Process and Methods of Evaluating Training

The process of training evaluation is a cyclical process and consists of 4 steps.

Process of Evaluating Training

1. Setting Intended Standards: These are the objectives of training and intended outcomes and serve as standards for performance of training. They can be in terms of reaction, learning, job behavior and results. 
2. Measuring Actual Outcomes: The actual outcome of a given training activities is measured. Training reports provide information about performance.
3. Finding Deviations: The actual outcome is compared with the intended outcomes. The deviations are found. The cases for deviation are identified and analyzed.
4. Corrective Actions: They are taken to improve the current performance and to plan future training programmes. Objectives may be changed to make them realistic.
1. Evaluation should be tailored to fit the particular training activity and be systematic and objective.
2. The actors in evaluation may be trainee, trainer, coordinator, supervisor and external evaluators.
3. The objects of evaluations can be physical and logistical facilities, teaching aids; curriculum, training methods, administration, finance, trainee, trainer, coordinator and supervisor, support staff.
4. The timing of evaluation can be when participants enter the training or when participants complete training or end of the training programme or after the job re-entry of trainees.

Methods of Evaluation

These are various methods of evaluating training programs. The following are some of the major types:

1. Questionnaire (Feedback forms) or happiness sheets are a common way of eliciting trainee responses to sources and programmes. 
2. Tests or examinations are common on formal courses. Which provide a certificate e.g. diploma in word processing skills, although end-of course tests can be provided after short courses to check the progress of trainees.
3. Projects are initially seen as learning methods but they can also provide valuable information to instructors.
4. Structured exercise and case studies are opportunities to apply learned skills and techniques under the observation of tutors and evaluators.
5. Tutor report is important to have the opinions of those who deliver the training. This gives a valuable assessment from a different perspective.
6. Interviews of trainees post course or instruction period. These can be informal or formal, individual or group or by telephone.
7. Observation of courses and training by those devising training strategies in the training department is very useful and information from these observations can be compared with trainee responses.
8. Participation and discussion during training needs people who are adapting at interpreting responses, as this can be highly subjective.

For complicated training evaluations, it is recommended that a combination of these approaches be used. It is necessary to elicit the responses from the trainees, and the tutors or trainers, and other involved in the assessment process and then compare the responses for correlations.