Training Material Development Guide

Training Material Development Guide 

Enabling the strategic alignment 

between training and performance with 

Table of contents.…………..…….………............................................................................................................1 

Prefaces and Purpose of the Guide……..............................................................................................................2 1 

Coordination.....................................................................................................................................................4 1.1 

Pre-Training Planning…..................................................................................................................................5 1.2 

Training Logistics Checklist…..............................................................................................................................6 

Needs Assessment...........................................................................................................................................7 2.1 

Assessing Needs .............................................................................................................................................8 2.2 

Adult Learners............................................................…………………………………………..……………..9 3 

Design...................................................................................…………………………………………….…15 3.1 

Course Design Process...................................................................................................................................15 3.2 

Learning Outcomes..........................................................................................................................................17 4 

Development..................................................................................................................................................21 4.1 

Developing Material.......................................................................................................................................21 4.2 

Developing Presentations………………………………………….................................................................26 5 

Delivery..........................................................................................................................................................27 5.1 

Training Methods...........................................................................................................................................27 5.2 

Effective Communication Skills……………………………………………………....................................31 5.6 

Evaluation.........................................................................................................................................................35 6 

Forms of Evaluation.......................................................................................................................................35 6.1 

Process Evaluation…….................................................................................................................................37 6.2 

Reference…………………………..................................................................................................................40 7 

EmployeeTalk Acknowledgment............................................ ......................................................................41 7.1 

Note about the author........................................................................................................................................43.8 

The activities of communication, engagement, and, measuring learning working together


Prefaces and Purpose of the Guide 

A strong succession planning program identifies and fosters the next generation of leaders through mentoring, 

training and stretch assignments. This would include Communication, Employee Engagement, and Measuring 

Learning working together. Employee Engagement is at the centerpiece. It is ongoing and not just a once a 

year activity. It requires a focus on what is critical now. The results from a yearly employee engagement 

survey, for example, can leave us wondering “Now that I have identified some strengths and opportunity, what 

do I do now?” Better outcomes are met when we create training activities in relation to employee engagement. 

This guide documents the process and good practice in developing training material, piloting and testing it. It 

is designed to help those (the course organizers) to plan and conduct a course. The guide aims to demonstrate 

different ways to engage using a Communication and Learning Measurement Technology to deliver and 

confirm outcomes. The (ET), EmployeeTalk platform is showcased in these processes and good practices and 

outlines an approach to meet Succession Planning objectives from employee engagement. 

Dashboards 

For better independent development planning each employee should be set up with their own personal 

dashboard. Their personal dashboards are for login in EmployeeTalk to sign off on onboarding tasks and 

Employee Handbook, view Yearly Performance Reviews, engage Personal Assessments, and Collaborative 

Assessments; such as 360° Feedback Reviews, Stretch Assignment Tasks, and, Manager Tips. This platform 

creates more accountability to skill improvement and provides a place to support a personalized training 

approach. 

ET uniquely pinpoints the individual profiles of employees learning style and behavior. This supports the 

quality in the activity of training. The transparent activities empower managers to assist their team in Skill 

Development, Independent Development Planning, and Succession Planning in the organization. Course 

design is initially inspired from employees, managers, leads, and, training team’s observations and it’s based 

on the corporate learning strategy which is developed from the following key elements: 

• Specific Business Objectives – What are the specific financial and/or human capital goals your 

company is trying to meet? Your business objectives should provide the framework for your strategy. 

• Audience – What are the roles that have a direct impact on each of these goals? Training should 

focus on the employees in these roles. The stakeholder audience could be an internal one or external 

one such as customers, vendors, or patients. 

• Delivery Method – How will training be delivered? This includes identifying the type of content 

needed, the medium through which it is delivered and how learning will be measured. 

• Performance Support – How will performance be supported? How will outcomes be confirmed? 

Training must be applied and reinforced to be effective and should continually evolve to meet 

changing needs. 

The guide includes information on the main steps and stages in the sequence of designing a training course all 

the way to evaluation for feedback into further development. It is worth mentioning here that the design and 



development process of training material is anything but linear. In fact, it will be important to utilize today’s 

training techniques such as Micro Learning, Just in Time Training, Mobile Design with an online Library 

(LMS), and, of course, Online Dashboards for the employees in EmployeeTalk. Training will be very iterative 

but some content can be a challenge and difficult to capture in a document such as in how this guide outlines. 

Design processes are always divided into steps and phases in order to make sure that checks and tests are 

carried out at the appropriate time to avoid any lengthy and costly time-consuming modifications at the end. 

There are 4 key overarching principles to any design process – the 4Cs: 

1. Clarity: Working groups and design teams need to take their time at the onset of any course design 

process to achieve and agree on the clarity of several issues including: 

a. Purpose of the course 

e. process plan 

b. target group 

f. responsibilities 

c. aims and objectives 

d. learning outcomes 

g. piloting and testing 

h. evaluation 

The more this is given time and attention the better and smoother the process that follows will run. If 

there is any disagreement on the fundamentals, it is going to affect almost every aspect of the design 

and development process and will result in a constant insurmountable obstacle. It’s also important not 

to leave anything to assumptions of any kind. 

2. Capacity: Assessing the required capacity of the design and development team, those who will be 

involved in the administration and logistics of piloting and running the courses and the overall 

management team is also fundamental. Training courses are different and each requires a set of skills 

and expertise unique from another depending on the context it runs in. Making sure that the right 

team is put together and given adequate resources is another fundamental principle in training design 

and development. Time should also be taken in assembling the appropriate capacity package whether 

human resources and expertise or material and non-tangible. 

3. Consistency: Once an approach is agreed upon, the consistency maintains the quality of the design 

process. When there is clarity on aims and objectives and the design team moves into the details of 

methods and training approach and techniques, it’s important to stay consistent with what the training 

is trying to achieve and stay focused on the main purpose. Design and development processes get 

derailed by losing focus or trying to follow fads and gimmicks in training that might not be suitable to 

the purpose of the course. It’s also important that the design team sticks with the process from 

beginning to the end. This would include follow-through and the confirming of understanding 

through learning measures. This last part representing collaboration with teams. If training team 

members have to be substituted, it’s important that there is enough overlap/hand over period so new 

members can join in, bringing in fresh and new ideas without disrupting an on-going process 

especially when it’s farther down the line. 

4. Commitment: Lack of commitment is largely what makes or breaks any design and development 

process. Commitment is not just from the design team but of all stakeholders involved in terms of 

supporting the design team efforts financially, technologically, administratively, logistically, etc. The 

best design efforts falter and cannot be sustained when there is lack of commitment. 



1. Coordination 

Coordinating a training course requires a variety of steps, tasks, and skills. Although a lot of training 

coordination takes place during the design phase, coordination is very important during all phases of the 

training process. Coordination begins at the time training is proposed and continues even after it is delivered 

and the participants leave. The various roles a training coordinator leads include; communication manager, 

materials producer, employee engagement specialist, problem-solver, and even entertainment director. In 

short, coordinating training requires the endless management of many details and people. This section covers 

pre-training planning and checklists to be taken into account early on in the process. A collaborative training 

approach centralizes lesson access too. The preplanning objective is to capture lessons and training critical to 

the individual department success and ensure learning goals are driven by business goals for reuse and 

accessibility. Consider using a preliminary approach to engage potential training needs, a litmus test to ensure 

that the department goals align with the organization’s goals. The material development phase is driven by 

observation utilizing scorecards from the manager’s perspective and checklist from the team’s. This is done to 

get the unit manager to start thinking about training when none is planned. These general questions can be 

launched online virtually as an assessment within EmployeeTalk (ET) with the intent to follow up face to face 

with conversation. When managers are engaged on the material topic in person, ask if there is anything else. 

Remember this exercise is to get leaders thinking about their training needs. We are in the material inception 

stage so face to face is a must. These Material Inception questions are also provided transparently: 

When considering training and succession planning needs, what is your most critical objective today to meet 

business goals? 

I can list in the space provided these critical objectives, the first being most critical? Yes or No 

1. 

2. 

3. 

You can share what the current obstacles are preventing the success of this critical objective? Yes or No 

1. 

2. 

3. 

You can share what is currently in place to support those critical objectives? Yes or No 

1. 

2. 

3. 

You can share what is needed from the training team to support those objectives? Yes or No 

1. 



2. 

3. 

In follow up face to face 

By implementing this training action, we would solve this objective and business goal? Yes or No 

The actual training is created from a detailed Checklist 3 exampled under design part 3.1 in this guide. This too 

can be engaged online virtually with EmployeeTalk so leaders can respond when their available giving them 

time to think about needed content and context. 

1.1 Pre-Training Planning: 

One of the first and most important steps in pre-training planning is to identify and agree on roles and 

responsibilities before posts are even filled. Terms of reference should also be drawn for the following set 

of roles: 

MANAGEMENT MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING 

Program Manager Curriculum Developer Training Facilitators 

Training Coordinator Content Specialist Training Co-Facilitators 

Administrative Assistant Curriculum Writer Manager – Training Assistant 

Curriculum Editor 

Facilitator – Train the Trainer 

Graphic Designer 

Videographer 

Programmer/IT 

For clarity of responsibilities the Program Manager is usually and typically The Unit Manager and in a case of 

a project that has a strong training component the Unit Manager is also the Program Manager and Content 

Specialist. The Training Coordinator, on the other hand, could be someone from the internal training team or 

someone in the counter-part department or the organization targeted by the training and/or a regionally based 

leader where the training is planned. These two can be different from the Lead Material Development 

Specialist (also known as Curriculum Developer), who in some cases could be a hired consultant. The 

Administrative Assistant, Graphic Designer, Videographer and, Programmer/IT is self-explanatory terms and 

is someone who reports to the Training Coordinator and is responsible for the details of training admin and 

logistics. 

1.2 Training Logistics Checklist: 

The following checklist will be referred to time and time again throughout the design and development 

process. It’s important to consider it as early as possible since some of the decisions made at this stage 

will have fundamental implications on the material design and content. Reflecting back on the iterative 

nature of the design process some of the information in the following checklist should come from the 

training needs assessment, which is covered in the following section. 



WHAT YOU NEED TO 

KNOW 

Training schedule/ structure 

Optimal number of training 

days 

Spread of training over one 

or more weeks 

Best days of the week 

Best time of the day 

Length of each session 

WHERE TO FIND 

THE ANSWER 

HOW TO FIND THE 

ANSWER (STEPS) 

TEAM NOTES 

1.3 Coordination 

This particular checklist is for training needed delivered outside the office or regionally delivered. 

TRAINING LOCATION 1 2 3 

Access 

Comfort 

Training facility 

Accommodation 

Supplies on-site 

Food and drink 

ADVERTISING 

Lead time for advertising 

Information for nomination and enrolment 

Direct invitations 

Other advertising ideas 

REGISTRATION 

Check off on – EmployeeTalk LMS (track) 

And online by email 

By post (internal social network) 

Other ways of registration 



2. Needs Assessment 

The following four central questions must be answered before you begin designing a training course. 

