Vague, Unhelpful Feedback After Training? Avoid Wasting Resources, And Try These 3 Methods Instead

I want to introduce legislation to press 'delete' on the feedback form post-training. Consign the good old ‘happy sheet’ to the wastepaper basket. It’s a useless source of data. 

We assume that the trainer is reasonably good - and if not, sure, let us know. But really, is the likeability of the facilitator a proxy for what participants learnt during the session? And a proxy for what they will apply in the workplace?

I am happy that the air-con was at the right level and the group could network with the other participants. That is simply no predictor at all as to whether your participants will use their skills in their working context.

What’s more learning should be uncomfortable and should stretch participants. If you are happy with the training, were you truly out of your comfort zone as you unlearnt poor habits or gained new skills.

So, what can we do instead?

1. That forgetting curve is a damn hard thing to beat. Within 7 days, we recall about 7 - 10% of what we were taught. FACT.

Rather send out scenario and quiz questions to test whether your participants can in fact recall anything that they learnt during the session. Always ask it as a question. 

Make it short and sharp. It can be sent out really simply via text or email if your LMS doesn’t allow it. It could be multiple choice as long as the right answer isn’t the longest answer. That puts pressure on your training team to ensure that everyone can recall the key messages from the session. 

The best way to improve retention is just at the moment when the participant is about to forget the key messages. Space out when you send through the questions to truly embed the learning.

2.  I see zero value in asking on a feedback form whether participants could use this knowledge back in the workplace. How do they know what they will use when they aren’t at work yet? Instead of a meaningless question like that, as you do your embedding piece post-training, this would be a far more appropriate and useful time to ask the question. Example: “What are you using in your daily work that you gained from the training? Give at least 3 examples.” 

This type of self-reflection is a great way of closing that gap between the type of change you want to see in the workplace and the learning event itself. Now, data like that is useful to truly review the Impact of your training program. You might be surprised as to what in fact is being implemented - or not...

3.  Time to get creative! We are watching video more than ever before. Depending on which data you look at, 70% or so of us are consuming content via video. And no one is expecting high end production videos. People want it natural, authentic and relatable. 

Imagine a facilitator at the end of the program doing a video of themselves on a phone to sum up key messages and even video the commitments that the group made by the end of the session. Send this out post-training and end off with a question such as ‘have you fulfilled these commitments?’ That’s yet another way of discovering what is really happening post-training where it matters - in the real working environment.

Who is going to join me on my mission to press delete on the feedback form? Click ‘like’ to show your support!