Measuring the ROI of Training

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A Fresh Inc. reader and professional speech coach was recently asked by a client how the effectiveness of his upcoming communication training with one of the company's executives could be measured. Traditional ROI models don't really apply, as it's hard to put a monetary value on improved self-confidence and increased credibility. Certain models as suggested by Dr. Jack Phillips, he notes, might be effective, but he wonders if there are other models out there that might help him measure the value of his somewhat "intangible" services. Any ideas?

In a cursory search via Google this AM, I did uncover a few interesting resources and viewpoints.

Measuring Training ROI and Impact, an article written in 1999, which discusses Donald Kirkpatrick's widely used approach, though it was first developed in 1959, while he was a professor of marketing at the University of Wisconsin. It offers four levels of evaluation that can help trainers measure ROI.

Assessing the ROI of Training from a UK-based firm that details some elements you can consider to measure training's effectiveness.

Case Studies in the ROI of Training from Chief Learning Officer magazine, which offers a few case studies of how the effectiveness of some training programs was measured.

While none of these links provide any clearcut answer to the above question, they all contain some valuable information, which, if pieced together, might provide the solution.