• Audience: Who is the target audience for a proposed training? 

• Current roles: What do members of this target audience presently do in their roles? 

• Knowledge gaps: What gaps exist between what these providers know how to do, and what they need 

to know to carry out their roles successfully? 

• Outcome: Will training help fill this gap? 

These questions form the foundation of a training needs assessment. Both general organizational assessments 

and personal assessments highlight a broad array of training opportunity in a company. When we target 

expectation it helps us to understand unknown obstacles to execution (the gaps). Gap assessments are targeted 

and focused in these two areas. Both of these gap assessments are commonly used in Succession Planning 

activities. Here are some example methods, techniques, and, tools to resource and engage using 

EmployeeTalk: 

Organizational Gap Assessments Resources 

Culture assessment 

Yearly employee engagement survey 

Targeted Pulse communications 

Retention assessments 

Quality assessments 

Transformation communications 

Work Balance assessment 

Personal Gap Assessment Resources 

Self-assessment 

Performance Review 

360° Feedback Review 

Roll Perception – self-evaluation 

Self-assertiveness assessment 

Listening assessment 

Learning style –self-assessment 

The Undercover Boss method is an example of an exercise using EmployeeTalk which can identify both 

organizational and personal training gap needs online. 

• Undercover Boss 

engages in an Undercover Boss like approach 

online without being undercover and engages specific aspects of the business with a much larger 

audience than the TV show. Get to know your people. Follow-through on great ideas and training 

opportunity face to face from feedback. The great reveal is driven by the Task Reporting System in 



ET. It confirms better outcomes by enabling leaders to track, task, and, coach team with lessenoriented 

follow-through actions or stretch assignments from feedback. This face to face is initiated 

through email or a phone text and then authentically delivered. 

• Stakeholder Product Training is yet another area which can be a focus beyond the organizational or 

personal gap assessment. Engage employees whose role and use of tools and equipment directly 

affect quality. Use the opportunity to educate and engage on product experience leaning on team 

expertise for feedback. For example, a product is outside a Nurse’s personal performance yet the 

products they use can still affect performance in the perspective of quality- hence a different gap 

focus. Another product training area to consider engaging is Sales. People can benefit from product 

knowledge. In this concept, customers could be engaged in their experience. This is where internal 

training becomes an external opportunity. 

For a risk concept-oriented example, a curriculum developer or trainer must first understand what Workers 

Comp, Risk Manager or Safety Control Management Personnel presently do in their jobs and how training 

could change the nature of their work. As a result, they will be better able to determine what knowledge and 

skills are needed. However, it is important to keep in mind that training is only part of a solution to meet 

professional needs which are identified in a needs assessment. Other changes - in addition to training - may be 

needed in order to completely fill a learning gap. 

In addition; adult learners’ particular learning needs are important considerations when designing training. 

Understanding those needs is part of the needs assessment phase. 

2.1 Assessing Needs 

The first step in building a training course from inception is identifying the needs of target participants. 

There is a variety of methods for conducting a needs assessment. An in-depth Key Informant Survey can 

also be used in EmployeeTalk and driven transparently or anonymously, given the context of the questions 

- political or neutral. This can provide further details and insights into needs and overall course design 

approach and material focus. 

A Need: A “need” refers to the gap between what is and what could or should be within a particular 

context, leading to strategies aimed at eliminating the gap between what is and should or could be. This is 

best communicated when leaders focus communication on the expectation and inform, educate, and, 

identify potential obstacles. The obstacles viewed as gaps can be addressed in the training 

Anytime leaders are communicating “the maybe” it is because some expectations are not well known. The 

positive in these statements is that “maybe” is the communication of potential possibility. 

Needs Assessment: Program-based needs assessment is: 

a. A systematic inquiry for the purposes of identifying priorities and making decisions, and 

b. Allocating finite resources in a manner consistent with identified program goals and 

objectives. Needs assessment includes: 

• Identifying and analyzing expressed and unexpressed needs. 

• A plan to develop strategies that address such needs. 



The following key questions need to be posed in any needs assessment: 

• What do the participants need to know and do as a result of this training? 

• What do we need to know about the course participants and the population they serve? 

Key tasks in any needs assessment will include, but not limited to, the following: 

Determine the target population 

• Identify what type of professionals the course is designed for. 

Determine the participants’ needs 1 these items below identify other methods, techniques, and, tools to 

capture this information. 

• 

• 

ET = EmployeeTalk 

IP – In Person 

• Draw from your past experience with similar groups (IP) 

• Information from informal discussions among professionals in the network (IP) 

• Conduct surveys (data and correlations) (ET) 

• Conduct focus groups (ET and IP) 

• Work with an advisory panel (ET and IP) 

• Observe participants (ET and IP) 

• Interview participants (ET and IP) 

• Learn about critical incidents (ET and IP) 

• Corporate Book club feedback (IP) 

• Committee Team feedback (ET and IP) 

• Determine what emerging data should be distributed (ET and IP) 

1 See for example: 

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dialog-measure-communication-eric-bruggeman-etiv/?trk=mp-reader-card 

• www.e-trainingmanuals.com.au 

• http://www.go2itech.org/HTML/TT06/toolkit/assessment/needs.html 

Understand the participants’ characteristics 

• Experience 

• Cultural background 

• Education 

• Location 

• Mind set/Motivation 

• Constraints (location, job demands, etc.) 



2.2 Adult Learners 

It is radically different to design training courses and material for adults than any other group. Adult 

learning follows certain principles listed below and adapted from: Malcolm S. Knowles, Elwood E. Holton 

III, & Richard A. Swanson, (2005) The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and 

Human Resource Development, Burlington, MA: Elsevier. 

1. Adults are often concerned that participating in a group can be political and will make them look 

weak, either professionally or personally. 

• When there is a political environment and early contribution is critical to design then 

consider some anonymous engagement in EmployeeTalk. These dialogs can be 

general questions targeting key roles in policy and procedure, best practices or 

solution requests based on a call for innovation. 

• Design training workshops, educational exercises, and discussion sessions that help 

people feel safe enough to ask questions and be confident that they will be respected. 

For example, following-up on a town hall meeting anonymously in ET can address 

gaps in training, needed presentation skills, or identify where information failed to 

reach target audiences. 

• Don’t ask people to take risks too early in a workshop or course (for example, 

engaging in a role-play exercise) unless they already know each other well. 

• Provide opportunities and allow time for people to establish themselves in the group. 

2. Adults bring a great deal of experience and knowledge to any learning situation. 

• Show respect for participants’ experience by asking them to share ideas, opinions, 

and knowledge. Verbally recognize that they may be a good resource for reaching 

your teaching goals. 

• A needs assessment can tell you more about the individuals in the group. Or, if you 

already know the participants, you may realize that a particular individual can 

provide helpful input before, during, or after your session(s) - see point 5 below. 

3. Adults are decision-makers and self-directed learners. 

• Do not seek to make people obey you. Adults will do what they need to do. 

• Be the “guide on the side” rather than the “sage on the stage”. 

• Listen to what they want and need and be flexible in your planning. Seek feedback 

from the group. Change your approach if your agenda or methods are not working. 

4. Adults are motivated by information or tasks that they find meaningful. 2 

• Conduct some type of needs assessment so that you are aware of what people want 

(and need) to learn, how much they already know, and the kinds of “generative 

themes” that might affect their attention span. 

• Generative themes are concerns/issues that are most important in a person’s life. 

• Generative themes may enhance or challenge a person’s ability to learn. 

• They could include such things as the fear of losing a job, the health of a loved one, 

the desire for a promotion, the need for a change, the pending birth of a child, 

problems in a relationship, or new possibilities for growth and development. 



Motivation can come in the form of engaging gamification techniques in training using a multitude of 

challenges which align with personal and business goals. Each motivating challenge built around information 

or a task, for example can use its own set of gamification techniques, such as contests and prizes, badges, 

partner and group challenges. In the words of Peter Drucker, “What gets measured gets managed.” A 

meaningful goal should not rely on any forces outside of your control, for instance, getting promoted. Your 

goal should reflect only what’s controllable on your end. So your goal in the desire to be promoted shouldn’t 

be defined as ‘get promoted.’ It should sound something like, ‘invest 40 hours towards getting promoted.’ 

The effort in this supports independent development planning and succession planning. Another way to 

support this for your team is to use the Task Reporting System in ET to delegate activities or actions to support 

growth, where perhaps after delivering an action there is a Level Up outcome for a leader (like Lead-name 

added to a title). Goals should be quantifiable too. For another training example, don’t set a goal to become 

thin. What does “thin” even mean? Be careful of subjectivity. ET has gone to great lengths towards ensuring 

leaders clearly define and focus their initiatives. Set a goal to lose X pounds in your Wellness Program or aim 

for a specific body fat percentage. Answering (3) checklist questions daily can help change behavior and keep 

you on track. Consider gamification in course development and support the strategic alignment between 

training and performance. Here are a few examples of rewards I’ve used in the past to support motivation: 

• Kindle – and, an invite to be part of the company book club 

• Day off with pay – encourage work balance and family 

• Book – representing a growth focus or business opportunity which can be strengthened 

• Moleskine notebook – to enhance or encourage communication 

• Red Bull or energy drink – to infuse energy and focus into people to support business 

• Specialized coffee (beans for Coffee Roasters) – Same concept 

• New headphones – if it supports the wellness fitness activities 

• Gift Cards – support local business and the community. Many businesses will provide special 

discounts to support employee excellence because it means more business for them. 

Adult learning activity examples: 

• Breakout puzzle room is a team-building exercise to develop better comradery between people; 

Diversity with Diversity, Department with Department, Baby boomers with Millennials, and Unit with 

Unit, for example. It can pit 3 to 6 player teams against each other to solve a puzzle to unlock a room 

and achieve the best time. The team building exercise is wide open for problem-solving scenarios. 

Conflict resolution, Research, and Collaboration are just example pieces of your puzzle. 

• Recognition Program is a variety of engagement and assessment activities which come together in 

ET to make research methods in evaluating recognition work well. Review set-up methods for this to 

ensure the right ones are selected for you. (here) 



2 See some example actions, exercises and suggested readings for adults in 40 core competencies: 

• https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/58874373/innovatevirtual-targeted- 

5. Adults have many responsibilities and can be impatient when their time is wasted. 

• Be thoughtful and kind. 

• Begin and end your session on time. 

• Understand who is in the audience and why they are participating. 

In the offset of training, an excellent way to ensure everyone has an opportunity to contribute is to use a 

Virtual Meeting Link in EmployeeTalk. Raise your hand if you ever sat in a meeting – hearing content and 

wondered doesn’t everyone already know this? What’s even more frustrating is attending a meeting where the 

agenda was not shared beforehand. In this type of meeting conclusions and recommendations are not easily 

obtained. More time is often needed to think of ideas or solutions so a follow-up meeting is usually required. 

