Training and Development
What to know
Training answers a performance gap; development builds capability for future roles. Always start with a needs assessment at three levels: organizational (where does the business need capability?), task or operational (what does the job require?), and individual (who specifically lacks what?). Skipping the assessment is the classic trap - training then becomes a solution looking for a problem.
Instructional design commonly follows ADDIE: analyze, design, develop, implement, evaluate. Objectives should be observable and measurable, stating condition, behavior, and criterion ('given a control chart, the operator will identify out-of-control runs with 90% accuracy'). Match method to objective: lecture for knowledge, demonstration and practice for skills, coaching and casework for judgment.
Evaluation uses Kirkpatrick's four levels: reaction (did they like it), learning (did knowledge or skill improve), behavior (are they doing it on the job), and results (did the business metric move). Phillips adds a fifth level, return on investment.
Traps: a post-course test is Level 2, not Level 3. A satisfied class is Level 1 and proves nothing about performance. Behavior change requires transfer support - supervisor reinforcement, opportunity to practice, and removal of barriers.
Also know adult learning principles (relevance, experience, problem-centered), competency models, cross-training, knowledge management and succession planning, and the distinction between training and certification (certification validates against a standard; training builds capability).
Worked example
After SPC training, end-of-class exam scores rise from 62% to 91% - that is Level 2. Six months later, floor control charts are current and correctly annotated - that is Level 3. Scrap fell 18% - that is Level 4.