Best Practices For Training

Best Practices For Training: A Process Guide for Developing Innovative Training Programmes Based on the Golden Vale ADAPT Project 2 Contents Section Introduction Process Guide Summary and Conclusions Page No. 3 5 27 2 3 Introduction In late 1997, Golden Vale applied for funding under the European Union‟s ADAPT Initiative for a project entitled “M.E.E.T.: Mid-career Employees Embracing Technology”. ADAPT is an Initiative in which the European Union and individual Member States provide co-funding with project-promoting organisations for the design and delivery of innovative projects. These projects must address themselves to challenges common to businesses across Europe. ADAPT projects generally last for two years. The application for funding was approved by the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment at the end of 1997, and work on the project commenced immediately in the beginning of 1998. The objectives of the project were changed several times to reflect concerns expressed by the ADAPT Technical Support Unit Leargas regarding the integration of the development approach proposed by the project into the mainstream objectives of the overall organisational strategy. The finalised objective of the project was to train midcareer employees (aged 35 years and over) to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to make optimal business decisions. An important aspect of this objective was the fact that the employees needed training in a number of basic computer functions and software packages. However, in keeping with the need to ensure that the ADAPT project integrated with the whole of Golden Vale‟s development strategy, this training also had to incorporate business knowledge. In short, upon completion of the training employees would not just have a new set of generic computer skills; they also needed to have the skills necessary to integrate their new proficiency with IT back into their work, allowing them thereby to both work more efficiently with existing resources and to take more informed business decisions. The objectives of the project were achieved with a very high degree of success. An extensive training needs analysis was carried out to determine existing skill levels and learning preferences. Based on the findings from this analysis, a comprehensive training programme was designed, and was delivered by members of ESRC/University College Cork. The training itself consisted of 30 modules, each lasting 2 hours. There were 50 trainees in total. Although the course was not formally accredited, certificates were given to the trainees upon completion. Several of the trainees desired more formal 3 4 recognition, and to date 8 trainees have gone on to receive the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). The document which follows sets out the process by which the project achieved its success, and is aimed at those wishing to replicate the design and delivery of innovative training programmes for their employees. In the course of the project, the project management team isolated a number of best practices, which they have set out herein to allow others to learn from the ADAPT experience. This will allow others to either replicate the whole of the project, or to simply have access to a generic guide to developing best practice training interventions. For further information on any aspects of the training or the best practice suggestions contained in this guide, please contact: Amy Flahive ADAPT Project Manager Golden Vale Charleville, Co. Cork Phone: (063) 35416 Email: aflahive@goldenvale.com 4 5 Step 1: Generate the Project Idea What Happened in the ADAPT Project The basis of the project idea was generated after a strategic analysis of the whole of the organisation. Golden Vale realised that many of their employees lacked the skills necessary to utilise existing computer systems, and that there was an ever more pressing business need for these systems to be used to their maximum potential. The existence of a gap between the business need for extensive use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and those who have the access and skills necessary to use systems based on ICT, is not confined to Golden Vale. This is a challenge which faces a significant number of organisations both in Ireland and across Europe. The details of the analysis of the organisation were even more troubling. The analysis showed that many of the employees at Golden Vale could be classified as midcareer employees, aged 35 and over, who had been with the company for a number of years and who had relatively little familiarity with ICT. Younger employees of course have had a much wider exposure to ICT in the course of both their education and their daily lives, and the skills gap between these younger employees and the mid-career employees was particularly evident. At the same time, the mid-career employees had extensive experience in the daily operations and requirements of the business, and represent a valuable resource for the organisation. The challenge therefore became how to rectify the lack of existing skills in the mid-career employees so that they were able to continue to contribute to the organisation to maximum effect. Previous attempts to address this challenge using traditional training interventions had not been completely successful. While employees did gain skills through traditional training methods (such as short, once-off courses in areas such as Excel or Microsoft Word), the improvement was only felt in certain functions where the training took place. The strategic analysis revealed that the skills gaps outlined above were in fact shared by the majority of mid-career employees across the whole of the organisation. Therefore, an