Productivity is important to us. The VML enables leaders to engage a meeting agenda before the meeting 

takes place. This captures contribution from people on their schedule, anytime and anywhere such as from 

other shifts and locations. It also captures feedback from participants who are unable to attend the actual 

meeting also improving productivity. The anonymous feedback assists the presenter in the development and 

the research of information to reach better meeting outcomes and discussions for when the meetings actually 

take place. This is an approach that engages impatience. The additional contribution will help you: 

• Learn what questions they have about the subject. 

• Don’t cover material they already know unless there is a good reason for it. 

• Recognize that your subject is only one of many that participants may be interested 

in learning more about. The following are more specific tips and style in adult 

learning: 



ADULTS LEARN BEST WHEN 

They feel valued and respected for the experiences and 

perspectives they bring to the training situation. 

The learning experience is active rather than passive. 

The learning experience actually fills their immediate 

needs. 

They accept responsibility for their own learning. 

Their learning is self-directed and meaningful to them 

Their learning experience addresses ideas, feelings, and 

actions. 

New material relates to what participants already know. 

The learning environment is conducive to learning. 

Learning is applied immediately. 

Learning is reinforced. 

Learning occurs in small groups. 

The trainer values participants’ contributions as both 

learners and teachers. 

MATCHING ADULT LEARNING NEEDS 

WITH APPROPRIATE METHODS 

Elicit participants’ experiences and perspectives 

through a variety of stimulating activities. 

Actively engage participants in their learning 

experience through discussion and a variety of 

activities. 

Identify participants’ needs; develop training 

concepts and learning objectives to these identified 

needs. 

Make sure that training content and skills are 

directly relevant to participants’ experiences so that 

they will want to learn. 

Involve participants in deciding on the content and 

skills that will be covered during the training. 

Use multiple training methods that address 

knowledge, attitudes, and skills. 

Use training methods that enable participants to 

establish this relationship and integrate new 

material. 

Take measures to ensure that the physical and 

social environment (training space) is safe, 

comfortable, and enjoyable. 

Provide opportunities for participants to apply the 

new information and skills they have learned. 

Use training methods that allow participants to 

practice new skills and receive prompt, reinforcing 

feedback 

Use training methods that encourage participants to 

explore feelings, attitudes, and skills with other 

learners. 

Encourage participants to share their expertise and 

experiences with others in the training. 

This particular Learning Style self- assessment is delivered from EmployeeTalk where the respondents provide 

feedback. It highlights what personally is a good leaning practice for them. Here they can value what is 

important too. This data can be referenced by the training team when individual training is needed. 

LEARNING STYLES 

Learn best with abstract concepts and lectures 

Learn best while observing others 

Learn best from exercises 

Learn best through visual means 

CONSIDER USING 

Case studies and discussions about theories and research 

Demonstrations and videos 

Role-playing and other experiential activities 

Videos, images, and slides 



These are responses captured in EmployeeTalk to personalize training approaches. One size training fits all is 

a concept of the past. If we do not make it personal participation can be lacking or unenthusiastic. It is 

important to recognize that people learn differently and that there are several learning styles to engage. 

Training courses that recognize different types of learners and caters to their needs succeed a lot more in 

achieving their objectives than the ones that try to funnel all participants through a rigid narrow way of single 

or uni-learning mode. 

Tracking and documenting participants and participation is important too. The EmployeeTalk system can be 

used to set up a transparent LMS or (Learning Management System. Or, anonymous Dashboard based on 

preference for tracking learning style results. It’s important to be able to refer to the individual team results 

anytime when developing training. Real-time tracking and analytics are important for both those receiving the 

training and those providing it. Dashboards that illustrate results visually allow employees to see the 

connections between the training they receive and their performance. EmployeeTalk captures averages for 

each question asked. Those questions are compiled together to create an overall engagement score which can 

be compared over time. And for their managers and other decision-makers, they also show the connections 

between system performance, user engagement, and business goals, which helps to quantify the investment in 

their training programs. ET can support analytics and the strategic alignment between training and 

performance using specific approaches: 

• Targeted Report is a selection of dashboards individually created in ET to display targeted results 

from employees, departments or managers. In fact, its flexibility enables leaders to compile a final 

visual on whatever is being targeted where the opportunity and strengths are well defined. 

• Analytics is based on average so every response counts as opposed to targeting a percent score. 

• Onboarding Dashboard also called an Independent Development Planning Dashboard – evaluates an 

employee’s potential. Managers with direct reports can easily manage their employee’s individual 

development better. Each employee is set up with their own personal ET Dashboard platform to log 

into. The manager and the employee can communicate and collaborate better online together by 

focusing on development virtually. Here there is transparency in the scoring for employees. This can 

improve the quality of a manager’s time management with their team member. The employee takes 

ownership in their Dashboard to ensure their training and development is up to date. The manager 

adds critical to know content, expectation, or questions for the employee to answer during their 

process or work. (checklist) This provides a visual of opportunity. A manager can review their team 

results and know where they should focus on in their individual development. When the same sets of 

questions are being asked over time they can be compared to represent growth. Development can 

include critical processes or procedures. It can also include job descriptions, both with knowledge 

checks. This is also where a 360°, personal assessments or a yearly performance review could be 

launched and tracked. This is where personal actions can be tasked by the manager and then tracked 

into results. This build of information in one place makes for a very good review of performance and 

employee commitment. 

Generally, there are four modes of learning and people could be one or another or even switch between 

different modes depending on the subject matter: 

• Doer: Likes to be actively involved in the learning process, wants to know how he or 

she will apply learning in the real world, likes information presented clearly and 

concisely. 



• Feeler: People-oriented, expressive, focuses on feelings and emotions, thrives in 

open, unstructured learning environment. 

• Thinker: Relies on logic and reason, likes to share ideas and concepts, analyses and 

evaluates, enjoys Individual work. 

• Observer: Likes to watch and listen, tends to be reserved, will take his or her time 

before participating, and thrives on learning through discovery 

As a leader, you may be challenged in understanding your team’s personality. You may not be aware of how to 

reach your team best in training or engaging face to face. This above is an example of a single pulse question 

to engage that understanding with EmployeeTalk. This is also a transparent pulse. 

3. Design 

Designing a training course is like mapping out a road trip or creating a journey. A training design is basically 

an outline of all the “what, where, who, when and how” details of the training for use by coordinators, 

curriculum developers, and trainers. There are six primary components of a training design: 

1. Learning Outcomes: What will participants be able to do as a result of completing the training? 

2. Training Materials: What materials need to be developed and what will the materials include? 

3. Trainers & Content Experts: Who will facilitate the training and act as content experts to review 

materials? 

4. Training Methods: What methods will be used so that participants meet the learning objectives and 

learn the content most effectively? 

5. Logistics: Where and when will the training take place? Who will be invited and how will they be 

notified? Will a per diem be paid to participants? Etc. Will there be continuing education credit? 

6. Confirmation: What is the question/s that needs to be answered at the end, what is the true take away 

to understand? 

Optimally, the results of a needs assessment inform these six training design components. For example, if we 

know the gap between what a target audience knows and what it needs to know, we can write learning 

outcome statements that precisely meet their job-related needs. Needs assessment will also help determine who 

will be needed as content experts for the training and whether a course should be a brown bagger two, three, or 

five days long. 

3.1 Course Design Process 

Course design refers to the planning and structuring of a course to achieve specific instructional goals. The 

course design process includes the following activities: 

• Identifying appropriate goals 

• Choosing content that’s consistent with the goals 



• Selecting ways to achieve the goals 

• Assessing participant learning in relation to the goals 

As part of the design process, instructors should also consider: 

• Their own teaching style 

• The learning styles of the participants 

• The role of the course in the overall training effort 

Before training begins 

Most design decisions must be made before the first session of the course. These decisions 

relate to these basic areas: 

• The content to include 

• The delivery methods to use 

• The time allocated for each of the goals 

• The tools for assessing participant learning 

During the training session 

As you conduct the training, we will learn more about the participants and their needs. Doing 

the learning style self-assessment in ET first though will offset this a great deal however we 

still need to be prepared just in case. The information we discover will require adjustments in 

the course design. For example, after working with the group, we may decide to: 

• Change the time allocation for a particular topic 

• Change the type of activity associated with a particular topic, for instance, from an 

individual to a group activity or vice versa 

At the conclusion of the session 

The information we gather at the conclusion of a training session will help us assess the 

effectiveness of the current training and help improve future training sessions. To evaluate the 

course: 

• Use appropriate evaluation tools and our own perceptions 

• Obviously, a follow-up in ET on training effectiveness is a must do survey whenever 

training is provided. 

Going into further detail of curriculum design, the following checklist and questions are used as guidance: 

A checklist will often include Just-in-time applicability. In today’s fast-paced business environment where 

employees manage multiple roles, workers want and need training that can be easily accessed and quickly 

engaged the moment it’s needed on the job. Employees today have little patience for training that they cannot 

immediately apply to their work. What they need is (JITT) just-in-time training. JITT relies on a feedback loop 

between web-based learning materials and the classroom or meeting (Novak et al., 1999). Leaders capable of 

combining JITT with Micro-learning content allow employees to focus on training that is relevant to the task at 

hand and as a result, is immediately applicable. For this reason, there is an emphasis on observation for 

managers in JITT (checklists and scorecards). JITT allows employees to quickly improve their performance, 



which can lead to greater financial rewards and recognition in the workplace for them and – when training 

goals are aligned with business goals a better bottom line for the company. 

Better communication in JITT is a no-brainer when considering quality for example. It is directly tied to 

communication and can affect the retention of Staff or Customers. Leaders today should take advantage of 

portable computers for observations, as in handhelds to capture information in real time – this can include 

phones’. Quality leaders should be capturing data that is easy to review and delegate out. In healthcare, it 

could be the COO or Nurse leaders rounding. In Retail, it could be the District Manager evaluating their stores 

and employee performance. It can be a Manager in the restaurant engaging their customer in their order. The 

need and ability in JITT require us to take information in but quickly be able to delegate it out to address 

opportunity now. Complete this training worksheet to help you begin designing your training. If multiple 

experts need engaged use EmployeeTalk to engage them. Use a handheld if you are engaging team experts in 

their office or on the floor. 

3EmployeeTalk Checklist 

1. I have a general theme or topic: 

In general, what knowledge and skill areas will be the focus of the training? 

2. I can list the goals and objectives: 

What do we want participants to learn during the training? (What will they leave knowing 

more about or what new skills will they have acquired?) 

3. I can list the essential questions: 

What central questions do we want participants answering as the training unfolds? 

4. Can you provide a summary of participant activities: 

How will participants accomplish curriculum objectives and answer the questions in numbers 

2 and 3 above? (e.g. small group discussions and projects, lectures, role-playing.) 

5. I know what Resources I need: 

What resources might the trainer use to help participants accomplish curriculum objectives? 

(e.g. current research, guest speakers, discussions, encouragement) 

6. I know the assessment activities: 

How will we determine if participants a) have reached curriculum objectives identified in 

number 2 above; and b) can answer the questions in number 3. 

7. I have an idea for the evaluation of the training and the training process: 

How will we evaluate the quality and usefulness of the training as well as its implementation? 

