The State of Measurement: Progress Continues

CLOs have a measurement dilemma. They must demonstrate training’s business impact but can’t garner required resources without showing the connection between training and performance. But even in a difficult economic environment, some progress has been made in this endeavor. In January, about half of CLOs reported measurement activities are fully aligned with their learning strategies. Compared with 2008 data, far fewer CLOs are dissatisfied with their organizational approach to measurement in 2012, but progress is uneven.

Every other month, IDC surveys Chief Learning Officer magazine’s Business Intelligence Board (BIB) on an array of topics to gauge the issues, opportunities and attitudes that make up the senior learning executive role. For this month’s analysis more than 350 CLOs shared their thoughts on learning measurement.

Generally, training impact metrics collection and reporting can be described as basic. Two-thirds of enterprises routinely report the progress toward training objectives — courses, students and hours of training — for specific organizational initiatives, up from about half in 2009. And measurement of stakeholder and learner satisfaction with training programs is frequently completed. But more advanced measurement application is still constrained by time, resources and support.

Taking Measures
Learning professionals generally agree on measurement’s value. When done properly, it can demonstrate training’s impact on the company’s top and bottom lines. Effective measurement of the training impact also ensures that organizational initiatives will more frequently include appropriate learning participation. This helps the learning organization increase its relevance: As one CLO reports, “We have a very robust and comprehensive measurement system in place which helps us to articulate our impact on the business across our entire portfolio of solutions. Those measures are included in our organization scorecard.”

Key metrics may include employee performance, speed-to-proficiency, customer satisfaction, improved sales numbers and more. As the survey shows, the challenge lies in gaining access to these metrics and finding the time and resources to conduct measurement.