill and attitudinal status. These assignments may involve laborious work to the trainer and the team involved in program execution but will definitely lead to adequate change in their attitudinal skills and knowledge. Some of the aspects that were not covered are not providing complete modules for the participants. They would have taken few important tips and principles related to the leadership. Giving them a comprehensive training program on a specific aspect would be still more helpful. The best designed training program will always have its impact. Putting a lot of thought process in the training design will solve these issues. Organization has to measure the effectiveness of the training program and improve the same for better performance. As indicated in the training program the attitudes and the necessary skill cannot be brought forth overnight, since it is a continuous process the organization has to take necessary steps in achieving the goals of the training. These kinds of training programs are definitely a good start for an organization which is focused on process improvement. But it should be a continual process in an organization. The program effectiveness can be evaluated in this present case by a simple questionnaire method. The questionnaire will include various levels; the first level will assess their response to training. The next level will assess the change in their attitude and behavior level. The participants have to take time to fill their responses at tow levels. In the second level they have to write their learning aspects from the training program and also will include few questions on how best the program can be customized to the participants needs. Equating the training output with the performance of the individual will definitely improve the training program as well as the organization. To find out whether the program has reached the target audience few principles have to be adopted. It can be reviewed by identifying whether it has achieved the training needs, reminders to the learners, commitment from the population which will be implemented in their work. The initial session on sharing about the leaders whom they have come across in their life was an thought provoking activity but people who are not aware of the specifics of leadership will not be able to highlight the leadership aspects. This could be supported by providing a model. The model will be something like a few slides or posters about a familiar leader or a successful CEO and highlighting his key skill and efforts in his personal success. This will bring about an idea for the participants to relate to the event and share their views still more vividly. The session was helpful at the superficial level, but in needs in depth planning to make it attractive and some of them expressed that the target population should be more specific. In training program the target audience reach is an important parameter. Designing the program should be still more appropriate for a specific target audience. Since the need for training program differs at different levels of the employees, it will be reasonable to improve this by upgrading to a specific target audience. Since the problem relevant for the training is already identified, providing a still more deeper or detailed program will help in bringing about change in their knowledge and the attitudinal skills. Hence the further refinement in this existing program is to make a particular aspect of training (ex. Leadership traits, decision making, problem solving) and preparation an elaborate model. Any programs implementation lies in the main aim and objectives of the designed program. A few have commented that the aim of the program was not that focused. It will be more appropriate to specify the aim of the program in a better way in the successive programs. Since the whole agenda rests on the aims and objectives of a particular program, deciding on an appropriate aim would be helpful in structuring the training program. Even though the program on leadership highlighted few aspects about specific traits of an able leader, it was not in detail. For a target population they would expect a complete picture of various attributes and as well as they should carry the message while leaving the training session. A few suggestion in improving the training is by making a commitment from the participants which includes their decision. A plan for sequential follow up and how they can implement a particular lesson learnt from the session in their work place. The program will be evaluated based on the decisions taken by the participants and their improvement or implementation of the decision has to be monitored. The session will a complete model if it would have included a parameter of decision making pertaining to their work. The trainer should make a protocol for monitoring the decisions made in their line of work and as well as implementation and its effectiveness chart to measure their improvement. With reference to the program schedule few session were theoretical, it would be more relevant to have at least one session on personal sharing exhibiting a role model in the current industry and his reason for success pertaining to the leadership skill and his achievements due to it. Since the trainer requirement was a person with this experience, he would have shared his experience in company set up where he has improved the quality of process, staffs and the overall performance of the company. This kind of practical sharing helps the participants to take the message to their hearts easily and will be able to recollect the same in a real time environment. A few have commented on the methods of evaluation proposed for the training program. Robby Champion (2002) have described how to derive a master plan for making a evaluation, though it is elaborate compared to other methods, it includes comprehensive procedures to evaluate a program. It also contains methodologies for preparing the evaluation reports. This kind of evaluation is helpful when we are likely to expand the same training program or if we are upgrading the designed program. She has provided guidelines on designing the evaluation and preparing a comprehensive evaluation report. Since the designed program is target specific and it is subjected to improve the trainee's performance at work, it is good to go for an evaluation process mentioned above. The matrix method adopted by her will be easier to assess the quality of the program compared to a questionnaire method. The questionnaire method will be time consuming process for the participants and hence they may lose interest or show less interest in terms of responding to the lessons learnt form the program. The matrix method will simplify the evaluation process. References Encyclopedia of Educational Technology, Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation 13/02/2006 Robby Champion 2002, Taking Measure Map out evaluation goals JSD Fall National Staff Development Council Read More