Week 4 Discussion

1

8

OVERVIEW

Training design is the process of creating a blueprint for the development of training to deal with performance gaps caused by KSA deficiencies. The difference between design and development of training is that in design phases you determine what needs to be developed in terms of a successful training program and in the development phase you actually go about gathering, creating, and putting the materials together. An effective design will help to ensure the methods, tools, and approaches you decide to use will maximize trainee interest in the training, and motivate trainees to learn the KSAs required. The focus of a successful design is not just learning the KSAs, but, more importantly, getting trainees to want to use the KSAs and thus improve job performance. Research has shown that a good training design aids in the transfer of training.1 To accomplish this, the design must motivate the trainee to learn the KSAs by demonstrating that the learning has value to the trainee and, that the learning required is achievable. At the same time, the designer must also keep in mind the ever-changing trends, conditions, and pace of the organization that place constraints on what can and should be done.

In the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) model of the training process (see inside cover) the design phase comes after the training needs analysis (TNA). The in-depth model of the design phase at the start of this chapter guides our discussion of training design. The results of the TNA, along with learning theories and organizational constraints, are the inputs to the design phase. Learning theories were discussed in Chapter 3. Constraints will influence what type of training will be most effective. The training needs that have been identified are the most important factor used to determine the learning objectives. However, the organizational constraints will also have some influence as we discuss in the next section. The factors that facilitate learning and transfer as well as the methods of instruction that will be utilized are primarily influenced by the learning objectives (discussed later in the chapter), along with learning theory and again, organizational constraints. The two outputs from this phase of the ADDIE model become the inputs to the development phase in Chapter 8. In addition, the learning objectives lead to another output, evaluation criteria. These criteria are the input for the evaluation phase in Chapter 9

In summary, the design phase creates the guidelines that need to be followed in “development” when creating the content, delivery process, and materials to be used for the training. It also defines the criteria that will be used to evaluate the training. It is probably useful here to differentiate among the design, development, and implementation phases of the training process. The design process provides the instructional methods and guidelines for how to best facilitate learning and transfer by integrating what we know about how people learn (learning theory) with what they need to learn (training objectives). These guidelines are the input to the development phase (see inside cover). In the development phase, the guidelines are converted into a detailed plan. All aspects of the training are created, acquired, or otherwise put into a form ready to be used. In the implementation phase, the agenda, all the materials (PowerPoint, handouts, lecture notes, etc.) and processes that were developed are carried out.

A WORD ABOUT WORLDWIDE TECHNOLOGIES

In Chapter 4, we took Worldwide Technologies through the process of identifying their training and non-training needs. At the end of this chapter we will continue the Worldwide Technologies case, moving them through the design phase. In the case you will see how they developed their training objectives, with a focus on the learning objectives. With all the objectives we highlight the behaviors, standards, and conditions that will signal whether training is or is not successful. Moving further into the design phase, elaboration theory (ET) and the Gagné–Briggs nine-step model are used to generate overall guidelines for the training. The case also shows how evaluation criteria are developed from the training objectives. From this phase of the case we provide you with a number of takeaways, such as

A number of actual learning objectives

A reaction objective.

A transfer of training objective

An organizational results objective

In Chapter 8, we will continue to develop the training for Worldwide Technologies, and provide additional takeaways.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS

In a perfect world, it would be possible to develop the perfect training program for every training need identified. Reality prevails, however, and you must consider the constraints when designing the training. Imagine that a number of line workers have been promoted to supervisors. They have no training in supervisory skills. The needs analysis indicates a number of KSAs are needed. Objectives for the training would be developed on the basis of specific KSAs that were shown to be deficient. These objectives would identify what the training is to achieve in terms of KSA improvement. But, before developing the objectives, the organizational constraints need to be considered. Let’s say the ideal training for these new supervisors requires a minimum of 10 days of training. However, production schedules will only allow supervisors off the job for three days. This becomes a considerable constraint you will need to deal with. So, you think you can put much of the training online as a way around this constraint. But you find that the supervisors are not technologically literate. Oops, that will further constrain the type of training you are able to offer. The point is that there are any number of possible roadblocks that can block the path to “ideal” training. These constraints will provide upper limits on what you are able to provide in the way of training and the level of learning that can be expected. Organizational constraints are often identified in the needs analysis, provided by upper management, or surface in other ways. Regardless, they will need to be identified in order to develop realistic objectives. Some of the more important constraints are:

