How can you design training programs that are up-to-date with industry trends?

To create great learning objectives always start with the end in mind! This means you start with a clear understanding of where you want your learner to end up after the training. Knowing the destination makes it easier to figure out: “Did my learner get there?” & “What can I do to help them arrive there?”

1. Identify the goal and how the key stakeholders will measure the learners' achievement of that goal. 2. Verify that the learners understand why the goal is important - to the company, their management, and their own work. Confirm that metrics are reasonable and understood. 3. Identify the technology that they use and are comfortable using. Then, find out what/ where they plan to make advancements in their work technology. 4. Integrate current technology into the learning design only where it makes a valuable contribution to the learning. 5. Add opportunities to try out the new technology they've identified - but, try not to make successful learning dependent on success using new technology - unless that's a goal of the learning.

To design effective training programs that are up-to-date with industry trends, it is important to first identify the learning objectives. This includes understanding the current needs and challenges within the industry, as well as staying informed about emerging technologies and practices. Incorporating real-life case studies and hands-on activities can also help keep the training relevant and engaging for employees.

I think it is really critical to ascertain what each client organisation’ goals are for themselves, not just our goals for the client. Engaging in some sort of Visioning/hypothetical/magic wand exercise with the participants prior to the session can help them re-engage with their visions and what they are inspired by/hope for, and also gives invaluable information to the facilitator/trainer about how and where to lead them.

- Identify the stakeholder's expectations from the training program. - Find out what knowledge, skills and abilities you want to develop. - Develop a plan about how you will know you have achieved your objective. - Clearly ask the expectations of managers from the training program.

Surveys and interviews are great tools for gathering training needs data, but it is extremely important to understand the dynamics of power in play between participants and the executives driving the creation of new training. When there is anonymity built into the survey and interview process the results are much more relevant.

The most effective way to conduct a need analysis is - Study the past documents of the organization. - Vision, mission and values can be a great input for the training needs of the organization. - Find out the required competencies to achieve the vision and mission of the organization. - Find out the technological trends in the businesses. Align learning and development strategy accordingly. - Talk to the leadership of the organization.

Conduct surveys in individuals, not groups. That way, the results won't be influenced or shared between friends/co-workers, making your time and effort more efficient.

This seems like an odd task and kind of a false premise. If designing training for business X in industry A, it's more important to focus on how business X operates and their requirements. Business Z may have a very different approach in its operations, so trends aren't a factor. If it is changing due to equipment, technology, regulation, etc...that is an operational performance factor, not a trend.

An environmental scan is critical, as is future thinking. What are the current best practices in your industry and where is your industry headed? What are your goals for the future state of your organization? Will your training stand the test of time and lead to the behavior changes you hope to see? Consult with subject matter experts who are knowledgeable and future focused.

The best strategy to design programs that are up-to-date with industry trends is to not only focus on current trends, but to also anticipate future trends and incorporate them into the program. This requires a deep understanding of the industry, its challenges and opportunities, and a commitment to continuous learning and innovation. It also means collaborating with industry experts and stakeholders to ensure that the program meets their needs and aligns with their goals. Specifically, designing programs that are ahead of the curve rather than simply following current trends will better prepare students for the rapidly changing landscape of the industry.

Organizations who put emphasis on being internally better tomorrow than they are today for the sake of self-improvement reframes the competitive structure/mindset. The goals can then change to focus inward be incrementally better. Therefore, reaching out to competitors in the same industry, building connections, and finding ways to overcome challenges helps everyone grow.

Methods and tools can be developed based on - Geographical locations of the participants. - Budget allocated for the program. - No participants in the program. - The program should engage all types of learners. - Adult learning principles should be properly included.

Keep in mind that people learn in a variety of ways. Try to incorporate a variety of learning modalities and include adult learning methodologies. Leverage the existing knowledge of your learners and add in exercises and experiential learning that will engage and challenge them.

Choosing the appropriate tools in the training process is seen as a critical aspect in the success of the training program and enabling learners to fulfill the learning objectives of the program experimentally and practically. As a result, the tools chosen should be based on the most recent tools available on the labor market, and these tools should be compatible with work systems. Electronic and administrative resources within the organization whose employees are being trained, so that learners can use these tools practically and realistically immediately following the training course.

