Assessing Needs is Crucial to Training Success
Learning management systems can produce large amounts of valuable data if a training programme is properly designed from the start. Reporting data is key to effectively measuring and evaluating the success of a training initiative against the performance gaps it was designed to fill.
The initial step of doing a complete needs analysis is often overlooked or not done as part of an overall training strategy. Ineffective evaluations can be the result, greatly reducing the impact and relevance of the data produced. Sometimes, in-house teams require assistance from experienced e-learning professionals to help distill their ideas and come up with a cohesive programme.
If objectives and specific problems to address have not been correctly defined, the success of the online training solution is difficult to accurately measure.
Steps to success
A needs analysis must be the starting point. Proper creation and design of the entire project must stem from this.
Learning and development teams can only benefit from working with experienced experts in helping them create an analysis, curriculum, and assessments. An end-to-end e-learning provider such as FUEL Online works closely with clients at every step of the process to ensure results. Consultation services are the first important service.
The initial consulting phase defines the needs and requirements of all aspects of a programme. From here, the creation phase can begin. Training curricula are created, followed by the scripting of the training modules and assessments.
In-depth consultation also informs the implementation phase. Some learners require online training to be done on shared devices, instead of their own. The choice of hardware can often be very important depending on the nature of the business. FUEL recommends and deploys hardware solutions relevant to the learning environment, profiles of learners, and even security requirements.
Connectivity is part of the implementation and directly affects how the online training will be delivered to staff.
Even the production of e-learning content is attributed to the needs analysis. Training objectives and subject matter affect the type of production methodologies necessary to deliver effective learning. A specific combination of methods is often much more effective than others depending on what is being taught, and who is learning.
FUEL’s content creation department provides a full range of production methodologies to its clients. These include presenter-to-camera, video cutaways, voiceovers, and 3D simulations.
Results
Working with experienced people to deliver a complete e-learning solution will help your L&D team immensely. Your in-house team can concentrate their efforts to inform each step of the online training programme and leave the heavy lifting to an efficient provider.
Data produced by online learner behaviour and assessments can then be relied upon to provide highly relevant, targeted feedback for evaluation against training objectives.