The amount of time that can be allotted for the training

The number of trainees that can be trained at the same time (e.g., impact on production)

Scheduling of the training (regular hours or overtime)

Voluntary or mandatory training

The location of the training (centralized or dispersed)

Identification of a sufficient number of qualified personnel to be involved

Financial, physical, and technology resources available.

Table 5.1 provides a list of some constraints and various ways to approach training design on the basis of these constraints. This list is not exhaustive and serves only as an example of the ways in which organizational constraints affect the methods and approaches used to meet the training needs. We discuss three major categories of constraints: organizational priorities, training cost (budgeting), and trainee population. Each affects the type of training that can be offered. rate overall guidelines for the training. The case also shows how evaluation criteria are developed from the training objectives.

Discussion Board 4

You've been working closely with employees and senior leadership at SLUHE and have completed your Training Needs Assessment to better understand how to design the training for the new inventory system.  

Click the link below for a short summary of the TNA.

TNA notes for Inventory System Training

You'll need to work closely with Opie, the VP of Operations to set objectives and design training for all impacted employees.  Opie seems excited.  He tells you, "This has to be a joint effort.  I'm happy to lend my product and system knowledge, and you bring the training knowledge.  Let's meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss what we need to prioritize to get started on this!"

Based on the material covered in this module and Chapter 5 of our textbook,

What do employees need to learn in this training?  How will the Operations department need to contribute to the design of the training? How will the Talent Development team need to contribute?  Will there be a need for any external training resources, and if so, what?

· Propose TWO specific and measurable learning objectives for the training.

·

· Discuss your most important priorities for planning and designing the training

·

PLEASE CITE TEXTBOOK REFERENCE:

Blanchard, P. N., Thacker, J. W., & Cosby, D. (2023). Effective Training (7th ed). SAGE Publications, Inc.  https://reader2.yuzu.com/books/9781071927823 1

CITE REFERENCES TO USE: CHOOSE ANY 2

1. Diamantidis, A., and P. Chatzoglou. “Employee Post Training Behavior and Performance.” International Journal of Training and Development 18 (2014): 149–70.

2. “2017 State of the Industry.” Association for Talent Development (2017): 30–31.

3. Marquardt, M., et al. “International Briefing 6: Training and Development in the United States.” International Journal of Training and Development 4 (2000): 138–49.

4. Mager, R. Preparing Instructional Objectives. Belmont: Pitman Learning, 1975.

5. Langdon, D. “Objectives? Get Over Them.” Training and Development (February 1999): 54–58; Stoneall, L. “The Case for More Flexible Objectives.” Training and Development (August 1992): 67–69.

1

8

OVERVIEW

Training design is the process of creating a blueprint for the development of training to deal with performance gaps caused by KSA deficiencies. The difference between design and development of training is that in design phases you determine what needs to be developed in terms of a successful training program and in the development phase you actually go about gathering, creating, and putting the materials together. An effective design will help to ensure the methods, tools, and approaches you decide to use will maximize trainee interest in the training, and motivate trainees to learn the KSAs required. The focus of a successful design is not just learning the KSAs, but, more importantly, getting trainees to want to use the KSAs and thus improve job performance. Research has shown that a good training design aids in the transfer of training.1 To accomplish this, the design must motivate the trainee to learn the KSAs by demonstrating that the learning has value to the trainee and, that the learning required is achievable. At the same time, the designer must also keep in mind the ever-changing trends, conditions, and pace of the organization that place constraints on what can and should be done.