enterprise-wide approach was necessary. A further failing of the traditional methodologies which had been employed in the past in an attempt to address this need was the lack of a holistic strategy which tied in the training in ICT to the overall development needs at Golden Vale. In order to address this, it became clear at the project formulation stage that while the training content in 5 6 ICT would be carefully overseen by the IT Department, the HR Department would also have a highly significant role to play. The HR and IT Departments would have to work more closely on this project than they ever had before in order to ensure that the training approach devised was consistent with the whole of the organisation‟s development plans, and further to ensure that the approach could be transferred throughout the organisation upon completion of its piloting under ADAPT. In summary, a training programme which enabled the target group of mid-career employees to improve their skills in ICT had to be developed. This programme had to be one which could be easily transferred across functions, given that the target group existed throughout the whole of the organisation. Finally, the approach had to ensure that the skills delivered could be applied to the organisation‟s business needs, both current and future, and therefore the project had to tie in the ICT training with generic business training and problem solving. In order to achieve this, a strong bond had to be forged between the IT and HR Departments. 6 7 Step 2: Form the Project Team What Happened in the ADAPT Project Because Golden Vale has extensive project experience (including previous projects under both the ADAPT and NOW Initiatives), the organisation had a clear understanding at a very early stage of the importance of a proper project management structure. In fact, much of the discussion surrounding the structure was taking place at the actual project development stage, reflecting this awareness. Due to the nature of the interventions which were being proposed, it was clear that the project management team would need to be composed of people with expertise in business skills, ICT skills, training skills, and general Human Resources skills. Previous project experience had also emphasised the need to have target group representation on the project management team, and therefore members of the target group were also appointed to the team. Finally, a formal project manager (Amy Flahive) was appointed. Amy is also the IT Manager at Golden Vale. Although responsibility for the daily project work rested with Amy, the whole of the management team was very much involved in the project. Learnings 1) Before deciding on the project management team, ensure that the project’s objectives and strategy are clear: Although it was noted above that the project management structure was being discussed at an early stage, this does not mean that the composition of the team was decided upon prior to the clarification of the project‟s objectives and strategy. This clarification must take place first, because those objectives and that strategy will themselves define who should be on the team. 2) Choose people who are willing to innovate: When choosing people for the project management team, ensure that they are willing to examine challenges in new ways, and are willing to investigate innovative solutions. to think „outside the box‟. 3) Choose people who are enthusiastic: Project management, especially in innovative projects, requires patience, hard work, and long hours. The The members of the project management team must be open-minded, and willing 7 8 members of the team should be enthusiastic, both about the project and about the target group. The team will have to drive the project, and the people involved must be willing to champion the project throughout the organisation. 4) Ensure that there are proper levels of support for the project management team: The amount of time and effort required by innovative projects means that personnel on the project management team should have certain characteristics, which have been outlined above. At the same time, these personnel also require the necessary supports in order to complete this demanding task. Senior management must support the project, particularly in terms of providing the resources and time to the team. Those working on the team need to have their work acknowledged. External supports should also be provided as necessary. For example, at the very beginning of the ADAPT project each member of the team participated in a project management training programme which lasted for 2 days. This helped develop relationships between the team members, created buy-in for the project among the team, and provided important information on project management. 5) Appoint a project manager: Although the management of a project such as this is very much a team effort, there has to be someone who is ultimately responsible, and someone who can be contacted for information and to trouble shoot any difficulties which arise. All projects should appoint a formal project manager. 6) Involve the project target group: Involving the project target group should begin even at this early stage, if at all possible. This enables buy-in to begin from the very start of the project. It also begins to build one of the key communication pathways from the project‟s inception. Finally, this provides a useful mechanism for testing the approach which is being contemplated at the earliest possible opportunity. 