How can you measure the effectiveness of your security awareness training program?

1 Training Goals

Before you can measure the effectiveness of your security awareness program, you need to establish clear, measurable goals. These goals should align with your overall security posture and business objectives. For instance, reducing phishing attack susceptibility or ensuring all employees can identify and report potential security threats could be among your top priorities. By setting these targets, you can create specific metrics to evaluate whether your training program is meeting its intended outcomes.

2 Knowledge Assessment

One of the most direct ways to gauge the effectiveness of your training is through knowledge assessments. These can take the form of quizzes, tests, or even simulated phishing exercises. By comparing results before and after training, you can measure improvements in your employees' understanding of security practices. It's crucial that these assessments are aligned with the real-world scenarios employees might face, as this will provide a more accurate measure of their ability to apply what they've learned.

3 Behavior Change

Ultimately, the goal of security awareness training is to change employee behavior. You can observe this by monitoring for a decrease in security incidents or an increase in reported incidents, indicating heightened vigilance. Surveys can also be useful in understanding how employees perceive their role in maintaining security post-training. Regularly revisiting these behaviors and perceptions can help you identify trends and areas for improvement.

6 Program Metrics

Beyond individual assessments and behavior observations, broader program metrics should be evaluated. These may include participation rates, completion rates, and the frequency of training refreshers. High participation and completion rates could indicate that your security culture is strong, while frequent refreshers may help keep security top-of-mind for employees. By monitoring these metrics, you can ensure that your program remains engaging and effective over time.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?