In the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) model of the training process (see inside cover) the design phase comes after the training needs analysis (TNA). The in-depth model of the design phase at the start of this chapter guides our discussion of training design. The results of the TNA, along with learning theories and organizational constraints, are the inputs to the design phase. Learning theories were discussed in Chapter 3. Constraints will influence what type of training will be most effective. The training needs that have been identified are the most important factor used to determine the learning objectives. However, the organizational constraints will also have some influence as we discuss in the next section. The factors that facilitate learning and transfer as well as the methods of instruction that will be utilized are primarily influenced by the learning objectives (discussed later in the chapter), along with learning theory and again, organizational constraints. The two outputs from this phase of the ADDIE model become the inputs to the development phase in Chapter 8. In addition, the learning objectives lead to another output, evaluation criteria. These criteria are the input for the evaluation phase in Chapter 9

In summary, the design phase creates the guidelines that need to be followed in “development” when creating the content, delivery process, and materials to be used for the training. It also defines the criteria that will be used to evaluate the training. It is probably useful here to differentiate among the design, development, and implementation phases of the training process. The design process provides the instructional methods and guidelines for how to best facilitate learning and transfer by integrating what we know about how people learn (learning theory) with what they need to learn (training objectives). These guidelines are the input to the development phase (see inside cover). In the development phase, the guidelines are converted into a detailed plan. All aspects of the training are created, acquired, or otherwise put into a form ready to be used. In the implementation phase, the agenda, all the materials (PowerPoint, handouts, lecture notes, etc.) and processes that were developed are carried out.

A WORD ABOUT WORLDWIDE TECHNOLOGIES

In Chapter 4, we took Worldwide Technologies through the process of identifying their training and non-training needs. At the end of this chapter we will continue the Worldwide Technologies case, moving them through the design phase. In the case you will see how they developed their training objectives, with a focus on the learning objectives. With all the objectives we highlight the behaviors, standards, and conditions that will signal whether training is or is not successful. Moving further into the design phase, elaboration theory (ET) and the Gagné–Briggs nine-step model are used to generate overall guidelines for the training. The case also shows how evaluation criteria are developed from the training objectives. From this phase of the case we provide you with a number of takeaways, such as

A number of actual learning objectives

A reaction objective.

A transfer of training objective

An organizational results objective

In Chapter 8, we will continue to develop the training for Worldwide Technologies, and provide additional takeaways.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS

In a perfect world, it would be possible to develop the perfect training program for every training need identified. Reality prevails, however, and you must consider the constraints when designing the training. Imagine that a number of line workers have been promoted to supervisors. They have no training in supervisory skills. The needs analysis indicates a number of KSAs are needed. Objectives for the training would be developed on the basis of specific KSAs that were shown to be deficient. These objectives would identify what the training is to achieve in terms of KSA improvement. But, before developing the objectives, the organizational constraints need to be considered. Let’s say the ideal training for these new supervisors requires a minimum of 10 days of training. However, production schedules will only allow supervisors off the job for three days. This becomes a considerable constraint you will need to deal with. So, you think you can put much of the training online as a way around this constraint. But you find that the supervisors are not technologically literate. Oops, that will further constrain the type of training you are able to offer. The point is that there are any number of possible roadblocks that can block the path to “ideal” training. These constraints will provide upper limits on what you are able to provide in the way of training and the level of learning that can be expected. Organizational constraints are often identified in the needs analysis, provided by upper management, or surface in other ways. Regardless, they will need to be identified in order to develop realistic objectives. Some of the more important constraints are:

The amount of time that can be allotted for the training

The number of trainees that can be trained at the same time (e.g., impact on production)

Scheduling of the training (regular hours or overtime)

Voluntary or mandatory training

The location of the training (centralized or dispersed)

Identification of a sufficient number of qualified personnel to be involved

Financial, physical, and technology resources available.

Table 5.1 provides a list of some constraints and various ways to approach training design on the basis of these constraints. This list is not exhaustive and serves only as an example of the ways in which organizational constraints affect the methods and approaches used to meet the training needs. We discuss three major categories of constraints: organizational priorities, training cost (budgeting), and trainee population. Each affects the type of training that can be offered. rate overall guidelines for the training. The case also shows how evaluation criteria are developed from the training objectives.