8 9 Step 3: Undertake a Training Needs Analysis What Happened in the ADAPT Project A training needs analysis is a process whereby the gap between the current level of expertise and the desired skill level is measured. There are a number of ways to undertake this process, from simply handing out surveys to the members of the target group and having them fill these surveys out themselves, to a full analysis which involves extensive target group input and communication. The previous project experience in Golden Vale had revealed that the latter, more inclusive methodology was a far more successful way of proceeding. A needs analysis which involves the participants themselves in defining and isolating their needs is a best practice whose benefits have proven themselves repeatedly. Therefore, it was agreed to utilise this approach for the ADAPT project. Tenders were sought from several organisations to provide facilitation and analytical services. Golden Vale chose PearnKandola, occupational psychologists, to undertake the exercise. 12 people were chosen to participate during the needs analysis and were trained in the analysis methodology. Of these 12, 8 were from the target group itself, and the remainder were from the IT and HR Departments. The needs analysis itself involved 6 key stages, including planning and preparation; initial data collection; data interpretation; further information gathering via focus groups; further data interpretation; and the preparation of a report summarising the findings. A total of 4 questionnaires were developed and delivered over the course of the analysis, and these were utilised both in the focus groups and in one to one interviews with the target group members, senior management, HR and IT personnel, and factory managers. PearnKandola personnel analysed the findings of the needs analysis, and reported on them in a document entitled “Golden Vale Plc. Training Needs Analysis: Information and Communication Technology (ICT)”. This document divided the target group into sub-groups based on their level of expertise with ICT. The analysis also focused on learning preferences, with the respondents noting not only what they wished to learn but how they wished to learn it. The learning preferences also including an analysis of potential learning blockages, and how the target 9 10 group believed the acquisition of new skills would impact on their lives both inside and outside of work. Learnings 1) The training needs analysis is a critical step in the process: The importance of the training needs analysis can not be overstated. A proper analysis reveals the in-depth needs of the target group, and allows more effective interventions to be designed than those which are based on a superficial survey. Of equal importance is the fact that an analysis such as the one set out above is the first opportunity which the project has to ensure buyin among the target group members. Whereas a cursory needs analysis gives few chances for interaction between the target group and the project management team, an in-depth analysis involves close contact between these two groups and sends a strong message that the project is willing to listen to their views, and that they will have extensive input into the project. This interaction also affords a number of chances to establish lines of communication between the management team and the target group. It succeeds in breaking down barriers between the management team and the participants. Finally, it allows the views of each part of the organisation to be ascertained, thereby ensuring that the solutions which are ultimately devised are holistic. 2) A thorough training needs analysis helps to overcome anxiety in the target group: Spending such a significant amount of time on the needs analysis allows the target group members to voice their anxieties prior to the beginning of the training. This in turn allows the project team to devise solutions which will specifically address those anxieties. Once the target group knows that this will be so, it is often the case that those issues begin to recede almost at once, and the target group can begin to focus on the training itself. This was borne out by the ADAPT project experience. 3) A thorough needs analysis such as this requires significant investment: While the benefits of an in-depth analysis are extensive, organisations must be prepared for the fact that this type of exercise requires a significant investment in both time and resources. Time is required for the development of questionnaires, their delivery, interviews, focus groups, and analysis. In spite 10 11 of this requirement, Golden Vale strongly recommends this approach, as the benefits provide an ample return upon the investment. 4) Develop and deliver the training as soon as possible after the analysis: An in-depth analysis creates momentum and raises expectations, much more so than a less comprehensive analysis. It is therefore important to capitalise on this momentum and these expectations by immediately moving to the design and delivery of training. Allowing too long of a gap between the analysis and the next stages of the project allows both inertia and cynicism to creep into the target group. 11 12 Step 4: Communicate With the Participants What Happened in the ADAPT Project It is important to note at the outset that communication is less of a distinct step than an on-going process which must take place throughout the whole of the project in order for it to achieve the maximum success. In the ADAPT project, several mechanisms were put in place to ensure communication, and these worked very well. One mechanism was the simple fact of including members of the target group on the project management team. We have labelled this „simple‟, but in fact it represents a significant innovation for many organisations; the first time that Golden Vale employed this approach, they were both astonished and pleased at the quality of the results it produced. This step is strongly recommended, as it allows the target group to have direct access to the management team and vice-versa. The pilot group also appointed a communicator to liaise directly with the management team. Given the size of the pilot group (50 trainees), this is also highly recommended. In the ADAPT project, this worked quite well, but only took place in the second half of the project. In retrospect, this should have been done sooner. A further step to facilitate communication was the training of all project This allowed rapid, consistent participants in cc-mail at a very early stage. communications to be sent to participants, while at the same time allowing them to practice their ICT skills. Learnings 1) When the pilot group is particularly large, appoint a dedicated communicator: As noted above, this mechanism proved particularly useful. 