MODULE 3

DESIGING TRAINING PROGRAMMES

What are training designs?

Training design or instructional design is the process of creating a blueprint forthe development
of instruction. Steps in the model are analysis, design, development, implementation
andevaluation.

The Factors That Affect Training Design

Overall Goals of Training

Identify the domain of learning to be targeted: knowledge, skills, attitude or behavior. Determine
if specific skills are to be taught that will require practice and can be measured. If the training is
oriented toward attitude or behavior, consider if any emotional factors may be addressed.

Learning Objectives

Determine the specific desired outcomes of the training by answering the question: Upon
completion of this training, what should a participant know and be able to do? Define what
constitutes successful course completion. Identify the core skills, knowledge and attitudes that
are at the heart of the course.

Course Content

Determine the amount of research and the expertise needed to develop and teach relevant, timely
and up-to-date content, as well as the length of time that the content will maintain its relevance.
Other factors affecting course content are both the total number of trainees and the optimal
number that can be taught at one time. The best learning method for the material being taught
will also influence the course's content.

Course Lifetime

Determine the course's schedule, including frequency of training, as well as a way to test the
objectives, materials and content for continued relevance. In addition, build in a means to revise
and update the course, particularly if it is expected to have significant longevity.

Design Needs

Ascertain whether this will be a new training or if there is an existing course to be updated.
Identify training designers and determine development time and cost. See how diversity
requirements (different learning styles, language, cultural backgrounds, physical needs, etc.) will
influence the training. Research to find out what permissions are necessary to incorporate
materials into the course. Find out if any restrictions imposed by training locations or participant
availability will affect design.

Participants

Determine the size, location and characteristics of the target population, as well as their current
level of experience and expertise with the topic. Make certain that they meet course
prerequisites, and identify any technology needs or requirements.

Intangibles

Trainees enjoy and respond positively to material that's presented creatively and enjoyably.
Engage instructors who are competent and compatible with their audiences, and who can add
inspiration and laughter to your course's syllabus.

Resources

Determine how many instructors will be needed, how they will be trained, their scheduling
requirements, how much preparation time they will need and how much travel will be required.

Determine space and location requirements. Determine the time required for training and define
course segments, if necessary. (For example, will an eight-hour course be taught in one-hour
segments over several weeks, in two half-day blocks, or a single intensive day?)

Identify all costs the training will generate: facilities, materials, instructors, travel and meals both
for participants and instructors, software, and presentation equipment (computers, TV, video,
microphones, etc.). In addition, be certain to identify any subject-matter experts required for
training development. Also determine all technology requirements: new software or upgrades,
computer and application access for participants, and complex installations or technology
management that will require technical expertise. Finally, note all administrative and
communication requirements and identify resources.

Evaluation Factors

Ideally, successful training should be periodically repeated for a new crop of trainees. Success
can usually measured by identifying measurable outcomes and then conducting the appropriate
measurements. These measurements can be developed in-house or obtained externally. For
instance. a real estate agency might conduct license training for its new sales representatives. The
best measure of the course's effectiveness is the number of trainees who passed the licensing
exam
 Advantages Of Training Program

1. Increased efficiency of employees:

An effective training programme can make the employees of the company work in an effective
manner. With training people gain confidence and this confidence is seen in the output and
results.

2. Reduced supervision:

An employee needs to be supervised when he works. When the employee has got sufficient
training the amount of supervision required is less as mistakes are less. This reduces the
workload of the supervisor.

3. Less amount of wastage:

The amount of wastage by an employee is reduced a lot due to training and therefore if we take
an account of the amount of wastage we find that the company has saved a lot of money.

4. Reduced turnover:

Proper training improves chances of obtaining promotions and employees are happy because
they have better opportunities Due to this their chances of leaving their current job reduces
greatly thereby reducing employee turnover in the company.

5. Helps new employees in the organization:

Training always benefits employees whether old or new. In case of new employees, training
helps them a lot . This is because new employees may not be aware of the functioning of the
organization and training helps them to gain knowledge and insight into the working of the
company.

6. Better labour –management relations:

Labour – management relations are very essential for any organization. When companies
introduce training programs and prepare employees for future jobs and promotions they send out
a message to the unions that they are interested in employee welfare. Due to this the unions also
adopt a positive attitude and labour- management relations improve.

Advantages to an individual employee

1. Self-confidence:
Training leads to increase in employee self-confidence. The person is able to adjust to his work
environment and doesn’t feel humiliated in front of his seniors. This confidence leads to chances
of better efforts in the future from the employees.

2. Increased motivation levels:

Training brings positive attitude among employees and increases the motivation levels of the
employees in the organization, thereby improving the results of the organization.

