Jonhnson Consulting Training Evaluation
Evaluating Training
Debra Wilcox Johnson
Johnson & Johnson Consulting
“Learning new behavior – new or enhanced skills
– is the most powerful outcome of training.
Behavioral change is the most difficult outcome to achieve, but may be the most important.” Evaluating the outcomes of training is a challenging task.
The goal is to assess changes in three areas: knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Acquiring knowledge–concepts or facts–ranges from orientation to becoming an expert.
Changing attitudes–values, beliefs, or feelings–means rethinking ideas, considering alternative views, or forming attitudes about new topics and issues. Learning new behavior–new or enhanced skills–is the most powerful outcome of training. Behavioral change is the most difficult outcome to achieve, but may be the most important. Evaluation information is collected essentially three ways: questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Evaluation can occur prior to the event, during the training, or following the activity. Often, a combination is used. Preand post-test models also can be used and work well for skills training, such as technology workshops.
The most common approach to assessing training is selfassessment by participants. This method asks participants to rate their own changes in attitude, knowledge, and behavior. Evaluation conducted at an event can ask about changes in attitude and knowledge, but it primarily addresses planned changes in behavior. The exception to this would be changes in demonstrated skills, such as those in technology training. Documentation of behavior change that occurs in the workplace after training needs to be collected after the training. This information can be collected by evaluators chiefly via questionnaires and interviews.
Organizers and trainers also gather evaluation information via observation. This observation aids in adjusting the training during an event and provides another perspective on learner
Debra Wilcox Johnson
Johnson & Johnson Consulting
“Learning new behavior – new or enhanced skills
– is the most powerful outcome of training.
Behavioral change is the most difficult outcome to achieve, but may be the most important.” Evaluating the outcomes of training is a challenging task.
The goal is to assess changes in three areas: knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Acquiring knowledge–concepts or facts–ranges from orientation to becoming an expert.
Changing attitudes–values, beliefs, or feelings–means rethinking ideas, considering alternative views, or forming attitudes about new topics and issues. Learning new behavior–new or enhanced skills–is the most powerful outcome of training. Behavioral change is the most difficult outcome to achieve, but may be the most important. Evaluation information is collected essentially three ways: questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Evaluation can occur prior to the event, during the training, or following the activity. Often, a combination is used. Preand post-test models also can be used and work well for skills training, such as technology workshops.
The most common approach to assessing training is selfassessment by participants. This method asks participants to rate their own changes in attitude, knowledge, and behavior. Evaluation conducted at an event can ask about changes in attitude and knowledge, but it primarily addresses planned changes in behavior. The exception to this would be changes in demonstrated skills, such as those in technology training. Documentation of behavior change that occurs in the workplace after training needs to be collected after the training. This information can be collected by evaluators chiefly via questionnaires and interviews.
Organizers and trainers also gather evaluation information via observation. This observation aids in adjusting the training during an event and provides another perspective on learner