What We Do / Transfer of Training Methodology

LSA Transfer of Training Methodology

What do we mean by "Transfer of Training?"

We define Transfer of Training as the process by which you ensure that the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes transfer from the simulated workshop environment to predefined on-the-job behavior and performance change.  Ideally, this change should be directly linked to key business initiatives or objectives.

Our experience and research tell us that most training initiatives consistently fall short for two reasons:

1. They are not fully implemented or executed.

2. They do not show measurable improvements in performance or in business results.

These two factors have rightfully created ambiguity and cynicism around training as a strategic investment. After all, why would an organization want to invest in processes without clearly understanding how the transfer of training will take place and impact their business? There are clearly some disconnects between learning and results.

While many companies philosophically believe in “investing in people” through skill building, most are content with allowing the results to “take care of themselves.” The probability of this approach succeeding and having a tangible business impact is slim. We believe that every learning investment must be managed appropriately if you expect a benefit. Without managing the learning process to ensure that training transfers into performance and results, there may be little or no benefit for either the individual or the company.

For organizations and employees to ensure the transfer of training, they must connect two common “disconnects” that occur between learning and business results.

1. Alignment: Begin with the business objectives in mind
   The first disconnect is one of adoption. Adoption is the linchpin between Learning (level II) and Application (Level III). While many are improving their ability to ensure that participants can exhibit specific skills in a training environment, few do what it takes to ensure that those skills will be transferred and applied on-the-job. This “Adoption Disconnect” inhibits learning from turning into performance. While improving key skills, knowledge, and abilities may provide some benefit to the individual, experience tells us that it is only truly valuable to a team or organization if those skills are transferred to on-the-job performance. This means that organizations must invest in and plan for what happens before, during and after their learning interventions in order to improve organizational performance. Otherwise, the transfer of training will not occur.
    

2. Adoption: Support individuals and teams through the Transfer of Training The second disconnect is one of alignment. This is the key connection between Application (Level III) and Results (Level IV). Even if training participants are able to apply new skills and change their on-the-job performance, success is unsatisfactory if the new performance results are not aligned with what the business is trying to accomplish.

   While this may sound obvious, we continue to find organizations that press ahead with learning and development initiatives that have no clear link to business priorities. This usually occurs due to a lack of rigor in analyzing business priorities, performance objectives, and root causes as part of the design phase for a training initiative. This lack of alignment and adoption is exactly what causes training, and often Human Resources, to be out of step with the critical initiatives of a business.

   We believe this lack of alignment is also behind the recent trend toward increased learning analytics and the desire to more effectively measure the return on human capital. In our conversations with Executives, Human Resource Professionals, and Line Managers, they tell us that they need to measure learning initiatives to justify budgets, approaches, and opportunity costs. We believe, however, that most companies would be better served by focusing their resources not on measuring, but on managing and fully implementing their learning initiatives in alignment with their key strategic priorities.

   With this approach, the Transfer of Training becomes not only valuable, but necessary.

Click here to review our Transfer of Training Methodology Whitepaper.


Related Links:

• LSA Global Solution Spectrum™: From Training Solutions to Business Solutions
• 8 Key Stages of a Solution Lifecycle: From Planning through Implementation and Evaluation.