These results will enable you to compile a good approach in your design. 

3.2 Learning Outcomes 

Learning objectives are central to designing a training course. They must reflect the needs assessment 

results and work in harmony with training methods and design. A learning outcome is a statement of what 

a learner is expected to know, understand, or be able to do as a result of a learning process. There are 

several ways of developing appropriate learning outcomes/objectives. 



Beginning a learning objective with a strong verb can help guide the development of training because it 

focuses attention on what participants are supposed to be able to DO after they complete training. 

The following are just a few examples of standard verbs used to start a learning outcome or objective 

statement: 

FACT ANALYSIS UNDERSTANDING APPLICATION ATTITUDE 

Define Solve Discuss Compute Show sensitivity 

List Categorize Identify Operate Accept responsibility 

Recall Distinguish Express Apply Be willing to assist 

Name Appraise Describe Demonstrate Respect opinions 

Repeat Differentiate Translate Perform Demonstrate commitment 

Recognize Classify Convert Use Spontaneous 

Record Compare Explain Illustrate Assertive 

State Critique Restate Interpret Appreciate 

Label Contrast Estimate Practice 

There are specific reasons why learning outcomes and objectives should be well thought through and 

clearly stated from the outset and before any design activities take place. These are: 

• Identifying outcomes is an effective way to review curriculum and content. This 

leads to a more balanced and well-sequenced curriculum. 

• It helps design appropriate assessment and evaluation tools that accurately reflect the 

curriculum. 

• By reviewing the needs assessment, trainers know what participants know and need, 

and the learning outcomes help inform everyone as to what new materials or skills 

they are intended to learn. 

• Trainers are able to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching. Have the outcomes 

been achieved? 

• An instructional shift from teaching to learning is facilitated. The focus is on the 

learner rather than the trainer. 

• Participants will know exactly what they are expected to learn, thus avoiding 

ambiguity. 

• If you build participant learning assessments into the training, participants will know 

exactly how their learning will be assessed. 

Participants begin to take more responsibility for their own learning when they know what they are 

expected to do and what standard they are expected to achieve. At the stage of writing learning 

outcomes and objectives, the following questions need to be considered for confirmation: 

• What information or content do we want participants to learn from the training? 

• What do we want them to do with that information? 

• What skills or competencies do we want them to gain, develop, expand, or improve? 

• What kind of higher-level thinking do we want them to engage in? 

• How do we expect participants to demonstrate what they have learned and how well 

they have learned it? 

• At the very minimum, what should participants know and be able to do when they 

finish the training? 



• How do we think they will be able to use the information and skills that they develop? 

• If someone asks the participants what they learned from your training, how would we 

like them to answer? 

There are four major steps to any training design process: 

STEP 1: It is much better to sketch out the whole curriculum before going into the specifics. Think 

about the big picture: 

• What is the major aim of the training? 

• What is it trying to achieve? 

• What does the outcome look like? 

WRITE a goal or aim statement. This should be a broad, general statement, such as; participants will 

be able to understand the importance of accident risk reduction alongside preparedness and response. 

STEP 2: CONSIDER the overall scope of training. Specify the major topics or sections of the 

training by brainstorming (with others) and making a list. 

• What sort of things do we want the participants to learn? 

At this level, the outcome statements will be quite broad referring to such areas that cover the whole 

subject. For example, it is anticipated that participants who successfully complete the training will be 

able to: 

1. Establish a common understanding of the employees on which lie the foundations of 

accident risk reduction (ARR). 

2. Develop a better understanding of preparedness, response, and recovery as integral to 

accident risk reduction. 

3. Illustrate the role of different stakeholders in ARR, the integrated nature between the 

sectors in ARR, and the importance of coordination between stakeholders. 

4. Introduce and discuss the already put in place mechanisms for reducing accidents and 

risk management, focused on regionally. 

5. Build a network among the participants by sharing the experience, existing know-how 

and team building. 

STEP 3: The next step is to IDENTIFY specifics. Brainstorm and create a list. This is where we will 

write clear, precise statements detailing what the participants will actually be doing. 

• What specific, detailed knowledge, information, or skills do we expect participants to 

learn from the training? (the takeaway) 

• What cross-cutting issues need to be included and which ones to be prioritized 

(gender, environment, etc.)? 

For example, it is anticipated that participants who successfully complete the training will be able to: 

1. Acquire the conceptual basis to appreciate the complexities of vulnerability, risk and 

accident risk management. 



2. Develop a better ability to engage with and relate to accident professionals from various 

disciplines in a field situation. 

3. Increased ability to use tools and mechanisms to analyze hazards, vulnerability, and 

capacities and acquire basic skills in risk identification and assessment. 

4. Identify strategies for building an accident risk reduction capacity. 

5. Ability to advocate and promote ARR for team buy-in. 

STEP 4: THINK about how participants can demonstrate their learning, i.e., exactly what they should 

be able to do. Brainstorm and generate a list of ideas for how participants can demonstrate what, how 

much, and how well they have learned. 

Conclusion or confirmation: 

Training effectiveness is critical to measure. This can include a grade for the information and content or the 

presenter. EmployeeTalk accomplishes this and increases a leader’s reach by engaging measures in an online 

pulse to inform and encourage feedback. Why, because time with people is a critical resource. It’s important 

to maximize the opportunity when meeting people face to face. The concept we’re trying to create, teach or 

develop can be often lost when we tell someone something without being lesson-oriented or following 

through. People learn through repetition and rehearsal. Part of that is giving people real task-oriented actions 

to follow-through with. This is why the Task Reporting System built-into EmployeeTalk is so incredibly 

valuable in connecting communication, engagement, and, training. The Task Reporting System confirms 

results by enabling leaders to track, task, and, coach managers and team with lessen-oriented follow-through 

actions from feedback. This is initiated through email or a phone text and then authentically delivered face to 

face. 

Development 

If the design phase of training is like creating a blueprint for a new car, the development phase is the actual 

Wrench-Nut-and-Bolts construction. We know what we want to build and how we want to build it. Now we 

must take the right materials and build a solid machine. Just as with a car, we should consider how occupants 

would use and navigate through training structure. Developing training involves writing materials, creating 

learning exercises, and working with content experts and trainers. It is the most time-consuming phase of 

training; draft materials may go through multiple revisions, involving several people, before they are ready for 

training use. As we progress through this development phase, we need to make sure the training materials and 

exercises match the learning outcomes we identified in the design phase, which is based on the needs 

assessment. All subsequent training phases should reflect these outcomes. 

3.3 Developing Material 



When good content is matched with an appropriate design, even the most complex documents become 

appealing, credible, and easy to read. In fact, studies have shown that using the right design elements can 

have a positive impact on how well readers understand the material. 

Curriculum and material development usually include the following: 

A. Background and descriptive information. 

1. Basis of the curricula (why it was developed) 

2. Target audience 

3. Relevant information explaining the material and supporting its use in a different setting 

4. Copyright and contact information 

5. Resources support the content, (e.g. citations, web links, prototype materials, tools, and 

guidelines) 

B. Directions on how to use the curricula. 

1. Guidance on using adult learning principles 

2. Specific tips to improve learning 

3. Outcome and competency statements 

4. Suggestions on adapting the curricula and supporting materials for a different target 

audience or for a different context 

C. Course planning forms and checklists. 

1. Materials, equipment, and facility specifications 

2. Unit or module overviews with key messages 

3. Scope and sequence guidelines, (e.g. sample course outline or agenda with timeframe) 

D. Guidance on tailoring each particular workshop so it matches the needs or wants of 

participants, or fits a program’s needs. 

1. Topic-specific materials and questions to help trainers gather needs assessment data that 

helps determine what participants want or need to learn; and what skills they wish or 

need to develop: 

2. Materials may include from (ET and IP): 

• Questionnaires or discussion questions for gathering information from potential 

participants and/or their supervisors before the training 

• Questionnaires to be collected at the beginning of a training session 

• Suggested questions that trainers can ask at the beginning of the training 

• Exercises that help participants think about their own learning objectives 

• Pre-tests or activities to determine what participants already know; or what they 

want to learn 

3. Suggestions for revising the training so it better addresses the needs of the group 

4. Optional sessions, when relevant 

E. Specific, measurable, and realistic learning objectives. 

1. Learning objectives explaining what participants should know or be able to do as a result 

of the training or learning activity. 

2. Objectives should be specific. They should state specific knowledge, attitudes, or skills 

that a participant should be able to demonstrate. 



3. Objectives should be measurable. It should be possible by observation, testing, problemsolving 

exercises, or some other means of evaluation to determine whether participants 

have achieved the anticipated learning objective. (ET Scorecard) 

4. Objectives should be achievable and realistic. Learning objectives describe expectations 

of knowledge, attitude, or behavior change that are realistic given the instruction 

conditions (e.g. training time and size of the group). 

F. Clear and complete course content. This is an area in which using a virtual meeting link 

online in EmployeeTalk would capture this information. The VML is helpful to the experts 

you are engaging because it will support productivity time restraints. When engaging through 

the system, be sure to define your “target” training well and the “focus”. This will alleviate 

ambiguity and subjectivity in response. 

1. Course outline including content, learning activities, directions, and timeframes 

2. Easily understandable presentation notes with support materials for each session (e.g. 

PowerPoint, overheads, participant worksheets, and handouts) 

3. Include important teaching points for the trainer to introduce, discuss, or address 

4. Active learning exercises (e.g. role plays, group discussions, case studies, brainstorming, 

and skills practice) providing opportunities for participants to clarify, question, apply and 

consolidate new knowledge 

5. Participant handouts and other course material easily understood by participants 

6. Accurate and appropriate technical content 

7. Ordered content with information moving from basic to specialized, and from simple to 

complex 

8. Suggestions for presenting the material 

9. Participant opportunities for building on what they’ve previously learned 

G. Integrated evaluation plan/tools. 

1. Methodology and tools for assessing participants’ learning and progress, (i.e. evaluation) 

2. Detail the needs in effective training. The particular approach in the method, technique, 

or tool, using EmployeeTalk will be determined by the need or what the outcome should 

look like. Evaluation instrument(s) should measure: 

• Process - to get immediate feedback on the workshop experience, (e.g. content 

usefulness and quality; trainer/ facilitator’s helpfulness and applicable 

experience; adequacy of the handouts or other materials, facilities, workshop 

registration/preparation, etc.) 

• Outcome - to measure participants’ immediate changes in knowledge, attitude, 

or behavior based upon exposure to the training session or course, (e.g., pre- and 

post-training questionnaires, tests, or, knowledge checks in ET. And, using openended 

questions, interviews, exercises when face to face) 

• Impact - to measure longer-term training outcomes, (e.g. guidelines for 

conducting follow-up interviews, site-visit procedures, and suggestions of 

markers for measuring longer-term outcomes). Utilizing the same questions over 

time in an Employees Dashboard can allow for a comparison over time to ensure 

progress is moving in the right direction. 

