Accomplishing your near and long-term business objectives can be a substantial challenge for any organization today. Constant competition, significant industry disruption and a steady depletion in the headcount of well qualified workers create a serious hazard for companies struggling to survive and thrive in today’s economy. One significant way that training and learning organizations can play an active role in contributing to the bottom line of any organization is by aligning their objectives to the immediate business objectives. This provides a solid ground for cost justification and encourages businesses to place training groups right where they should be, at the heart of a growing, thriving, learning culture. These are the keys to innovation and long term sustainability – and it is both an opportunity for trainers and learning developers to play a more significant role in the health and life of a business, and an opportunity for businesses to better leverage their personnel. The key to this strategic alignment is in identifying and associating critical skills that are most likely to enable the achievement of business plans. Once the skills are clear, the appropriate training can be developed and deployed.

1. UNDERSTANDING SKILL BASED LEARNING FOR BUSINESS
Dr. Allen Partridge, Adobe eLearning Evangelist

2. Comparing Skills
& Competencies
KSA’s & Kirkpatrick
Understanding foundations
The path from Business
Strategy to Skill based learning
Reflective Practice and
Knowledge Transfer
Our Agenda for the day

3. What’s the difference between a competency and a skill?

4. A competency is a combination of
knowledge, skills and behaviors that
constitute expertise.
Communication, Problem Solving, Critical
thinking, these are competencies. (Competencies
were introduced by McClelland in 1973)

5. A skill is a specific learned activity.
Using a computer, Checking blood pressure,
making donuts, these are skills.

6. There are often many skills in a
given competency, as well as specific
knowledge and attitudes.
So while you could think of a competency as a
collection of skills, you must also consider that
specific knowledge and behaviors are all a part of
competency.

7. Do you think we evaluate each
aspect of competencies equally
well?
Are we better at evaluating knowledge, or skill
than we are at evaluating behavior? If so, why
do you think that is?

8. Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes – Kirkpatrick (KSA)

9. During the late 50’s, Donald
Kirkpatrick introduced a four level
model for evaluating learning
impact.
Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results

10. L1: Reaction
How did the learners react to the training?
L2: Learning
Was there improvement in knowledge, skills and abilities?
L3: Behavior
Is the knowledge transferred to on the job action?
L4: Results
How did the training impact the business?

11. L1: Reaction Feedback
Learner Centered – rather than Trainer Centered
Trainer Centered Learner Centered
The course materials were I found the course easy to
well organized navigate.
The facilitator managed the I was well engaged during the
program well session
Jim Kirkpatrick of Kirkpatrick Partners redefined L1 Feedback with a learner centered focus:
http://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/Portals/0/Storage/The%20new%20world%20level%201%20reaction%
20sheets.pdf

12. L2: Learning
Was there improvement in knowledge, skills and abilities?
More commonly, this is measured through a comparison of pre
and post test results. While this gives the difference of knowledge
it does little to nothing to evaluate the difference in skills (the
application of the knowledge) and behavior (the integration of
ideas into the on-the-job behaviors of the learner.)
Practice / Simulation / Gamification all provide alternatives that
may expand the reach of evaluation into skills.

13. L3: Behavior
Is the knowledge transferred to on the job action?
Some approaches here:
Delayed knowledge testing
Formal and informal on-the-job practice
4-6 Week manager check up
Isolating focus to skills, rather than KSA’s can simplify
reporting for managers. Behavior reporting is problematic.

14. L4: Results
How did the training impact the business?
The dreaded ROI question. How can you prove to C-Level
executives, that the training has a tangible impact on business
success?
Invert the question: Can you break down a business strategy,
into parts that require training? Can that training be described
as competencies? Can you identify the skills and knowledge that
contribute to that competencies? (Set aside attitude for now.)

15. The path from Business Strategy to Skill-based Learning

16. Business Strategy
Double annual profits worldwide by leveraging the fastest
innovation in the industry
Scope is Global, Timeframe is this year, Strategy (differentiator) is
Innovation
The critical competency requirement for most employees will
therefore be innovation, and the role of training should be to
contribute to efforts to enable, inspire, drive and reward innovation.

17. Competencies: Innovation
Leapfrogging
Boundary Pushing
Data Intuition / Integration
Adaptive (Iterative) Planning
Savoring Surprise
Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplan
http://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

18. Skills – Observable and Measurable
Kaplan defines Leapfrogging
Creating or doing something radically new or different that
produces a significant leap forward. Leaders who possess the
unyielding intention of creating breakthroughs give themselves a
leg up by ensuring everything they do adds a completely new level
of value to the market.
Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplan
http://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

19. Skills – Observable and Measurable
Leapfrogging Skills
Listens Actively (Listen, record, repeat, practice, question)
Researches Habitually (Inquire, question, record, compare)
Adapts rapidly (Accept change, criticism, failure, hardship)
Creates (is a Maker)
Volitional (chose action over inaction)
Explores (Expand sphere of influence, travel, go beyond peers)
Experiments (Hacks Life, choose variation over routine)
Five Leadership Competencies for Disruptive Innovation, Soren Kaplan
http://www.innovation-point.com/five-leadership-competencies-for-disruptive-innovation/

20. Refine and define skills, train the skills
Continue to refine and define skills until you are certain that you
have observable and measurable outcomes. These will form the
foundation of the training.
Listens Actively (Listen, record, repeat, practice, question)
(Notice how most of these skills are best served by creating a
method for practice. Simulation, gamification, practice on the job
prompts, reminders, are generally better tools here than multiple
choice quizzes. You can give examples from peers and demonstrate
methods.)

21. Reflective Practice and Knowledge Transfer

22. What is reflective practice
Organized self-reflection in the wake of life lessons or organized
learning. Reflective practice encourages higher level thinking about
the process and outcome of learning. It is particularly helpful for
knowledge transfer based on simulation.

23. Open University – Gibbs Reflective Cycle
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/vi
ew.php?id=14520&extra=thumbnail_idp666608
Experience
Feelings
Evaluation
Analysis
Conclusion
Action Plan
Gibbs Reflective Cycle

24. Consider integrating Reflective Practice
After a simulation or learning game, ask the learner some follow
up questions. These are formative and require no feedback or
grading.
1. What did you observe? (What happened)
2. What were you feeling?
3. What did you like or dislike about it?
4. Can you break the experience into parts and describe them?
5. Can you think of other things you might have tried?
6. What would you do differently next time?

25. Dr. Allen Partridge
allenp@adobe.com
@adobeElearning