How can you create adaptable training programs?

Training programs often fail because of misalignment with job design and the company’s goals. A successful training program must be triggered by first conducting a training needs analysis based on the skills outlined for a particular job and the gap that currently exists between employees current skills and the required skills. Relevant and practical content is key to an effective program. It is important to ensure the skills taught are transferable from the classroom onto the world of work. Post-training assessments through performance deliverables and key performance objective calibration is also critical to ensure success.

We must have a deliberate and systematic approach to competency assessment (competency-based model) in 3 levels: organizational, operational and individual. We should do the following questions for each level: Can training help achieve organizational/operational/individual goals? If yes, then answer: - What skills need to be developed? (upskilling, reskilling, both?) - Who should be included? - When? (prioritize by urgency and by time). - How? (preferred training format/learning journey). At the individual level we must also take into account the performance evaluation. In the end, for each employee, team or organization, the training needs identified at three levels will be recorded, by priority.

First and most importantly understand the audience, we all learn in different ways and receive information in a myriad of methods. Providing learning content that meets these different needs is critical. One option will never fit all needs. Don't go for the simple option, 'Must' Second understand the motivations and engagement levels of teams and learners. Experience tells me that individuals are typically motivated to learn in 4 categories. 1. I want to learn - (Impactful with great retention) 2. I can learn - (How can your learners easily access) 3. I should learn - (Why learning helps Emp. grow) 4. I must learn - (Forced learning is easy to deliver but has minimum impact and retention and impact of learning is minimal)

The essence of a robust training program lies in a thorough needs analysis. It's like establishing the baseline before diving into action. The process allows us to discern between needs and wants, enabling a focused approach. Prioritizing those wildly important goals is key; you can't do everything at once. It's all about translating aspirations into actionable items with a well-defined timeline. Recognising the difference between formal and informal professional development is crucial. Everyone learns differently, so a balanced plan ensures inclusivity. The power of training needs analysis is not just in identifying gaps; it's about building a strategic roadmap that aligns goals, sets priorities, and caters to diverse learning needs.

Yes, mentoring and coaching is what we need right now. If our experiences can enrich lives, we should definitely consider doing it. Sharing knowledge and mentorship can have a positive impact on a community or industry. It can help to develop a skilled workforce, promote innovation, and create a supportive network.

All of the courses I'm involved in building are designed around microlearning. This structure is proven to avoid cognitive overload, whilst boosting knowledge retention.

Apart from being flexible on the How (methods and formats) and the When/Where (online-offline, synch-asynch), adaptable learning design should also consider the bigger When (yes, "when" again) and What's Next. When: Key to effective learning is the readiness of the learner -- if they're studying something because they need it now/soon, they will have the motivation and the context so the material "clicks" more readily in their minds. What's Next: Equally critical is ensuring they are able to apply and practice their new knowledge and skills, to make it more likely to stick. In many cases, this means adapting their day-to-day to allow optimal use of what they've learned, not shoehorning new skills into old ways of working.

Competency frameworks should be the main driver of L&D because they move the focus of the conversation from Content to Performance. If there is clarity around core competencies (general) and functional competencies (job-specific), and proficiency levels are included, it becomes easier to decide what 'method' to use to help people transition from where they're at to where they need to be. I'm a big fan of stretch assignments and cross-functional projects as a 'method' of training, which may be supported by digital resources and mentorship. It's the only way performance can be observed and measured. Vanity metrics won't do the job.

Take a "social media" approach to the training content to make it more flexible and adaptable. Record a webinar and cut into small micro-learning clips to fuel a self-service library. Use your classroom session slide deck to create a guide that stored in the LMS. Use work instructions to create a quick instructional video on a process. Etc The more you can use and resuse training content in 100 different ways the better to make your programs flexible to different situations.

We should try blended learning approach which includes e-learning, social learning and instructor led program. This also needs to be spread across a duration to gauge feedback and do iterations. It will also provide learners the opportunity to apply learning while on go.

When incorporating feedback, it is important to identify WHEN. I believe this is most effective "in the midst of action". An adaptable trainer and facilitator reads the room, uses presence to pick up on what's live for the participants, and incorporates that as feedback to deviate from the script if needed, or to add more value, while keeping the end states or goals in mind. To dance WITH the music is an art; it takes courage and adventure to build the muscle.