In my experience, one of the most important aspects of the evaluation of training is follow-up interviews with the target employees supervisors. They can usually give concise and sometimes critical feedback on the impact of the training to their teams. These supervisors can also be a great leading indicator of when the training needs to be updated prior to becoming obsolete. With the rapidness of change in all organizations this becomes increasingly critical if you want your training to remain relevant.

A great measure of the impact of your trainings is to look at the retention of your staff. Great leaders generally have low turnover rates. If you see declining turnover, chances are, your trainings are having a better impact than most.

1. Gut feeling - I get a feel for ow content is landing when presenting and his can be based on energy of participants, the types of questions asked, or general engagement 2. Feedback - seeking this before participants leave the session. Some of my greatest changes to training sessions have been as a result of post-course feedback (and I'll always thank them!) 3. Appreciating that everything has it's time - sometimes it's important to put courses to bed and relaunch with a new appetite! 4. Chatting with the managers of the participants who attended and asking questions such as 'have you noticed any changes or improvements in person X since their training'? 5. Listening to trends to bring training up to date

Periodic program evaluation is crucial to update your training program. To conduct an effective 360-degree program evaluation, consider including everyone who is impacted by the training program. Some methods can include pre- and post-test data results, and 1:1 interviews when appropriate, and landscape analysis with trainees, material developers. A literature scan every five years is also an effective method to update a training program in addition to the primary data collection mentioned earlier. When the mission, vision, and purpose of leadership and the organization update to keep up with the society, it can be beneficial to have a third-party evaluate training program materials for you.

Evaluation is key! Are you achieving your learning objectives? Has your training program produced the desired results. Have a measurable starting point and continually evaluate progress.

If you wait until you’ve identified an opportunity to start exploring the possibilities, you’ll always be behind trying to catch up. Staying current on what’s possible, and more importantly, what’s plausible for your organization is something you build into your regular repertoire. I’d encourage professionals to take a multi-faceted approach. One facet is building in an intentional effort by your teams to stay connected to your business partners outside formal engagements. Another is an intentional and objective assessment of your team’s skills and operational capability. The most effective solutions won’t hold if your team isn’t able to support it. Finally, maintain a network of trusted folks outside your organization.

While understanding industry trends is valuable, it's also important for organizations to use data to tailor training to their operational needs. Data-driven insights can pinpoint what's effective and what isn't, eliminating guesswork. By measuring the right KPIs, organizations can validate whether a new approach aligns with their objectives. It's not just about staying updated, it's about leveraging data to ensure that the training methods chosen yield tangible, lasting results. Using data as a guide, organizations can strike a balance between adopting new methods and ensuring those methods provide real value and impactful learning. What data are you using to measure KPIs? Build training programs from there.

Of the 'mandatory, company facilitated trainings' I have attended, there have been very few where I thought "Wow, we really needed that information." Often times the trainings are a reaction to something that happened in the workplace (harassment, OSHA violation, legal trouble). A proactive training program includes the steps above, these steps are indicative of a learning culture. Leadership needs to be on board with the learning objectives, the results of the learning analysis and what tools are needed to facilitate. Most importantly how the program needs to grow to fit the needs of the workers trained based on the needs analysis, not on the perceived needs from a leader who is not fully involved in the day to day operations.

While I agree that training should consider industry trends, I also believe it should be tailored to the specific needs and growth journey of each company as noted by other contributors.Just like individuals, organisations have their unique pathways, and what works for one may not necessarily yield the same results for another. Therefore, it is important to adopt different approaches that align with the desired outcomes of the organisation at that specific stage of its journey, even if it deviates from industry trends. Data driven, customised training can best address the specific challenges and opportunities faced by the organisation, ensuring relevance and maximizing the effectiveness of the learning experience you offer them.

Thomas Simpson Adj. Professor Recently I have found in police scene briefings the hazmat has become a critical cross reference training need due to the changeing materials and caustic chemicals that become toxic when burning cars trucks trailers and other carriers are involved. This way interfaceing with FIRE AND RESCUE is a must. This has doubled training assesments and timetables. But the rewards and networking has strengthened the total EMS services across the board.