What's the best way to tell stakeholders about your training evaluation?

1 Know your audience

Before you present your training evaluation findings, you need to understand who your audience is and what they care about. Different stakeholders may have different expectations, questions, and concerns about your training evaluation. For example, managers may want to know how the training improved employee performance and productivity, sponsors may want to know how the training aligned with the organizational goals and strategy, and learners may want to know how the training helped them develop new skills and competencies. You should tailor your message and format to suit each audience and their needs.

2 Choose your metrics

The next step is to select the most relevant and meaningful metrics to showcase your training evaluation results. Depending on the level and type of evaluation you conducted, you may have data on various aspects of your training, such as reaction, learning, behavior, and results. You should focus on the metrics that best demonstrate the value and impact of your training, and avoid overwhelming your audience with too much or irrelevant data. You should also use a mix of quantitative and qualitative metrics to provide both numbers and stories that support your evaluation.

3 Use visuals

One of the best ways to tell your training evaluation story is to use visuals that make your data easy to understand and remember. You can use charts, graphs, diagrams, icons, and images to illustrate your key points and highlight your main findings. Visuals can help you compare, contrast, show trends, and emphasize relationships among your data. They can also help you capture your audience's attention and emotions, and make your presentation more engaging and memorable. You should use visuals that are clear, simple, and consistent, and avoid cluttering or confusing your audience with too many or complex visuals.

4 Tell a story

Another effective way to tell your training evaluation story is to use storytelling techniques that connect your data to your audience's interests and goals. You can use a narrative structure that has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and that shows the problem, the solution, and the outcome of your training. You can also use anecdotes, examples, quotes, and testimonials from your learners, managers, or customers to add credibility and authenticity to your evaluation. Storytelling can help you communicate the purpose, benefits, and results of your training in a way that resonates with your audience and inspires them to take action.

5 Provide recommendations

Your training evaluation story should not end with just presenting the data, but also with providing recommendations for improvement and next steps. You should use your evaluation findings to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your training, and suggest ways to enhance its quality, relevance, and impact. You should also propose specific actions that your stakeholders can take to support, sustain, or extend the learning outcomes of your training. Providing recommendations can help you demonstrate your professionalism and expertise, and show your commitment to continuous improvement and learning.

6 Invite feedback

The final tip to tell your training evaluation story is to invite feedback from your stakeholders and encourage dialogue and discussion. You should ask open-ended questions that invite your audience to share their opinions, insights, and suggestions about your training evaluation. You should also listen actively and respectfully to their feedback, and acknowledge their contributions and concerns. Inviting feedback can help you build rapport and trust with your stakeholders, and foster a culture of learning and collaboration in your organization.

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?