3. Evaluation questions linked to specific learning objectives. 



4. Participants’ suggestions for improving future workshops of this type 

5. Trainer/facilitator self-evaluation form. 

6. Observer form for giving feedback to trainer/facilitator. 

Once we have developed a course document’s basic content, the publication development process 

generally proceeds in two stages: 

7. The draft stage—all design team members have input on all aspects of the project: 

Planning, Content Development, Draft Layout and a Preliminary Review. 

8. The final stage—the final layout incorporates the final text and images; the materials are 

sent to the printer: Final Layout, Final Review, Printing, and After Printing Development 

1. Draft Stage 

Step 1 

Planning meeting 

PLANNING 

Description 

It’s important to start this process out on the right foot. Begin by 

having the project lead arrange a meeting with the key project, 

editorial, and graphics staff to discuss: 

• goals and priorities 

• audience • dissemination plans 

• translation plans 

• timeline 

• budget/printing options 

The project team should bring sample designs if they have a 

particular style in mind 

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT 

Step 2 Description Est. Timeline Date Due Staff Lead 

Draft text Author(s) plans and prepares the draft text. 

If multiple authors provide material, the 

project lead must compile text. 

Word processing Support person cleans up text per accepted 

style manual. 

Editing 

An editor usually ensures that the 

document is well organized, clear and 

cohesive, and that it fulfills readers’ needs. 

This fresh set of eyes is very helpful to 

those involved in creating the document. 

Reviewer input Project lead obtains programmatic input 

from relevant reviewers, internally and/or 

externally. 

Incorporate 

reviewer input 

Project lead incorporates reviewer input. If 

the input is substantial, project lead may 

want to work with the editor to incorporate 

changes. 

Proof-reading Prior to finalizing text, project lead 

arranges for proofing by a designated proof 



reader. Using someone unfamiliar with the 

document is usually best. 

DRAFT LAYOUT AND PRELIMINARY REVIEW 


Preliminary 

design concepts 

Graphics lead drafts one or more designs 

for the team to review. The project lead 

provides graphics staff with the draft text 

and any images or supporting graphics. 

Brief meeting Graphics and project the lead/s review the 

preliminary designs and discuss 

refinements if needed. The writer is often 

at these meetings. Everyone is clear on the 

time the printer needs to complete the 

project. 

Photo selection, 

illustration 

Initial layout 

Team review of 

designs and 

initial layout 

Discussion 

Revisions 

Finalize specs 

If needed, the graphics team searches for 

new photos or creates illustrations. Project 

lead must obtain permission for using 

proprietary images. 

Graphics team flows in the initial text and 

places the graphic elements. 

The project team may review and comment 

on all design aspects and consider how the 

text reads in layout form. We recommend 

having all relevant team members and 

reviewers provide input at this time. 

Project lead and graphics staff should meet 

to discuss refinements. 

If text changes are needed, project lead 

consults with graphics to determine how 

changes should be incorporated (for 

example, into a new Word file vs. existing 

design files). If significant layout changes 

are needed, the team must return to the 

“Preliminary Design Concepts” stage. 

Project lead and graphics staff finalize 

printing specifications. This is the “last 

call” for decisions about the size, number 

of colors, binding, etc. 

2. Final Stage 

FINAL LAYOUT AND FINAL REVIEW DRAFT 


Text finalized Project lead finalizes content. He or she 

has incorporated into the “Final”: 

• All team input. 

• All sections and images. 

Design 

The project lead gives the final text to the 



refinement and 

layout of final 

text 

Final team 

review 

Final revisions 

graphics lead in electronic form. This also 

is the “last call” for images. Using your 

own staff in imaging processes, people or 

work can be a valuable tool in keeping 

attention. 

Project lead (and relevant staff if needed) 

confirms that the final version is 

acceptable. Only typos can be corrected at 

this time. 

Project lead goes through final revisions. 

Only minor changes, if any, can be made at 

this point. Significant revisions will result 

in serious delays. 

PRINTING 


Files preparation 

for printer 

Graphics staff packages files for the printer 

(after adjusting the resolution of images, 

performing final color corrections, etc.). 

Printer proofs Graphics staff and project lead review 

proofs from the printer. 

Press check Press check by graphics staff or project 

lead is recommended for most jobs. 

AFTER PRINTING 


Boxes arrive 

from printer 

Project lead ensures that a plan is in place 

for moving boxes to an acceptable storage 

place; or has a plan for distributing the 

Incorporate 

changes into 

Word file 

Celebration! 

materials. 

If the original Word file might be used for 

other purposes, the project lead ensures the 

incorporation of changes made during final 

layout review. 

Be sure to take time to celebrate your 

accomplishment! 

3.4 Developing Presentation Standards 

Developing presentations is an extremely individual activity and each trainer/facilitator will have their 

own style and preference. But in designing coherent courses, it’s important to adhere to a common style 

and format. Personal style and approach show more in delivery. It is disorienting for participants to view 

presentations with different format and style every time a new trainer comes on. There are guidelines for 

developing presentations which trainers can adhere to without compromising their individuality. 

1. Begin with a greeting and a few friendly words. “Good afternoon and it’s a pleasure 

taking part in this course. I would like to begin by asking you a question.” 



2. State a question that grabs their imagination. “Like me, you have all seen your share of 

accidents. Do you ever wonder what we could do to reduce risk and the occurrence of 

accidents and not just develop better response?” 

3. Give your name and a brief credential. “As many of you know, my name is _________, 

and I’m a ______ at ______. I have spent a number of years working 

on___________________.” (Write it out for people to see.) 

4. Follow with a promise of rewards for listening “This afternoon I would like to explain 

what I have recently learned about how we can each do more to develop adequate risk 

reduction mechanisms in__________. I will take about 30 minutes to tell you about the 

OSHA guidelines for _______. I will then ask you to share with me your own concerns 

about implementing these guidelines at _____.” 

5. Let people know when you will take questions and comments. “Please feel free to 

interrupt me at any time with questions or comments.” Or “I would like to go through the 

presentation first in full and then have the following Q&A time, so please note down any 

questions or comments as we go along”. 

6. Explain topic by answering three questions: What? How? Why? (or you could structure 

the body of the presentation around Past, Present, and Future) 

7. Describe the benefits of audience concern. “We are the people who can make a difference 

for our organization. In order to make an even bigger difference than we do now, I have 

a favor to ask you. Would you please … (for example, read this handout, talk to your 

colleagues, participate in a working group, tell me what else you need to know in order to 

improve our practice, implement a new policy, etc.).” 

8. Conclude with a positive, hopeful note of encouragement. “Life is short and precious. It’s 

not often that we get a chance to implement a program that will improve the safety of 

others and make our own organization a better and safer place to work. By fully 

implementing the procedures for mitigation and risk reduction, we take an important step 

in making our departments safer. Thank you. 



4. Delivery 

The delivery phase of training is when the coordination, assessment of learning needs, design, and 

development phases come together. Successful training delivery depends on: 

• Accurate identification of participants’ training needs 

• A carefully crafted training plan 

• Well-managed training details 

• Thorough and relevant materials 

• Prepared trainers, ready to present a compelling learning experience 

While the other steps of the training process focus heavily on creating the content of the training, the 

delivery or implementation phase is concerned with teaching the content and participant learning. Now 

that you have built your car, you want to take people for a ride to experience what you have created. 

4.1 Training Methods 

Engaging employees on training requires us to be respectful of their time. A very easy way to deliver 

training is through Micro-learning. This is the delivery of training, in short, bite-sized pieces – a musthave 

consideration for the future of corporate learning. Micro-learning accommodates dwindling attention 

spans and improves retention. Micro-learning is ideally suited for mobile devices and can be delivered on 

demand. The approach can be as simple as a pulse check question from ET which would share certain 

expectation targeted within one of the areas of communication i.e. Increasing Information, Development 

and Training, Process or Procedure, and, People Commitment and then focused on a specific role that an 

employee plays. 

With the need today for information now, Micro-learning is how these kinds of employees want to learn. 

Breaking up training content into short lessons of 5-10 minutes allows them to improve on an ongoing 

basis without impacting their regular job duties. Content is adopted according to their roles and can also 

be adjusted to competency levels, directing them either to repeat lessons unsuccessfully completed or to 

review information to reinforce what they already know. If you are unsure what a Micro-learning app 

might look like here are some examples: 

1. TED-Ed – wants to celebrate the ideas of people around the world. Everything they do is with only 

one goal: supporting learning. I like being able to choose a lesson topic and find a suitable video in the 

library. It’s very helpful with finding resources and helping to explain something. 

2. Chegg’s Flashcards+ – is a free flashcard maker designed to help students learn things more quickly. 

It’s an easy way to learn terminology and vocabulary without the hassle of paper flashcards. 

3. Venngage – Infographics contains a bunch of information in one large and appealing image. The 

information is limited to only the most important facts. Nowadays, posters and infographics are often 

used to spread awareness, but you can also use them to teach a lesson. Venngage has a large library of 

free and premium templates where you can choose from to start. This makes it possible for anyone to 

make an infographic. 



4. Explain everything – Make short 5 minute lessons with Explain Everything. EE helps to bring 

presentations to a whole new level. There’s nothing wrong with PowerPoint, but presenting a subject 

can be more interactive and way cooler! EE is an interactive screen casting whiteboard. This means 

that you can make a presentation, and record everything you are drawing and saying. Ideal for Microlearning! 

Record everything you do within the app (even yourself) to create high quality, creative, 

and meaningful content for others to learn from. You can make easily explainer and instruction videos 

and send it to your team. 

Many of these micro-learning apps are free or cost very little. We encourage organizations to empower 

and inform their team when delivering content, specifically when asking questions and requesting 

feedback. Why, because there is responsibility in providing an opinion. It is interesting how some 

respondents will refrain from providing that feedback because they're afraid their answer, idea or solution 

might be viewed negatively. Employees should not be so anxious (about their performance, lack of clarity 

about expectations and/or direction) that they can't think, let alone innovate. 

There are a huge array and variety of training methods like this each with its advantages and 

disadvantages. In designing a course, a healthy mix of a few methods provides variety, overcomes 

monotony and boredom and energizes participants. But the mix is not an end in itself. Training methods 

need to be carefully selected to match the purpose and learning outcomes of each session. The following is 

a summary to guide such a selection: 

METHOD 

Lecture 

Lecture-Forum (with 

question cards or 

question/answer 

period) 

Panel 

Panel forum 

Debate 

Presentation 

Presentation with 

Listening Teams 

(participants are 

given listening 

assignment before 

presentation 

question speaker 

afterward) 

Presentation with 

Reaction Panel 

(small group listens 

POSSIBLE 

ADVANTAGES 

DISADVANTAGES 

INFORMATIONAL 

Conveys large sum of 

information; fast; efficient 

forum allows exploration 

of content in more detail. 

Adds different points of 

view to content. 

Provides different points of 

view; thought-provoking. 

Keeps participants 

interested and involved. 

Resources can be 

discovered and shared. 

Learning can be observed. 

