Success Case Evaluation Method®
ROI made simple, credible and effective
Hosted by:
Dr. Robert Brinkerhoff
Tim Mooney – Advantage Performance Group
October 2006
Advantage Performance Group
Advantage Performance Group is the world’s
largest and fastest growing performance consulting
and training solutions network
Sales and
Service
Supremacy
Leadership
and Teams
Performance
Management
Business
Literacy
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
2
Alliance Partner:
Dr. Robert Brinkerhoff
 Professor Emeritus at Western Michigan
University
 Author of Telling Training’s Story, High
Impact Learning and Success Case
Method
 Frequent speaker at national conferences
 Clients include: Motorola, QUALCOMM,
American Express, Cisco, and many others
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Purpose
 Share thoughts and concerns about current
evaluation strategies
 Provide guidelines for a new direction
 Begin to prepare you to have a “different type of
discussion” about training with senior
management
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Agenda
 The Criteria for Training Evaluation
 The “Two Realities” of Training Evaluation
 A Fresh Approach to Training Evaluation
 Next Steps
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Poll 1: Challenges to Training Evaluation?
What is the biggest challenge you face in
conducting training evaluation?
A. Most scientifically rigorous methods are too
complicated and time consuming
B. Most training evaluation results aren’t credible to
senior management
C. Most methods don’t capture the true impact of the
training—i.e., show the validity
D. Most evaluation methods don’t shed light on how to
improve the business impact of the training
E. Level 3 & 4 studies are nearly impossible in the real
world
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Our Criteria for Training Evaluation
 Credible
 Simple
 Valid
 Actionable
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Coping with the Realities of Training
There are “Two Realities” of training that
evaluation must recognize and leverage
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Coping with the Realities of Training
Reality #1 . . . Exercise
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Reality #1
Reality #1: Training gets predictable results
Lessons
 Avoid the Tyranny of the Mean
 Calculate “Unrealized Value”
 Aim to “grow” impact
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Learning to Performance Process
Create Focus
& Build
Intentionality
Provide Quality
Learning
Interventions
Support
Performance
Improvement
Greatest Opportunities for
– Improvement
– Leverage
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
RESULTS
Reality #2
Reality #2: Training alone never fully explains
success or failure to get results
Lessons
 Don’t try to single out the sole effects of the
training
 Identify the performance system factors and
manager behaviors that make the difference
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
The “Two Realities” of Training
Reality #1: Training gets predictable results
Reality #2: Training alone never fully explains
success or failure to get results
So where do we go from here?
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
A Fresh Approach to Evaluation
 Don’t try to single out the sole effects of the
training
 Goal: Give credit to the partnership, not
“training”
 Seek out the performance system factors that
make the difference
 Pinpoint the key “make or break” manager
behaviors
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Traditional Training Evaluation Strategy
Producing effective learning outcomes
Area of Investigation:
Learning event or activities
Estimate ROI
Feedback on Training Content
Training Function
Managers
Senior Leaders
Actions to Change Training Event or
Demonstrate Value of the Training
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Evaluation Strategy
Investigation Focus: The Entire Learning-to-Performance Process
Creating clear and
valid intentionality
Producing
effective learning
outcomes
Supporting sustained
performance
improvement
Feedback on Results: Measure Business Impact
What’s Working/What’s Not & Why
Training Function
Managers
Systems (e.g., HR) Owners
Senior Leaders
Actions to Change Conditions & Improve Processes
Enhanced Organizational Capability to Leverage Business
Results from Learning Investments
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Success Case Process
Credible and
documented
“stories” of
success
Identify
most and
least
successful
trainees
Conduct
in-depth
interviews
with
selected
samples
 “Prove” that training
works!
 Applaud the success of
the partnership!
 Trumpet the successes!
Knowledge
of factors
that drive
impact
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MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
Tell the Story!
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
 Educate managers about
their role in impact!
 “Improve” learning
application processes!
Some Recent Successes
 Pitney Bowes
– Implemented major sales strategy
– Measured business impact & application of training
– Achieved 40% increase in this high priority sales
area
– As a result of study, Sales VP changed process for
how training was implemented
– Success led to mandatory manager preparation of
trainees
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Resources
 New book! Telling Training’s Story by Robert O.
Brinkerhoff (Berrett Koehler, 2006)
 “Using Evaluation to Build Organizational Performance
and Learning Capability: A Strategy and a Method.”
R. Brinkerhoff and D. Dressler, Performance Improvement –
International Society for Performance Improvement, July 2002.
 For more info: contact Tim Mooney —
(630) 469-6080 or tmooney@AdvantagePerformance.com
 Visit our website: www.AdvantagePerformance.com
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
Looking for some help?
 To share message . . . In-house presentation for your
team
 To try out approach . . . Conduct Proof of Concept
study on a strategic training initiative in your organization
 To learn more . . . Attend a 1-day Professional
Development session on evaluation & SCM in January
 To build skills . . . Get your staff certified in Success
Case Evaluation Method®
 Contact Tim Mooney: 630-469-6080 or
tmooney@advantageperformance.com
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group
THANKS!!
tmooney@advantageperformance.com
630-469-6080
www.advantageperformance.com
MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR TRAINING | October 2006
© 2005 Advantage Performance Group