Can we think of training and development as a product that can be produced just like a chair or laptop? I would argue we can. Although not made of physical matter, a training has an audience whose goal is to create value for the customer. So if we think of a training as a product, we can apply design thinking to improve it.
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, “design thinking is an iterative process in which you seek to understand your users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions which you can prototype and test.”
We engage in this type of thinking when we center training design around a deep interest in understanding the people for whom we design training. I love using this technique because it helps me and my clients observe and develop empathy with their staff. We get curious and begin asking better questions about how we share knowledge and skills.
I recently read Matt Wallaert’s book Start At...
If you have created a logic model and are in the process of developing indicators of success as part of your evaluation plan, you must understand the process of setting baselines and targets.
Targets
Targets are pre-established goals set for the program, and they help create a path and end destination for what you hope to achieve with a program or service (the intervention). Often defined in numbers or percentages, they indicate success. Include these numbers in your logic model to help all stakeholders see how success is measured. For example, if your team is creating a STEM career internship for girls, a sample target might be that 90% of participants completed the full three-month internship. This completion rate target is SMART and indicates success in the short term. If you want a target that helps you show long-term impacts of the intervention -the internship- you might wish to a follow-up interview after five years, where you look for 50% of interns...
Success indicators (see my previous post) are crucial to monitoring and measuring the success of a program or service. In this post, I will explain how to develop indicators of success and help you to identify when to use them.
Step 1: Identify Your Team
The research staff should develop indicators of success during the planning phase of your program design process in close collaboration with the program staff. If you don’t have a research team, designate who will be responsible for the oversight of the research. If any government or NGO counterparts are designing the program and have explicit knowledge of the program goals and objectives, you will want to include them.
Step 2: Identify What to Measure
Next, determine which inputs, outputs, or outcomes (see my post: What is a Logic Model?) of the program are most important to track. A program will likely use many indicators to assess the change that results from the intervention. These can be pulled from the...
I’ve shared about logic models in previous posts; these are visual tools to help you develop successful programs or services. One of the critical pieces within a logic model is developing agreed-upon outcomes that indicate that the program is successful. To measure these, we need tools called success indicators.
How do they assess the outcomes of a program?
They do this by defining its characteristics or variables and then tracking those characteristics over time or between groups. Clear success indicators are the foundation of any effective monitoring and evaluation system.
Organizations need success indicators for two reasons. The first is to track how a program is working and moving toward progress in reaching specific goals. Program staff and the program leadership team need to measure this change over time and make adjustments in real-time to help achieve the desired outcomes. The second reason these clear indicators are required is for accountability. Key stakeholders may contribute to the design of a program, but it is ultimately...
Facilitating a group through the process to build a logic model can feel overwhelming. I have some tips and tricks to make the process easier when leading a team through the process of creating a logic model.
Who should be involved?
Try to limit the group to as few people as possible but ensure that you have representation from project/program staff, evaluation staff, and, when possible, leadership teams. Groups larger than ten often struggle to come to a consensus. If your group has more than ten people, think about how you structure each work session; there may be a way to design each session so that every member does not have to be present at every meeting.
Where should we meet?
You will want a flexible space that allows for small group and large group discussions. You will also want a whiteboard or another method to collect ideas. If your room doesn’t have a whiteboard, post-its can be a powerful tool for brainstorming as...
In my previous post, I summarized logic models. If you read that post or have heard about logic models but don’t know where to start, I’ll share some straightforward steps to create a logic model in this post. These steps have been adapted from The Compass For SBA website. The Compass is a curated collection of social and behavior change (SBC) resources.
Who should be involved?
Your logic model should be co-created by team members and leadership staff. Any team member who will be overseeing the evaluation or research related to the project and any leadership staff who are closely connected to the project should participate in this effort. It is great to have senior leadership staff as part of the development team because this helps get internal buy. Everyone is then aligned on the inputs, outcomes, and plans for measuring the desired results.
What timeframe do I need to create a logic model?
Logic models are ideally created at the beginning of a...
In grad school, my thesis advisor taught me about one of the most valuable tools I have ever used in my career: the logic model. I remember being overwhelmed by the technical nature of it, but once I got out of the weeds, I absolutely fell in love with this tool and now feel like I’m almost a logic model evangelist. If you stick with me, I can show you why I feel so strongly about the logic model and, more importantly, the process that one goes through to create it.
As a tool, a logic model is beneficial when creating a new product or service for your audience. Logic models can also help you to examine an existing product or service to see if it is achieving the desired outcomes. It allows a team to challenge assumptions and look for possible changes that you need to make to an existing product, program, or service.
So what is a logic model?
The short...
Microsoft Outlook is used in many companies. Although much of Outlook is intuitive, many people have never received training on this platform and therefore are unaware of many of its helpful collaboration features. In this continuing series on virtual tools to enhance collaboration, I will share three cool features in Microsoft Outlook to boost virtual cooperation in your team.
@Mentions:
Have you ever needed to send an email to a dozen coworkers but only needed an answer from two of them? In the past, you might have bolded, underline or highlight to draw attention to who you need feedback or input from, but this can be missed or overlooked by team members who do not read the email carefully. With Outlook, you have another option. Type @ followed by their name, and several things happen. First, their name is automatically added to the "To" line of the email message. Members of the team mentioned using the @ symbols will see their name...
You might already know the power of project management software, but the skillful application of it into your virtual meeting can lead to dramatic boosts in collaboration for your team. Project management software like Basecamp, Wrike, Monday.com, and Clickup generally have three main tools to help teams manage their projects. The first is individual tools. These tools allow for individuals to keep track of their workload and have transparency with their direct supervisor. The next is collaborative tools which enable teams from all across organizations and outside partners to build and collaborate on projects. Finally, integrated tools allow managers to see and manage multiple projects at once and assess and adjust the need for the complexity and interconnectivity of these projects. Other notable features of these types of software include cloud-based solutions, combine workflow tools in one place, keep teams accountable, easy documentation, keeping track of budgets.
Check out this blog on Zapier, "The Best Free Project Management Software"
The feature I...