Lots of information; fast; 

new points of view; a more 

organized question and 

answer format; reaction 

panel can speak. 

The audience is largely 

passive. 


passive with exception 

of expanding panel; 

expanding panel not 

practical with groups 

larger than 20. 


passive. 

The learning points can 

be confusing or lost. A 

few participants may 

dominate the discussion. 

Time control is more 

difficult. Audience is 

largely passive; reaction 

panel may not represent 

all views of the group. 

Trainer orally presents 

new information to the 

group. 

COMMENTS 

The trainer should be an 

interesting speaker, able 

to self-limit and stick to 

time, be able to facilitate 

questions effectively. 

The leader must express 

a solid set of ground 

rules and have skills to 

enforce them. 

Same as for panel. 

The trainer should 

structure listening 

assignment with a clear 

purpose; must select 

panelists from a crosssection 

of the group. 



and forms panel 

following 

presentation) 

Group Discussion 

(of given topic) 

Buzz Groups (short, 

time-limited 

discussion on given 

subject) 

Brainstorming 

Keeps participants 

interested and involved. 

Resources can be 

discovered and shared. 

Learning can be observed. 

Participants are active; 

allows a chance to hear 

other points of view; 

quieter people can express 

viewpoints and ideas. 

Can get all participants 

involved in collecting a lot 

of information. Quickly 

generate ideas. Good for 

problem-solving; quick 

change of pace; filler; 

allows all to participate; 

validates ideas of the 

group. 

The learning points can 

be confusing or lost. A 

few participants may 

dominate the discussion. 

Time control is more 

difficult. Inexperienced 

leader may be unable to 

use format for attitudinal 

purposes. 

The problem/issue must 

be clearly defined. Time 

control is more difficult. 

Need a clear trigger 

questions and 

evaluation/discussion 

afterward; somewhat 

over-used method; 

requires careful 

facilitation. 

The trainer divides a 

large group into small 

groups; groups of 4–6 

are most effective. A 

small group has a short 

time to discuss a topic or 

solve a problem The 

trainer should be able to 

give clear instructions 

and keep discussion on 

target. Main function is 

judging when to cut off 

the discussion. 

For idea generation and 

creative group thinking; 

all participants present 

many ideas as rapidly as 

possible on a problem or 

issue. The group 

organizes then list into 

categories for further 

discussion. Do not 

evaluate, criticize, omit, 

or discuss contributions 

until all are written; 

record in contributor’s 

own words; use another 

person to record if 

possible. 

Social and collaborative learning – People learn more, are more engaged and retain knowledge longer 

when they are able to collaborate. Smart training facilitates collaboration and creates communities and 

comradery within the workplace such as engagement among employees – with each other, their managers, 

and the company. In ET there can be collaboration with customers, vendors, and, patients as well, which 

also present learning opportunities. Be careful of open social media sites where unfiltered communication 

can get out of hand. ET enables leaders the flexibility to filter collaborative information such as feedback 

before it is shared which could be otherwise damaging to culture and business. Sharing comments on 

progress and the giving and receiving of critical feedback is best-accomplished face to face. 

METHOD 

Task Groups 

Committee Teams 

ADVANTAGES 

POSSIBLE 

DISADVANTAGES 

ATTITUDINAL 

Sustained interaction Time-consuming; 

allows quieter people to requires a great degree 

express themselves; of self-direction and 

validates participants. group maturity. 

COMMENTS 

Keep groups small and 

diverse with sustained 

interaction and clear 

purpose. 



• Standardize Online Committees to maximize time, effort and, collaboration. ET supports committee 

teams to share agendas virtually online for more inclusion and feedback. Measure meeting efficiency 

after meetings for continual improvement. Capture more data from both inside and outside the 

committee team. Task and delegate actions and assignments from feedback. Track action and 

assignment success. The committee process is outlined by ET and available by request. It is 

important to have this standardized. 

METHOD 

Role-Play 

Mini-Role-Play 

“Movie” (role-play 

assisted by feedback, 

“more__, or less __”) 

Simulation games 

Gamification 

Case study Mini-case 

study (problem 

situations for small 

groups to analyze) 

Critical incident (small 

section of case stating 

most critical or 

dramatic moment) 

POSSIBLE 

ADVANTAGES 

DISADVANTAGES 

BEHAVIOURAL 

Helps retention. Allows 

participants to practice 

new skills in a controlled 

environment. Participants 

are actively involved. 

Observers can impact 

attitude and behavior. 

Useful in rehearsing new 

skills, behaviors. 

Intense involvement; 

practice skills in problem 

solving and decisionmaking. 

Requires active 

participant involvement. 

Can simulate 

performance required 

after training. Learning 

can be observed. 

Opportunity to apply new 

knowledge; requires 

judgment; good 

assessment tool; 

participants active; a 

chance to practice skills. 

Requires preparation 

time. May be difficult to 

tailor to all situations. 

Needs sufficient class 

time for exercise 

completion and feedback 

Requires maturity and 

willingness of groups; 

requires the trainer to 

have excellent 

facilitation skills. 

(Same as for roleplay, 

intensive and timeconsuming.) 

Competitive; requires a 

game and possibly a 

consultant to help 

facilitate; timeconsuming. 

Information must be 

precise and kept up-todate. 

Needs sufficient 

class time for 

participants to complete 

the case. Participants can 

become too interested in 

the case content. Case 

study must be relevant to 

learner’s needs and daily 

concerns. 

COMMENTS 

Participants act out 

problem-solving 

situations similar to 

those they will encounter 

in their workplace. The 

trainer needs skill and 

understanding— must 

get people into roles, 

give directions, and 

establish a climate of 

trust. The trainer needs 

insight into how an 

activity may pose a 

threat to some 

individuals; ability to 

help group process & debrief. 

Use in well-formed 

group. Can be structured 

into dyad, triad, and 

fishbowl. 

A package game requires 

prep time for the leader 

to learn the rules and 

directions. 

Participants are given 

information about a 

situation and directed to 

come to a decision or 

solve a problem 

concerning the situation. 

Trainer needs to have 

knowledge and skills to 

“solve” the problem; 

may need to design own 

studies; compare 

approaches of several 



Demonstration 

Demonstration with 

practice (by 

participants) 

Skills practice lab 

(small participant 

groups practice 

together). 

Aids comprehension and 

retention. Stimulates 

participants’ interest. Can 

give participants model to 

follow. Allows for 

optional modeling of 

desired behavior/skill; 

can be active; good for 

learning simple skills. 

Different points of view 

and feedback; participant 

active; good for 

translating information 

into skills. 

Must be accurate and 

relevant to participants. 

Written examples can 

require lengthy 

preparation time. The 

trainer demonstrations 

may be difficult for all 

participants to see well. 

The method is more 

effective if participants 

are active; feedback 

must follow immediately 

after practice. 

The group should have 

enough knowledge or 

insight to coach one 

another. 

groups and reinforce best 

solutions. 

Participants are shown 

the correct steps for 

completing a task or are 

shown an example of a 

correctly completed task. 

Requires skill to model 

desired behavior; break 

procedure down into 

simple steps; ability to 

provide feedback. 

Act as a resource to 

groups. 

METHOD 

Group discussion 

with decision-making 

regarding a new 

action 

Individual or group 

planning session with 

report 

POSSIBLE 

ADVANTAGES 

DISADVANTAGES 

PLANNING 

Validates maturity and 

needs of group members; 

members have the best 

insight into their Requires mature group 

problems and needs on that can self-direct and 

the job; group leaves the stay on task; timeconsuming. 

session with practical, 

constructive and mutual 

goals; groups get ideas 

from one another... 

COMMENTS 

Leader serves as 

resource once directions 

are given. 

4.2 Effective Communication Skills 

Good communication skills are essential when training adults. There is an abundance of resources 

available to provide helpful information on how to communicate most effectively with participants. These 

tools help develop training messages, provide facilitation tips, and offer ways to improve presentation 

skills for personal growth as a trainer. 

During the inception stage, communication impacts future training events. Much of this can be captured 

virtually; these are the conversations online. They include not only asking the right question but asking the 

right person/people. Good communication is keeping it simple. It is a focus on what you want to 

accomplish in asking the question. With good communication come excellent listening skills as well. 

Online communicating may consist of delivering: 



• Pulse Engagement Dialog which is a focused and proactive communication online in ET which will 

anonymously or transparently measure expectation in 3-10 questions aligned to meet the desired 

outcome. A good rule of thumb here is that we never ask what we’re not in a position to solve. 

• This dialog is created by asking ourselves, “What do we want to accomplish?” 

• Measure expectation and streamline processes by asking for targeted feedback. 

• Take actions to results by delegating them through ET to follow-up face to face. 

o 

o 

example – Employee Retention Check is a popular pulse to assess and learn Risks to turnover 

example – Assertiveness Pulse Communication, assertiveness assessment using (4) questions 

• Policy, Procedure, and, Addendums are other key communication areas. These need to be more than 

verbal or written statements. Knowledge checks should be added in 1-5 questions to ensure 

understanding. The questions confirm execution, and that critical information is leaned. 

• Training Effectiveness is a follow-up communication measuring the delivery of training events with 

knowledge checks. In ET use 1-5 questions focused on key takeaways critical in understanding from 

the training. This area approach can also be used for measuring the trainer. 

• Suggestion Box is a hyperlink for an open portal communication created in ET to engage a targeted 

focus online for answers, solutions and, an outcome which can support change specifically in needed 

training or development. A requested suggestion is a call for contribution and collaboration. 

• Tips are ‘Did You Know’ yes & no questions engaged from ET for the daily or weekly sharing of 

knowledge and expectation. They include an actual request for improvement or follow-through 

action. Tap the expertise of your organization and share knowledge. This Micro Learning is driven by 

managers for their direct reports. It helps them manage their team’s individual knowledge better and 

engage them on critical development. The idea of this activity is to influence creativity and 

innovation from personally sharing knowledge, best practices or recapping on procedures. It enables 

leaders to develop better observational behavior over time. 

The following are effective communication guidelines that run through the whole course and are not 

limited to one type of training method or another. There are three important things a facilitator can do to 

help create an effective learning atmosphere for course participants. 

1. A good facilitator supports the group of participants by building an atmosphere of trust and 

modeling a positive attitude. An accepting and non-threatening atmosphere encourages the 

expression of ideas, questions, beliefs, and attitudes by all participants. Below are some ways to 

build trust among the group and influence positives. 

• Assure that confidentiality will be maintained. Establish a group rule on the first day that 

everyone’s confidentiality must and will be protected so that people can talk freely without 

fear that their comments will be shared outside the course. 

• Provide constructive and supportive feedback. People are valued when their opinion is 

asked. Let participants know when they’ve contributed something useful and interesting to 

the group. For example, you might say, “That’s a very good example of the concept we are 

discussing.” 

• Model a positive attitude. Participants in more cases than not get tired as the course 

progresses and need some encouragement. Call upon the person appointed as the energizer. 

