<aside> ❤️🔥 Donald Kirkpatrick's 1975 book Evaluating Training Programs defined his originally published ideas of 1959, thereby further increasing awareness of them, so that his theory has now become arguably the most widely used and popular model for the evaluation of training and learning.
Kirkpatrick's four-level model is now considered an industry standard across the HR and training communities. The four levels of training evaluation model were later redefined and updated in Kirkpatrick's 1998 book, Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels.
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| Level | Evaluation Type | Evaluation Descriptions & Characteristics | Examples of Evaluations Tools & Methods | Relevance & Practicability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reaction of Learner | This is about how participants felts about the training or learning experience(s) | Feedback Surveys |
Verbal Reaction
Engagement with materials post-training | Quick & easy to obtain
Low cost to collect & analyze | | 2 | Learning | This is the measurement around the increase of knowledge after training or learning experience(s) | Generally assessments or knowledge checks before & after training
Interview & observation after the learning
Feedback surveys 2 - 3 weeks out from training or learning experiences(s)
Learners leaders should assess learner experience and share collected feedback with learning team(s) | Simple to set up check-ins & activations before training
Easy to collect data from learners
More time & touchpoints may be needed for more complex topics | | 3 | Behavior | This is the extent of application of learning brought back to their role / job | Intentional Observation & interview are required at regular intervals to assess behavior changes, relevance of changes, & sustainability of changes
Feedback surveys 1-2 months out to assess application & additional needs of learners
Follow ups to any learning program exercises should be conducted 1:1 with the learner to answer questions / review application and assess “stickiness” of behavior changes | Measurement of behavior change & supporting sustained practice usually involves relies upon cooperation from learner’s leaders
Feedback survey (similar to learner) to measure application, relevance, & additional needs | | 4 | Results | The effect on the business or environment by the learner | Measures are already in place around the new operations or learner behaviors & reporting
Through interview & observation at the 3 month mark, gather efficacy results for the change(s) and iterate the program to meet future needs | Process must result in clear accountabilities, behavior modifications, & metric improvement.
Requires learner’s leaders to share openly what they are seeing from the learner(s)
Individual assessment is easier that entire org |