I want to write about what is described as the ‘Learning Transfer Evaluation Model’, but realise in itself, that’s not an exciting title.  So, I’m titling this blog, ‘Getting the most from people development?’.  Still not a very exciting title, but it’ll do.

I guess the difficulty is, few people seem to pay attention to getting the most out of people development.  Few are excited by the subject.  Why is that?

For years (over forty years in fact), I’ve questioned the convention in Learning and Development of simply teaching what is known as the Kirkpatrick Model and assuming that’s enough.  As someone whose been around evaluation for these past forty years I know that for all its contribution, it’s really not enough.

An alternative to consider is the Learning-Transfer Evaluation Model, developed as a ‘a labour of love’ by Dr Will Thalheimer of Work Learning Research (www.worklearning.com).  I understand about developing frameworks and approaches as labours of love.  That’s been my own exact approach developing the SPICE Framework.  Like Will, I developed the SPICE Framework through my own practise-based action research.

At the heart of the Learning Transfer Evaluation Model (LTEM) are eight levels or tiers of learning to consider:

1. Attendance:

• Simply showing up on a training course

2. Activity:         

• Being engaged and involved, taking part

3. Learner Perception:

• Demonstrating comprehension/understanding, relating to practise.

4. Knowledge:

• Especially in the ability to retain knowledge following a programme.

5. Decision Competence:

• Applying the knowledge in personal decision-making

6. Task Competence:

• Applying knowledge in actions

7. Transfer:

• Being able to demonstrate learning in action.

8. Effects of Transfer:

• Being able to demonstrate output and outcomes from application.

Personally, I’m really excited by the thinking informing LTEM which readers can read more about here, https://www.worklearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Thalheimer-The-Learning-Transfer-Evaluation-Model-Version-12.pdf

It seems clear to me that Will Thalheimer has travelled a more or less identical path to Innovation People (www.innovationpeople.co.uk) in researching and developing the SPICE Framework (www.spiceframework.com). In the case of the SPICE Framework, we have developed easily accessible tools any business can access to enable evaluation and tracking from tier 1 to tier 8, to evidence outcomes and outputs in businesses from the development of people.

So isn’t it time we all started to evidence what we get from the development of people?  We can provide really simple, cost-effective tools to enable this.  Visit www.spiceframework.com for more information or contact us at [email protected]

Written by Michael Croft

August 16, 2023