This is an additional role that is assigned to a team member. Beyond the role, it is important 

that we maintain our own positive attitude. Address any difficult moments during the course 



with honesty and constructive comments. If you do not have an answer let the person know 

you will have to research that and get back to them – and do get back to them. For a difficult 

moment example, “This topic brings up difficult feelings for many; by exploring our own 

feelings, we can better help our patients to do the same.” 

2. Ensure that the entire course content is covered. It is important to stay on schedule and help 

participants see how each session follows logically from the one before 

. 

• If participants deviate from the topic, offer to address their comments during a break. 

• Write additional topics identified by participants on flip chart paper as a reminder of topics to 

cover if there is time remaining at the end of the session. Keep this list visible to participants 

throughout the workshop. 

• Each session’s lesson plan includes key summary points. Referring to these key points, and 

reviewing them at the end of a session, will help you know if you have covered all of the 

main content of your lesson plan. 

3. Model effective facilitation skills. Try to remember these basic facilitation strategies throughout 

the course: 

• Ask open-ended questions. For example, you might say, “What did you learn from the role 

play?” instead of “Did you learn how to ______________ during the role play?” 

• Listen carefully to the communication and for any feelings that may accompany it. 

• Rephrase participants’ communications accurately for clarity, when necessary, and without 

judgment. 

• Respect every participant’s feelings, perspectives, and contributions. 

• Adhere to the time schedule. 

• Focus on developing skills, not just knowledge. 

• Make the learning process active. 

• Make the course material clear by speaking slowly and using language that is understood by 

all participants. 

4.3 Other ways to deliver content. 

Mobile responsive design is accessible anywhere, anytime and is another key component of any smart 

training. Mobile design extends the value of Micro-learning by making it available anywhere and at any 

time. Mobile design is also necessary to support JITT and allows for learning across multiple contexts, 

through both social and content interactions. This not only makes training immediately relevant but also 

more engaging for workers, especially when they are able to access it at a time that works best for them. 

What is critical in ensuring outcomes from delivery is follow-up with people on training face to face. ET 

is unique in its build of an Advisory Team of leaders for example, where actions can be delegated. 

Leaders can task and coach people with lessen-oriented follow-through actions that answer feedback 

privately through email or phone texts where the action is then authentically delivered face to face. With 

mobile reach, the designation of being at a desk won’t prohibit me as a leader from receiving an action 

critical to business success. These lesson-oriented actions may at times be uncomfortable communication 

tasks. However, from coaching, the leader will have confidence in delivering a needed message. 



• Task Reporting System/Advisory Team allows 

follow-up action to be coached in ET and 

develop leader-competencies. The actions 

delegated from a leader, coach or consultant 

can outline a good way to approach and 

engage tough or sensitive communications 

needed to be had. 

Example Task Visual – Source ET 

Coaching and mentoring in EmployeeTalk will not only allow your employees to collaborate with each 

other more easily but they will also alert your managers to issues early giving them the ability to engage 

those workers that need coaching and mentoring. Knowing the strengths of our team allow for good 

succession planning and specifically enabling us to align mentors. 

• Reach-out Recognition in dialog with ET we enable survey respondents to recognize themselves 

from anonymity for their idea or solution when answering a question. They can also write in a 

secondary space and recognize a person for excellence in the question being asked. These two fields 

can be tasked into action for follow-up face to face conversations. In real time this follow-up 

communication behavior by managers is often witnessed. When leaders are observed openly listening 

to ideas and solutions it increases participation and trust. Following these kinds of approaches will 

create a new positive behavior. 



5. Evaluation 

Training evaluation should take place throughout each phase of the training process, not as the last step. For 

example, after conducting a needs assessment, ask the design team and key informants if the needs identified 

are accurate. Have other trainers review written materials before finalizing and printing them for training. 

This kind of “formative” or process evaluation helps ensure that we have developed the training with great 

thought and analysis at each step. The most obvious and frequent kind of evaluation occurs immediately after 

training; participants complete a course evaluation form following the training but before leaving the site. 

Evaluation can also take place at the end of each day of training through quick “How did it go?” discussions, 

or even in organized focus groups with participants during the evening. Longer-term, follow-up evaluations 

conducted three months to a year or more after training are also a possibility. These evaluations measure how 

participants use their newly acquired information and skills in their professional roles. An employee’s 

evaluation begins in the onboarding process. 

• Onboarding is an area where new hire evaluation is important. It literally is the first step for training 

for employees. In ET it is a place to release and share the Employee Handbook for anytime review and 

sign off. It includes job descriptions. This can also include team dashboards for sharing critical 

processes or procedures. 

5.1 Forms of Evaluation 

These methods of formative evaluation are often used during the training delivery phase. The process 

allows trainers to determine how they need to adapt their training plans and delivery so that a training 

session or program will be most effective for participants. 

1. Pre- and Post-Knowledge Test: 

Before you begin the content of the training, ask students to complete a knowledge-based 

questionnaire that asks them what they already know about the training topic. 

• Pass out the exact same questionnaire at the end of the training to gauge how their 

answers have changed from before the training began. 

• Keep the questions brief, no more than 10 or 12. 

• Focus questions on the learning objectives. (Note: This questionnaire can also be 

administered during the needs analysis. You want to determine what participants 

already know and therefore, what you can leave out of the training or spend less and 

more time on). 

2. Trainer Assessment: 

During breaks, the trainer(s) should assess the progress of the training. If there is more than one 

trainer, each trainer should provide honest and helpful feedback to each other. 



• Are students engaged? 

• Was there possible confusion on any portion of the session so far? 

• Is more time needed for a particular portion of the session? 

• Are the trainers going too fast or do they need to pick up the pace? 

• Are participants interacting as a group enough? 

3. Participant Check-in: 

Ask participants briefly how things are going. Find a convenient time to either hand out a half-slip of 

paper and ask four or five questions or ask them verbally and get feedback from the group: 

• What have you learned so far in this training session that you didn’t know before? 

• What would you like to know more about that was addressed so far? 

• How is the pace of the session so far? Too Fast, Too Slow, Just Right? 

• What did you like best about the morning (or afternoon) session? 

• How can the trainers make the remainder of the session most effective for you? 

4. Post-training participant feedback: Suggested questions: 

• What has gone well so far in this training? 

• What have you learned that is new? 

• What was presented that you already knew? 

• What would you like to know more about? 

• What can the trainer(s) do differently to make the training more effective? 

• What can you as participants do to make it more effective? 

There is a wide set of evaluation forms covering almost every aspect of the training. Training design teams 

need to decide on which ones are relevant and effective for their particular course. Overdoing it on the 

evaluation, tires participants. Evaluating each session, at the end of each day, and at the end of the training 

becomes a time-consuming activity. There needs to be a balance and a variety of the methods used too. At the 

end of each session, the evaluation could be informal, verbal and in a plenary. Use a handheld with ET to 

capture data and centralize it reducing paper. At the end of each day, the evaluation could be done in a more 

structured way with participants breaking into small working groups and developing 4-5 key learning or 

feedback points for the trainers. The evaluation at the end of the course needs to take a far more structured and 

time to achieve its aim. It could be divided into a reflection exercise involving the whole group and facilitated 

by one or more trainer in addition to the pre-designed formal evaluation form. Although a preliminary 

evaluation would take place before training begins some unknown variables to training success may need to be 

discovered. This is why these evaluations are important too. 

The following is just a list of the types of evaluation that could take place in any training course: 

• Daily Evaluation Form 

• Training Evaluation Form: Skills, Attitude, Comfort 

• Training Evaluation and Learning Self-Assessment 

• Post-Training Summary Evaluation 

• Training Observation Instrument 

• Expert Observer Rating Tool 



5.2 Process Evaluation 

• Group Activity Observation Form 

• Evaluation using Focus Groups: Topic Guide 

• Trainer Attributes: Competencies Self-Assessment 

• Instructional Design & Materials Evaluation Form 

Process Evaluation (or Formative Evaluation) - occurs while the training is being designed, developed, and 

delivered. It allows trainers to determine what needs to change in their training plans and delivery so that a 

training session or program will be most effective for participants. 

By evaluating team’s process and progress as each stage is completed in the training creation process we 

can be sure we have addressed all the issues and taken the necessary steps that go into a successful 

training. Every step along the way needs to be appraised and evaluated before moving on to the next one. 

This covers evaluating progress in the Needs Assessment, Design, and Development stages of training 

development. 

Process Evaluation – Needs Assessment 

Needs assessment (also called a needs analysis), it usually isn’t thought of as a step in the evaluation 

process. But in fact, curriculum design, development, delivery, and evaluation all circle back to the 

information we obtained during the needs assessment process. The evaluation conducted at the very end of 

training will shed light on whether or not the training adequately addressed the gaps in knowledge and 

skills identified during the needs assessment process. 

Once the needs assessment process is completed, we need to consider its results and assess what worked, 

did not work, and where we need to go back and attempt to get additional information. This can be done 

by using the following simple checklist: 

• Were the appropriate people involved in identifying the needs of the target 

population? 

• Was a comprehensive analysis conducted, or were the results too narrow? 

• Would additional methods provide more useful input, (e.g. a focus group or a 

questionnaire)? 

• Would the repeat of a previously used method, but with more participants and 

information provide more useful input? 

• Are more interviews needed to identify the needs of underrepresented participants? 

o Refer to your dashboard to review individual learning styles 

Process Evaluation – Training Design 

The journey of creating training is made up of many important pieces - coordination, ideas, steps, people, 

and resources. The design phase is when all these pieces come together. When finished, we will have a 

blueprint of what the training will look like. We get a glimpse of the bigger picture: audience; their 

identified needs; curriculum learning objectives, outline, and instructional methods; trainers and other 

resources; etc. 



Content experts should review the training design before the curriculum developers begin development. 

They should be a part of the on-going development process. Content experts can be content professionals, 

former trainers of the content, managers, and/or members of the targeted student population. 

Once training design is completed, the design team needs to stand back and assess the hard work and 

progress so far posing the following questions: 

Training-Model Focus: Have training designers: 

• Clearly identified participants’ knowledge and skills gaps? 

• Prepared the course or session by using a sequential planning model? 

• Examined learning tasks for the sequence: easy to more difficult, simple to complex? 

• Honored the fact that adult learners are subjects of their own lives, in the training 

design? 

• Clearly defined content - skills, knowledge, and attitudes - that satisfy the learning 

objectives of the intended audience? 

• Designed achievement-based objectives that can be readily evaluated? 

• Created training comprehensive enough without being overwhelming? 

• Created a time frame that allows the accomplishment of learning tasks? 

• Planned a wide variety of teaching and learning techniques? 

• Arranged for good trainers with the background and instructional skills to present an 

effective learning experience? (Train the trainer events) 

• Identified good resources and materials? 

Structure Focus: Have training designers: 

• Made sure the size of the group would promote optimal learning? 

• Selected a site that lends itself to small-group work? 

• Designed a warm-up exercise related to the topic and appropriate for the group? 

• Created ways to teach the content through small group activities? 

• Designed a time frame that allows for the accomplishment of all learning tasks? 