I fully agree with this, feedback is essential for creating Adaptive Learning programs. Without empathizing the participants point of view on the learning program, we would just be adapting blindly. Trainers/facilitators should consistently ask for feedback from participants (a causal conversation during the breaks works best for me), and be fearless in iterating/improving the program based on the feedback. Some of my best workshops were the result of learning about my participants real/latent learning needs during the morning of workshop and iterating on the fly and transforming the afternoon session to fully align with the actual challenges my participants are facing in their organizations!

Leaders must value and seek feedback from those in subordinate positions— the individuals actually doing the learning. Often, training programs are not built tailored to those immediately affected by the program. This creates gaps in the mission, its objectives, and the delivery due to misaligned priorities and values. With the input of the audience directly affected, programs are more likely to be realistic, attainable, relatable, and desirable. Those on the front line are often the most exposed to content, methods, and tools; coincidentally, these people offer some of the best insight, input, feedback, recommendations, etc.

Working with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to regularly review and improve content ensures that the training function is current with the needs of the organization and that the learners are seeing necessary information in a timely manner. Monthly or quarterly (depending on the volume and frequency of content changes) training audits work well to not only support the learners but also to build key partnerships with organizational SMEs. This agile approach to content development is a strong way to incorporate feedback and ensure accuracy in training plans.

Training audience feedback to the trainers is always key, as long as it's constructive and not just a gripe for the sake of it. Trainers, during the course of training, should always self-evaluate (themselves, the material, the conditions, the location, the training aides, etc.) and, as able, incorporate in-stride adjustments or modifications. This also means that trainers should not be so wedded to their plan, period or course of instruction that they lose sight of the training objective - the desired outcome, which is that the training audience learns something and knows more than before the training. Training for the sake of just training is meaningless.

It took a pandemic to steer us firmly and irreversibly towards embracing change and innovation. For example, distance learning has always existed, but had poor cousin status in terms of career options, job prospects and academic credibility. Until the pandemic brought it front and center as a viable and credible solution. Moving forward, corporate training would benefit from bite-sized, on-demand learning. A host of apps and learning platforms make course authoring a breeze. Busy sales professionals and executives can complete a series of micro-modules that combine towards a full course. Hopefully, it will not take another pandemic to realize its value and adoption.

As a training savvy, I couldn't agree more with the importance of embracing change and innovation in training and capacity development programs. In today's fast-paced world, the ability to adapt and evolve is paramount. Also, learners' needs and preferences are continually shifting, and technology is constantly advancing.

I found there must be a practical component in training. There is the need for a learning by doing culture in our training programs.

Benjamin Franklin said once, 'Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,'. Whenever I have to create a training program, I follow this idea. It's a testament to the importance of engagement in the learning process. When learners are actively involved, they absorb information, apply and adapt it more effectively. Based on my experience, regular refreshers and timely consultations are crucial for reinforcing skills and pinpointing improvement areas. This is how you can ensure that the newly acquired skills and information truly stick.

Ask 20 people what “adaptive learning” looks like and chances are you’ll get 20 different answers. So forget the jargon. Instead of describing the experience as adaptive learning, just describe the experience - what people will be doing and how that experience will enhance performance outcomes. That will help ensure a shared understanding and long-term buy in.

Creating adaptable training programs is essential to ensure that your organization’s workforce can respond effectively to changing needs and circumstances. Here are steps to create adaptable training programs: Need Assessment Flexible Content Deaign Micro learning Learner- centred approach Digital platforms Continuous content review Feedback loops Scenario based learning Collaborative learning Cross learning Creating adaptable training programs requires ongoing effort and a commitment to staying responsive to the evolving needs of your organization. By following these steps, you can develop training initiatives that empower your workforce to thrive in an ever-changing environment.

To create a program that is truly adaptable, the program itself must be easily customizable to the audience. To easily change the content or structure of a program it needs to be built in sections or components that can be included or omitted as needed. Much as you would skip a slide in a presentation if it is not relevant to the audience. If you have a rich and comprehensive database of learning elements, you can assess the learning needs of the audience with a pre-program assessment, completed before the program commences. This will allow you to select the level and type of components to include. It will also allow you to identify learners or groups of learners that are ahead of the pack, or require additional support.

Before we create training program we must be clear on two fronts: 1. The organisation goal that we intent to accomplish. 2. The target group I.e. to whom we are providing training their age, education, experience. With ever changing business environment we are witnessing the greater need to keep the training modules remain update to the new development. Once we are able to understand the new threat we cab develop a mitigation process helping in dealing with new threats. On the basis of the new or updates mitigation process we must develop the training module to fit the goal while keeping in mind the to whom we are providing the training. The targeted audience should also be referred to get input from them.