Training & Instructional Design Services

Training professionals overestimate the value of training too often. For example, training is not necessary when a change in policy will produce the desired results. Our goal is to assess the organization's training need based on your goals and offer you honest alternatives whether it is training or some more effective and efficient alternative.

Trainers are great at training, but fall short all too often when it comes to understanding how the training they deliver will meet the organization's goals. The client is interested in getting results. The trainer focuses on the content of the training, which too often only loosely relates to the client's expected results. This is typically due to a gap in understanding the client's point of view and the business objectives linked to the training. Our goal is to partner with you to get the results you expect and deserve. High training aligns the content with business needs in ways that lead to measurable results.

Most training is designed based on either best practices for delivering the content or what the trainer has found useful and successful in the past. There are well-established practices for delivering communications training as an example. However, that does not translate into impacting the business goals. It is difficult to find a trainer that links the content to business goals in a principled way. We use a training design and development framework that breaks training content into four competence component areas. These components readily lend themselves to each role and set of responsibilities in driving business processes.

What many trainers fail to see is that they have an opportunity to become partners with management in driving business goals. This requires getting to know the managers, their business, business drivers and objectives. Our training design and development framework has time and again provided a training solution that gets managers and the organization closer to their business goals. Managers know what their options are as we work towards providing a high impact solution that they fully recognize holds promise for reaching their business goals.

Managers need and deserve to know what the training costs will be. They have a limited budget and other critical concerns putting pressure on their resources. We present decision makers with clear, results-oriented training solutions, choices for delivery, and justifications for return on investment.

Managers object to conducting training needs assessment for two basic reasons. One is that they think what is needed is straightforward. This time and time again turns out to be a myth because what they view as the training need is often a symptom of a less obvious, yet core problem. The other reason is that they want to avoid the extra cost.
The two reasons are related when the manager focuses on checking off a requirement instead of driving business goals. We help managers understand the cost-benefits of their decision to conduct an assessment and offer data collection options that balance cost and quality. Then the manager makes the final decision. No pressure.

Many managers do not ask for an evaluation of training. Instead they wait for participants to offer comments afterwards. If a couple of people speak harshly of the training, the manager becomes concerned. If no one says anything or a couple of people speak highly of it, the manager feels assured that the training served its purpose.
We always evaluate our training. We do so because the feedback helps us make our next training even better. We very seldom receive less than high training evaluation ratings as a result. Evaluations are also perceived as an extension of our partnership with managers. Once, a manager came to us with concerns about a couple of verbal complaints after our training. We were able to show her the high group average rating results and even shared the raw scores. This helped our partnership because she was assured of having hired the right professionals for the job.

This is a question managers seldom ask. We love to hear when they do. The question is about making certain that you get the results expected, increasing the likelihood that the training will drive the business, and return on investment. Here is what we tell them. Training can be very effective, but most cannot adequately capture all of the ways in which the need to use the new behavior in the real world will unfold. This means that it is best to collect data that will capture the extent of learning transfer-the extent to which what is learned in the training translates into workplace effective behaviors.
We also provide a set of alternative ways in which data can be collected over time to identify any components of the new behavior that have not sufficiently transferred so that additional work is offered to improve impact.

While each day more managers see the benefit of online learning, the preference for classroom learning remains high-at least among the Baby Boomers who are still more of the training decision makers. Training cost is the number one driver in turning to online training.
Sexual harassment training is an example. It is a state requirement in several states and must be conducted every two years. It is not surprising that many organizations turn to online training for cost savings when it comes to reducing the re-occurring costs of meeting compliance. The challenge is that the essential competence component the training needs to address in order to legally protect the organization is a skill.
While learning technology has improved considerably, e-learning fundamentals that lead to high impact skills training lag behind. E-learning does a great job of developing knowledge related to avoiding sexual harassment, but is insufficient in driving skills. A blended learning approach that combines e-learning and classroom learning is both cost effective and high impact. DTUI.com has an approach to e-learning design and development that pushes technology to the limit in terms of skill building interactivity. Our primary focus in any case is on helping clients identify the best modality to reach specific goals and drive business processes.

It is a good idea to practice delivering the lecturettes you will use in your training. Also, practice the transitions from one activity to the next. If you are working with a co-trainer, you can practice together and provide each other with valuable feedback.

Focus on the simple expression of ideas and do not memorize; instead, fix in your mind the sequence of points. Use posture, tone of voice, appearance, and attire effectively.

The design of each activity includes a time requirement. Stick to your schedule unless you feel that a particular discussion is too valuable to cut short. If you do allow an activity to continue beyond its time allotment, be prepared to alter other activities to make up time. Keep the training moving at an appropriate pace; this includes starting time at the beginning of the training, after breaks, and after lunch.

Tell your own stories and experiences concerning cultural encounters and "mistakes" you have made. This approach builds rapport and helps to put the participants at ease.

Good eye contact is an extremely effective communication technique. Make an effort to look at each participant; continuosly shift your gaze to include everyone. This, not only, holds the participants' attention, but also conveys the idea that each participant is important-which reinforces one of the main points of the workshop.

Be aware of the volume of the participants' contributions as well as that of your own comments. If a participant has asked a question, you may need to restate it so that everyone can hear the question and your response.

Be on the lookout for difficulties; if the participants get stuck in some way, intervene to help them examine what is happening.

Remember that the participants are looking for answers to questions such as "How do I use this?" and "What's in it for me?" Make sure the practical applications come out in the processing of the activities.

Do not rely on just a few people to do the talking; draw everyone into the dialog as much as possible.

Let your enthusiasm and natural enjoyment come through. The participants will respond positively.
From Vaughn, B.E. (2004). Managing diversity e-Coach Book. Diversity Training University Publications: San Francisco, CA.