• Planned for participants’ safety? 

• Set up processes and structures - small groups, breaks - to assure inclusion? 

• Built-in brainstorming or associative processes that discourage judging or editing? 

• Planned quiet, reflective time for participants to think about what they are learning 

and how they might apply new knowledge and skills? 

• Ensure dialog questions are available to answer anonymously in EmployeeTalk, for 

neutrality and time to respond? 

• Created closure tasks that include evaluation and end the training on a positive, 

hopeful tone? 

Communication Focus: Have training designers: 

• Been in dialog with participants prior to the course? 

• Built-in open questions to stimulate dialog throughout the training? 

• Instructed trainers to avoid monologues by designing for dialog? 



• Designed for optimal engagement of all, using small group work, learning tasks, 

affirming responses, echoing? 

• Set up an online EmployeeTalk dialog to maximize contribution and improve time 

management? 

• Created an opportunity for small groups to examine their own group and task 

maintenance together? 

Process Evaluation Focus – Training Development 

As the material is being developed, content experts should be on-hand to conduct reviews and 

offer suggestions. Some agenda can be shared through the EmployeeTalk VML to maximize 

time and increase contribution. Once the course is complete, a beta or pilot test is an excellent 

way to identify problem areas and holes in the curriculum. Like the evaluation of the training 

design, using content experts, possible trainers, and members of the target population is 

recommended. 

• Did we have adequate input from content experts? 

• Did we conduct a review and/or pilot training with a good representation of 

stakeholders? 

• Was there good inclusion of input using EmployeeTalk online both transparently and 

anonymously? 

• Did we have enough/too much time allotted for each portion of the training? 

• What content areas need more examples, statistics, case studies, etc.? 

• Is there a blend of participant and instructor talk? 

• Is there adequate time given to class discussion, teacher explanation/lecture, 

question-answer periods, group activity, and individual exercises? 

• What should the trainers work on regarding classroom presence, style, and overall 

teaching effectiveness? 

• Does the course actually meet the stated learning objectives? Do the learning 

objectives need to be modified? 

• Have we built-in adequate evaluation to assess the curriculum, the process, and 

participant learning and application? 

Finally, it is important to reiterate that like engagement, training and training design is an on-going, rather than 

a linear process. Questions posed above aimed at evaluating one experience should inform the following 

training course or future pilots if more than one is required. Regular check in with the project team, structured 

evaluation of each process and constant feedback loop maintain a high quality of the training material and its 

delivery in terms of relevance and overall impact on participants’ future practice. 

A constant feedback loop supports many business challenges. It’s better to be proactive as a leader rather than 

reactive considering that statement. Ongoing pulse checks are huge in determining focal points in the 

organization for training. The methods, techniques, and, tools to engage with using EmployeeTalk enable 

assessing, evaluating, and, capturing information that helps meet the strategic alignment between training and 

performance. Some of these constant loop approaches are: 

• Proactive Pulse allows engaging on what is critical now towards avoiding risk, the obstacles to 

execution and, drive new solution ideas and innovation. 



o 

o 

example – Engage online on Exit Interview to assess future Risks of turnover 

example – Assessing Safety, (9) question points engaged proactively for collaboration 

• A Checklist is a tool to engage the team with a set of questions in ET (usually yes and no). Questions 

are outlined to evaluate a process and point out strengths and opportunities. These queries will 

identify training areas which can then be engaged to meet business outcomes better. 

• Receipt Training uses a hyperlink on the customer receipts. They can go online and engage (4) 

questions to review product or service satisfaction. It targets (4) critical areas to identify training 

needs and focusses. 

• Q1. Environment 

• Q2. Resources 

• Q3. Execution 

• Q4. Quality 

• Transformation Education is a change technique dialog in ET to engage before, during and, after a 

change to ensure objectives are on track and being met. Identify training focal points to stress. 

• A Scorecard is a tool used to engage a set of questions (usually a 1-10 Rating). It captures statistics 

around the measure of achievement or progress toward a particular goal. It is commonly used in ET to 

prioritize training needs or a developmental focus. It is a manager’s, what’s critical now assessment. 

6. References 

EmployeeTalk Technology and Innovate Virtual resource training guide (2017) 

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/58874373/innovatevirtual-targeted-communication 

Novak et al., 1999 

Center for Instructional Development and Research, University of Washington (2004) Course Design. 

http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/CourseDesign.html 

Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, University of Western Australia, 

http://www.catl.osds.uwa.edu.au/obe/outcomes, 

I-TECH Training Tool Kit (2004). I-TECH and Center for Health Education and Research (CHER), 

Seattle, USA. 

JHPIEGO’s Training Works! (2003) http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/english/6read/6training/Tngworks/ 

Mo Hamza PhD is a Director at the Global Climate Adaptation Partner 

Kirkpatrick, D. (1994) Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. Berrett-Koehler, San 

Francisco, USA 

Lawson, K. (1998) The Trainer’s Handbook. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, USA. 

Knowles, M. Holton, E, and Swanson, R. (2005) The Adult Learner: The Definitive Classic in Adult 

Education and Human Resource Development. Elsevier, Burlington, MA, USA. 

Michele Burns, Program for Appropriate Technology and Health (PATH), http://www.path.org/ 



Renate, M and Caine, G. (1994) Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. Addison 

Wesley Publishing Company. 

Romiszowski, A. (1981) The How and Why of Performance Objectives. From Designing Instructional 

Systems. Kogan, London. 

6.1 EmployeeTalk Acknowledgment 

Most Coms, Human Resources, Training and Educational leadership professionals agree that investing in 

engagement, communication, and the continued training and development of employees is necessary. 

Brandon Hall’s 2016 Learning Technology Study suggests that companies introducing learning 

technologies into their training programs will enjoy a very positive impact on their bottom line. The study 

showed that 40 percent of the companies that implemented learning technologies saw increased revenues, 

more than half saw increases in productivity and employee engagement, and 16 percent experienced lower 

turnover. This is important to note because 73% of actively disengaged employees are looking for new 

jobs according to Gallup. No company can afford to replace 73% of their workforce if they leave? The 

ET vision is to infuse learning technology with more communication flexibility to supplement and 

accomplish what can impact the bottom line. 

The EmployeeTalk platform streamlines engagement by empowering leaders to target and collaborate on 

what is critical now. It is through the self-administration of pulse check engagement that we improve the 

decisions that we must make. More and more leaders today recognize what impact communication and 

learning technologies play in helping meet business goals. According to Metairie’s Analysis of the 2016 

Global Learning Technology Investment, global investments in learning technologies have more than 

quadrupled from $1.64 billion in 2013 to $7.33 billion in 2016. But, is the return on investment in some of 

these expensive technologies really paying off because when we flip the statistics, 60% of the companies 

that implemented learning technologies didn’t highlight an increase in revenues or the points above? 

Consideration must be made for an affordable learning technology, one that combines the aspects of 

communication, engagement, and, measuring learning capabilities into a simple to use technology such as 

what EmployeeTalk provides. Many leaders today are unaware of the long-term costs that can be 

associated with some Learning Technology Platforms. Proctor & Gamble for one had discovered they 

were paying out $10,000 a month for storage using SharePoint. This forced a directive to clear content. 

Do your research and know the expense and value behind the technology you use. For example, the 

expense and return on investment in ET are best represented when considering that replacing a 

professional, such as a Nurse or Director can cost an organization ten to twenty times what it costs to have 

EmployeeTalk. And, not to mention the value broad use which is afforded an administrator in using the 

ET platform. This is very important to point out because, despite the leaders’ belief in the performanceboosting 

effects of learning technology, the Brandon Hall study also found that many companies are not 

satisfied with their current learning technologies, and 48 percent of them plan on exploring new or 

different learning technologies in the next 12 months. The study further found that 42 percent want 

learning technologies that create a stronger link between learning and individual or organizational 

performance, and 39 percent want the ability to better measure their employees’ learning! This spells out 

the need to have more assistive or supplemental technology to streamline engagement and training towards 

ensuring outcomes are actually met. 

These statistics also highlight the importance of flexibility and affordability in a platform to serve an everchanging 

environment, a platform where a small business or rural hospital of 50 employees can utilize it in 

its growth, or enable a large organization of over 5000 employees to utilize it to improve their bottom line, 

specifically by supplementing expensive learning technologies. My point is that a smart learning system 

should actually be able to evolve with the company. This underscores the need for a communication and 



training technology that aligns learning goals with corporate goals. To that end, we recommend 

companies begin their use of ET by first developing a Corporate Training Strategy with their Business 

Goals in mind. It starts by targeting what is critical now. In fact, to be critical and support strategy 

requires assessing the entire operation from top to bottom, looking at ways to streamline work processes 

and improve workflow. The goal here is to identify the obstacles which can prevent execution from taking 

place. 

6.2 Developing a training strategy that drives business results 

The greatest return on investment (ROI) for corporate training happens when learning goals are driven by 

business goals. These can include financial capital goals such as improving sales and profitability and 

human capital goals such as in productivity, recruiting the best talent, and of course increasing employee 

engagement. Developing a training strategy that meets these goals requires a strategic alignment between 

the training you provide and specific business objectives. ET meets engagement needs and confirms what 

leaders are trying to accomplish. The communication and learning platform is geared to engage in a 

variety of communication methods, techniques and, tools designed to capture information and 

measures. It can integrate communication with other processes, activities or initiatives and increase 

impact on strategy execution, create early wins in high impact places and, engage and strengthen 

leadership communication competencies. Develop courses and connect the learning objectives – the skills 

and information you need your people to have – with the business objectives they need to meet. 

6.3 Develop a corporate learning strategy that identifies the following key elements: 

• Specific Business Objectives – What are the specific financial and/or human capital goals your 

company is trying to meet? Your business objectives should provide the framework for your strategy. 

• Audience – What are the roles that have a direct impact on each of these goals? Training should 

focus on the employees in these roles. 

• Delivery Method – How will training be delivered? This includes identifying the type of content 

needed, the medium through which it is delivered and how learning will be measured. 

• Performance Support – How will performance be supported? How will outcomes be confirmed? 

Training must be applied and reinforced to be effective and should continually evolve to meet 

changing needs. 

6.4 Engaging in the ET Platform 

Once you’ve identified your business objectives and connected them with learning objectives, it’s 

time to start thinking about how you will deliver your training and confirm effectiveness. To help 

achieve this challenge consider simplifying your training approach and break down the focal areas 

into four categories of employee communications and engagement: Chart the 

critical types of communications in: 

i DT PP PC 

1. Increasing Information i 

2. Development and Training DT 

3. Process or Procedure PP 

4. People Commitment PC 



7. Note about the author 

Eric Bruggeman is a founder for the EmployeeTalk Communication and Learning Measurement Technology 

where he is responsible for Product Implementations, and Training and Learning Activities. An Individual 

Consultant and Speaker of Communication and Engagement; his primary areas of professional expertise and 

research work are: Management Assessment, Collaboration Designs, and, Innovating Virtually. 

Eric@employeeTalk.us

Training Material Development Guide

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