3. High rewards:
An effective training programme helps an employee to take the benefit of the rewards systems
and incentives available in the company . Thus the employee is able to get these rewards , which
in turn increases his motivation levels.

4. Group efforts:
An effective training programme not only teaches an employee how to do his work but also
trains him to work as a part of the group. Thus training programmes improve group efforts

5. Promotion:
Effective training programmes increase performance and increase the chances of obtaining
promotions. Many employees even opt for certain programmes so that they can help the
employee to improve his chances of promotions and obtaining higher positions in the
organization.

What Is a Training Module?

A training module is a component of an online course that focuses on a specific objective and is
designed to teach on a specific topic. Each module is like a chapter of a book, leading to the next.
When seen as a whole, training modules make up an entire layer of knowledge and tell a
complete story. 

How to Develop the Best Training Module

Step 1: Define the Problem

The first rule of training success is: Solve the right business problem!

The starting point of high-quality training is communication. To solve a business problem, you
need to understand the issue and how it affects on-the-job performance. One of the first steps in
creating a training module is to ask detailed and probing open-ended questions to find out:

 What is the nature of the problem to be solved?

  What knowledge or skill is needed to bridge this gap?
 What is the level of knowledge or performance that your people actually do have?
 What is the expected level of knowledge or performance your people should have on this topic?

The answers you get will ensure a clear understanding of the business problem and help you set
up learning objectives for your training course and modules. 

Step 2: Write a SMART Objective

A training goal or objective confirms the reason for learning and communicates the focus of the
training module. The goal should specify the skills, knowledge, or benefits the learner will gain
as a result of completing this module. For the best results, think SMART and create a goal that
is:

 Specific – the learner knows what they will learn or be able to do after finishing the training
module;
 Measurable – learners will leverage this knowledge consistently for each report;
 Achievable – the learner will be able to perform the tasks listed in the training module;
 Relevant – the training module will focus on job essential knowledge and skills;
 Timely – the learner will be able to complete the training module in a timely manner.

A SMART goal will motivate the employee by showing them “what’s in it for me” in that
training module. 

Step 3: Create the Right Type of Training Module

After you explore the problem and decide on your objective, you’re ready to create a training
module! 

The secret to building great training is to match the right kind of module to the learning task at
hand. The chart below aligns different types of online training modules to learning needs.

Step 4: Feedback and Revision

After a bit of work on your part, the first version of your training module is ready! Now, it’s time
to forward your first draft to your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Stakeholders for feedback
and approval. Don’t be surprised if your partners leave a LOT of feedback on your initial efforts!
Even if you’ve been diligent about addressing every piece of advice from your SMEs and
stakeholders, you may find that they still have more information to share with you after viewing
the first draft of your training module.

To avoid falling into an endless feedback loop, most L&D teams will follow a three-step design
protocol, known as alpha/beta/gold:

 The first draft of a training module is known as the alpha draft. An experienced instructional
designer should be able to create an alpha draft that is about 75-80% correct. This is typically
where you will get the most feedback from your SMEs.
  The revised second version of a training module is known as the beta draft. If you’ve received
quality feedback from your expert during the first round, your beta version of the training
module should be about 95-98% accurate. So, you should have far fewer revisions at this point.
 The final draft is called the gold version. Unless your SMEs have missed vital information in the
previous rounds of review, the gold version should be 99-100% correct. SME and Stakeholder
review of the gold draft should happen quickly. When your partners sign off on the gold version
of your training module, you have awesome training content that’s ready for learners.

Step 5: Run a Pilot with a Test Audience

As a best practice, you should run a pilot of any new training before putting it into circulation
across your organization. The main function of pilot testing is to provide an additional layer of
review and show whether or not learners are able to attain the intented performance objectives.

To get started, select a test audience that consists of a small group of employees within your
company. For best results, your audience should not have a high level of expertise on your topic
and can experience the training without preexisting notions of what it should be like.

Gather feedback from your test audience. Find out what they thought worked best about the
training, and what could be improved. If the test audience is unable to achieve the intended
performance goals after completing the training module, review the assessment results to see
what gaps might exist. Work with your SMEs and stakeholders to come up with ways to fill in
gaps and improve the overall training experience and your training module per se.

Step 6: Create a Final Version, Upload, and Launch

At this stage, you’re ready to create the “final final” version of your training module and upload
it to the learning management system (LMS). You may want to work with your business
partners, change management, or project management to coordinate a formal roll-out of the new
training.

You may also want to provide detailed reporting data about learning consumption and results
30, 60, and 90 days after your program launches. Tracking data for on-the-job performance
metrics is a great way to show the training’s impact on employee development and actual work
performance.

TRAINING AUDIT
A training audit provides organizations with an overview of the effectiveness and efficiency of
its training/learning function. The purpose of the training audit is to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of the training/learning function in terms of its current responsibilities and future
commitments.

