Let’s be honest, everyone wants to be a rock star or wants that recognition for succeeding. But, how do training and learning managers/leadership demonstrate real return on investment? Our teams are busy designing, developing and implementing training/learning programs. It takes time to provide real quantifiable data to prove results.

The Data

Think about the past two decades, how has the system for gathering and analyzing training or learning data changed? Or, should we ask, has it really changed? Is your organization still relying on surveys and learning management system data for the bulk of the knowledge gained for influencing and prioritizing how instruction or instructors should adjust or make changes to meet learners’ needs and expectations? 

Surveys are wonderful tools. We receive them in email, get asked to answer a few questions when handed our receipts and on and on. These simple tools provide details about wants, needs and performance. However, analysis of these simple tools has proven to be time-consuming and biased. Consider for a moment this hypothetical situation. A training director, who is preparing for an annual presentation, is reviewing surveys and notes a repeated complaint that there is no online training for a particular topic. However, the director is aware that the new online topic will be released next week. The director decides to omit this complaint because it brings the overall performance rating of the training department down.

Despite the learner’s age, occupation (if applicable), location or learning mode, the technique used did not have an impact on the results. Similarly, as technology evolved to allow less bias these factors seem to have a less impact on the data gathering and analyzing techniques today. Data collection began and continues today at times today with paper-based data collection. This can be time consuming and lead to missed data or misinterpretation. We admit that AI can be biased if the programming is not observed or verified for inconsistencies. However, our team of analysts review the AI program repeatedly and consistently to ensure unbiased results.

AI – The Evolving Solution

A solution that is being used outside of the training and learning industry is Artificial Intelligence. Although you may be using it in some ways, such as tagging data, it is most likely not being used to its full potential. To reduce training team resource strain while providing quantifiable ROI data, AI can be used to gather data from multiple sources. These sources include surveys, LMS, open source (such as employee sites or student sites), financial reports, HR reports, etc.). With the data imported from the multiple sources, our team of analysts determines what themes are appropriate based on parameters and conversations with our clients based on their needs.

As a result, AI combines with learning analytics and existing facts leading to more data to be potentially collected and analyzed at a more expedient, efficient and effortless rate than previously for your training team. Perhaps more importantly, your team will know the metrics presented for the training ROI is data driven.

You Succeed How?

While these details sound interesting, how does it help you succeed? Well, again your team is free to do what they do best – design, develop and implement training programs. You are given a customized interactive dashboard that allows you to drill down from the organization to the employee/learner level. This not only allows you to provide ROI for your organization senior leadership and prove the training value. It allows you to set achievable priorities and goals based on the identified needs in the data. More importantly to the organizations senior leadership, you will be able to align these with the strategic action plans. 

Interacting with the Dashboard

While this may sound interesting, we are sure it would probably be more interesting if you could actually interact with an example dashboard and see the results. Well, now you can. 

We have an example dashboard, Learner Analytics – Professor Comparison, available for exploration on the open Tableau site. Although not all our capabilities and customization possibilities are displayed, it will provide you with an opportunity to explore.

This dashboard was created based on a fictional university with two professors. We considered open source (ratemyprofessors.com and university survey data) along with grades, demographics, etc. in designing this. As you explore, consider how this could relate to your learners and/or employees. 

Remember, this is only an example of a potential interactive dashboard. Our dashboard can be customized to suit your needs whether your organization is higher education, medical facility, government or industry.

More Questions or Need More Information?

After reviewing the dashboard, feel free to contact us if you have any questions, would like more information or would like to schedule a demo for your organization.