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Learning and development evaluation guide

Copies of this document are available in PDF format from this page. Please note: APS agencies and employees are referred to Building capability: A framework for managing learning and development in the APS (Australian Public Service Commission/Australian National Audit Office, 2003) http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications03/capability.htm for current guidance.

The purpose of this guide is to provide practical support and guidance for human resource and learning and development practitioners to effectively evaluate their agency's learning and development.

This evaluation guide is based on the model for evaluating learning and development contained in the better practice guide, Building capability-a framework for managing learning and development in the APS, published by the Australian Public Service Commission and the Australian National Audit Office in 2003.

The guide comes in two parts

Evaluating learning and development-a framework for judging success
The practitioners' resources.

Evaluating learning and development-a framework for judging success

This document provides a framework for 'getting started'

in making the key decisions about what and how to evaluate your agency's learning and development
in assessing your agency's maturity or organisational capacity to evaluate
in planning your agency's overall evaluation strategy.

The framework can be used by practitioners at a number of levels:

To work with and involve senior executive to develop the agency's overall evaluation strategy-to review and inform the whole-of-agency approach to developing their capability
To work with the relevant line managers to design an evaluation strategy for a broad programme of learning and development, e.g. leadership development across the agency
To design the evaluation of a specific learning and development activity, e.g. a half-day seminar introducing a new business system.

The practitioners' resources

This collection of practical resources (tools, templates, checklists etc.) can be adapted and customised for use in agencies to best meet each agency's specific business requirements.

Evaluation elements	Examples of tools/resources available
Decide and plan	» Help with this element and using these tools
	Prioritisation matrix Evaluation plan template Tips on engaging stakeholders Types of learning and development failures Quality checklist References and resources for evaluation planning
Line of sight phase	» Help with this element and using these tools
Relevance	Planning guide for evaluating relevance Relevance index
Appropriateness	Planning guide for evaluating appropriateness Appropriateness index Output potential index Cost calculator
Relevance and appropriateness	Tips when evaluating relevance and appropriateness Relevance and appropriateness scorecard References and resources for evaluating relevance and appropriateness
Learning and performance phase	» Help with this element and using these tools
Reaction	Participant reaction to learning and potential for application Participant reactions Sample participant reaction evaluation questionnaire for a complex programme
Capability	Techniques to evaluate learning and performance Accountable learning agreement
Performance	Planning guide for evaluating learning and performance Individual learning impact map Sample application of learning survey for desktop Sample application of learning survey for use as hard-copy
Capability and performance	Structured observation log Reporting on learning and performance evaluation Tips when evaluating learning and performance References and resources for evaluating learning and performance
Outcome phase	» Help with this element and using these tools
	Planning guide for evaluating impact Success case method Lessons learned method Returns on investment Impact statement Value for money assessments Tips when evaluating impact References for impact evaluation