Since every organization is unique, each training audit is customized to meet the
specific learning needs and requirements of each situation. At the conclusion of a training audit,
the department will receive a report card with detailed findings and recommendations.
Process of Designing a Training Program

The process of designing a training program is not an easy task. Many problems occur in the
process of designing a training program. Some of the common problems are; creating training
that does not support a business goal, problems that training cannot fix how to identify the
purpose of a training program, and sometimes all of these things.

There are the five steps that will help you to create a more effective training program:

Step 1: Perform a Training Needs Assessment

The assessment of a training program has four-step to be followed:

 Identifying the business goal that can be supported by a training program.

 Determining the tasks that workers should perform to make the company reach its
goals.
 Conducting the training activities that will help in enhancing the learning of the workers
to perform the tasks more effectively.
 Determining the learning characteristics of the workers that will make the training
effective.

Step 2: Develop Learning Objectives

A learning objective address thing that your employees can get to know like:

 What is the product flow?

 How to maintain the product flow cycle?
 Importance of good product lifecycle.

 Step 3: Design Training Materials

While designing your materials, keep the following points in mind:

 Focus on the learning needs of your employees.

 Create training assessments that can directly relate to the learning objectives.
 Remember the adult learning philosophies.
 Include more hands-on practice or simulation as possible.
 Put the employees in control of the learning process.
 Do possible thing to let the employees talk and interact with the trainer and with each
other while attending the training.
 Make sure there is plenty of opportunity for opinions.
 Break your training materials into small pieces that are easier to understand.
 Use “blended learning” approach that includes training in various types.
 Appeal to your workers’ senses during the training.

Step 4: Implement the Training

Implementation can take different forms by moving forward to the training. It can be classroom
instructions, the completion of e-learning modules, or more.

Step 5:Evaluate the Training

This method involves evaluating the training at four levels. Those four levels of evaluation are:

 Employees’ reaction to training.

 Employees’ learning through the training.
 Employee’s job behaviour post-training.
 Beneficial business results.

Elements of a Good Training Budget

 Planning a Comprehensive Training Budget
 Budgeting for Training Needs
 Prioritizing Training Needs
 Using E-Learning to Maximize Your Training Budget

CREATING A TRAINING BUDGET: Budgeting for training does not mean using surplus money
when it’s available. Instead, we should build a separate line item for training into our yearly
budget. A training budget should include the following costs:

 Initial communication about the training program

 Training delivery (e.g. classes, video tutorials, e-learning, course fees)
 Training materials (workbooks, videos)
 Staff time (including replacement time)
 Instructor fee
  Travel, lodging or meal expenses required to participate
 On-going training (upkeep)
 Contingencies

What is a Training Proposal?

A training proposal is a document consisting of a training plan that can help a business

decide whether they should invest in a particular training program or not. It summarizes
how investing in the training program can help their business succeed further.

What Should You Include in a Training Proposal?

A training proposal should include the following details:

 Cover page
 The purpose of your training
 Benefits of the training program
 Outline of your course
 Evaluation plan
 Cost of the training program
 Your contact information and space for the signature.

What is the Purpose of a Training Proposal?

A training program helps businesses  grow in their respective fields by updating their

employees with the latest skills. The training helps them improve their expertise in certain
areas of business, and this can prove beneficial for the company.

Creating a Training Proposal

1: Need for Training

Firstly, you need to know why you need training in your organization. Make a list of all the
departments and job positions the training would impact, why your staff should use this
training and how would it benefit them. Mention in the list who should do what jobs so that
everyone knows what to do.

2: List the Objectives

The next step would be to list down all the goals and objectives you have in mind. These
objectives will be specific ones, aimed at the training procedure. They explain how the training
will affect the employees, the departments and also, the whole company in general.

3: Explore the Market

Research the market well in advance before you decide on making any proposal. This will help
you keep a check on what are the new trends that you need to follow so that you are on par
with the market’s shifts and turns regularly. Also, explore different organizations, so that it
gives you endless possibilities to try out new things. Mention all the requirements you need in
case of resources, equipment, cost, availability, etc.

4: Budget

The budget plays a very important role in a sample proposal. As every client needs to know how
much you would be willing to spend to train employees to do a better job before investing in
you, they would want to see a calculation on the paper. Give a detailed list of what your costs
would be if you are not sure of the budget.

5: Specific Activities

Specific activities are very important for any training program. They will keep the employees
busy and it will also help them get to know one another. Include actions like space, time,
equipment, resource requirements, etc. These activities could be – question and answer
rounds, brainstorming sessions – whether individual or group, lectures, etc. Explain how the
company will judge the effects of training.