Strategic learning solutions

TRANSFORMING THE TRAINING FUNCTION:
DESIGNING, DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING
STRATEGIC LEARNING SOLUTIONS
CHARLES COTTER
13 FEBRUARY 2015
MASLOW HOTEL

SCOPE OF PRESENTATION
• Defining strategic learning and development
• Diagnosis of current training and development practices
• Building a business case for the strategic impact and value
of learning and growth
• Enablers and critical success factors to transforming/re-
positioning training
• Applying the A-D-D-I-E process in transitioning to strategic
learning solutions

STRATEGIC LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

DIAGNOSIS OF CURRENT TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES
• How efficient is the training process; is the
attendance of scheduled training programmes
good and are learners satisfied post-training? –
LEVEL 1: EFFICIENT
• What is the submission rate of PoE’s and is there
a good success rate? – LEVEL 2: EDUCATIONAL
• What is the degree of transfer and application of
learning to the workplace and improved
behavioural change and performance? – LEVEL
3: EFFECTIVE

DIAGNOSIS OF CURRENT TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES
• What is the impact of training programmes on
organizational business results and metrics e.g.
productivity; competence; customer service etc. – LEVEL
4: VALUABLE
• What is the Return-on-Investment (ROI) of the training
programmes? Do the benefits exceed the costs? – LEVEL
5: ECONOMICAL
• To what extent do training programmes directly
contribute to the achievement of strategic objectives;
drive innovation; generate business solutions and create
sustainable competitive advantages for the organization?
– LEVEL 6: STRATEGIC

STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE OF LEARNING
AND DEVELOPMENT
• Deloitte (2014): The Nine Critical Talent Imperatives inter alia:
 Accelerating Time to Competency
 Driving Performance & Development
 Improving Management & Leadership
• Building a leading L&D function will likely not only drive
performance, but also improve employee engagement.
• “For far too long, training has been a passive, organizational back-
seat driver. It should come to prominence by enabling and
ultimately, driving strategy and it’s achievement.” (Cotter, 2015)
• If skills shortages are seen as a top threat to business expansion,
leadership will turn to learning managers for a response
(justification).

10 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF
TRAINING TO A STRATEGIC LEARNING SOLUTION
• #1: Top management support and ownership
• #2: Vibrant and effective Performance Management
System (PMS)
• #3: Direct and active engagement, consultation and
participation of line management in all learning
processes
• #4: Training Managers need to adopt and apply a
strategic mind-set (conceptual thinking)
• #5: Establishment of a learning organizational culture

CULTURE IS CRITICAL
• L&D should be a poster child of “people
investment” in your company—creating not
only great training, but also reinforcing the
culture of learning.
• Research on learning culture shows that,
among all of the different investments in
learning that can be made, creating a culture
of learning is the most important of all.

10 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF
TRAINING TO A STRATEGIC LEARNING SOLUTION
• #6: Holding individuals accountable for application of
learning by means of e.g. learner contracts/agreements
• #7: When utilizing outsourced training providers ensure
performance-directed, Service Level Agreements are in
place
• #8: Learning and Development must be embedded in the
business strategy
• #9: Learning strategy must precede structure
• #10: Commitment to training as an investment and not
cost item

BACK TO BASICS – THE BALANCED
SCORECARD

• Strategy maps are communication tools used to tell a story
of how value is created for the organization.
• They show a logical, step-by-step connection between
strategic objectives (shown as ovals on the map) in the
form of a cause-and-effect chain.
• Generally speaking, improving performance in the
objectives found in the Learning & Growth perspective (the
bottom row) enables the organization to improve its
Internal Process perspective Objectives (the next row up),
which in turn enables the organization to create desirable
results in the Customer and Financial perspectives (the top
two rows).
STRATEGY MAPPING

ANALYSIS
• Required Thinking – Lab. Scientist
• Accurate sourcing of training needs by means of properly
performed and scientifically reliable and valid skills audits
• Accurate sourcing of performance gaps by means of a vibrant
performance management system/process
• “Training is not the Alpha and Omega and the cure for all
organizational ills.”
• (Vertical) Alignment with Strategic Business Plan and Strategic
Workforce Plan and horizontal integration (bundling) with other
key HRM functions/processes

DESIGN
• Required Thinking – Architect
• O-R-C-A – Outcomes; Resources; Capabilities and Activities
• Contract learning curriculum design specialists
• Ensure quality assurance of all learning materials and assessment
tools
• Transform to a technology-driven or web-based methodology e.g.
e- or m-learning, MOOC’s or gamification
• “Organizations should redesign their learning architecture”
(Deloitte, 2015)

DEVELOPMENT
• Required Thinking – Construction Manager
• Applied Competency-based methodology (SAQA definition:
foundational; practical and reflexive)
• Contract a diverse, task team of subject matter and development
experts
• Review, pilot and consult with line management to determine
relevance, compatibility and value of learning offering
• “Companies should focus on building a complete learning
experience.” (Deloitte, 2015)

IMPLEMENTATION
• Required Thinking – Postman, because they always
deliver
• Due diligence to verify competence of trainers
• SAPTA – Certified Professional Trainers (CPT)
www.saptaonline.org

EVALUATION
• Required Thinking – Engineer
• Develop policy, processes, systems and
learning analytics to measure the impact of
learning beyond levels 1-3
• Revision of formative and summative
assessment practices
• Training ROI

• The 6 levels of L&D maturity
• Going back to basics
Structure of Learning (70/20/10)
Culture
Balanced Scorecard
Strategy Mapping
• The 10 critical, SL&D success factors
• Applying A-D-D-I-E process
LEARNING “TAKE-AWAYS” –
STRATEGIC LEARNING SOLUTIONS

• CHARLES COTTER
• 084 562 9446
• charlescot@polka.co.za
• LINKED IN
• TWITTER: Charles_Cotter
CONTACT DETAILS

Strategic learning solutions

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