2) Undertake briefing sessions with the whole of the pilot group: This only took place occasionally in the ADAPT project, and in retrospect the project management team would have done this more often. Although the management team were careful to ensure ongoing communication, it must be remembered that communication activities are not only about imparting information. They are also an opportunity for team-building. Therefore, having regular briefing sessions for the whole of the pilot group is recommended. 12 13 3) Utilise the training sessions to communicate: Again, though this took place in the project it could have been done more. Training sessions offer an excellent opportunity to communicate. 4) Communicate all of the aspects of the training from the beginning: Much of the focus in this project revolved around training in ICT, and naturally enough many of the communication activities were focused in this area. This meant in turn that communication regarding the other project areas were sometimes not as strong as they could have been. An example of this was the area of problem solving. The problem solving aspect of the training was not the focus of communication until a later stage in the project, which meant that initially the trainees were slightly confused as to where this skill fit in the overall training programme. While this was soon overcome, it could have been avoided altogether had proper communications regarding problem solving taken place from the beginning. 5) Communicate outside the project as well as inside: This is especially important in a project such as this which is drawing pilots from a target group which extends throughout most of the functions in the organisation. When an initiative is meant to address issues which exist in the whole of the organisation, the whole of the organisation needs to know about the initiative. This took place in the ADAPT project via a newsletter posted on the company notice board. 6) Ensure that communication is bilateral: Perhaps the most important point about communication is the need to ensure that it is two way. The mechanisms which are put in place to facilitate communication must not only allow the delivery of information. They must also allow its reception. This ensures that the project management team has an accurate picture of how the project is progressing, while at the same time ensuring that they can make any necessary adjustments as the project continues, rather than waiting for its completion. 13 14 Step 5: Source Deliverers What Happened in the ADAPT Project Golden Vale has contacts with a number of training providers from previous projects, and contacted some of these providers in order to interview them regarding the provision of training for the ADAPT project. Key criteria for the deliverers were a willingness to listen and an ability to innovate. The project team knew that it did not want a generic training intervention for this project, and that therefore the deliverer would have to be willing to design bespoke training based on both the organisation‟s needs and the target group‟s learning preferences. The deliverer would also have to be willing to change the content on an ongoing basis after review with the project team and the end-users, in order to constantly ensure that the needs of the end-users were being met. The deliverers would have to agree to work with trainers in different areas to ensure a consistency in the approach across the whole of the IT training (for example, this involved liaising with the trainers in the European Computer Driving Licence). Finally, the deliverers would have to agree to train support personnel to become trainers. Several members of the project management team had worked with ESRC/University College Cork (UCC) on past projects, and they were invited to make a presentation regarding their ideas for ADAPT. ESRC/UCC had also previously developed a business/IT programme for a local community, and this work was reviewed by the project team. After interviewing a number of potential deliverers, the project team agreed that ESRC/UCC was by far the best choice to provide the training. Learnings 1) Know what you want out of a deliverer, and settle for nothing less: It is important to have a very clear idea of exactly what you want to achieve on the programme, what role you expect the deliverer to play, and what characteristics you are looking for in the deliverer. While this profiling was informal in the ADAPT project, it was clearly agreed between the members of the management team before the interview process began. Interview the deliverers based on this profile, and review their past work. It is very important that the project team and the deliverer understand each other clearly, and can get along personally, as they all will obviously be working 14 15 together closely. Also ensure that you are getting value for money, which is always a key consideration. 2) Ensure that the choice of deliverer is a win-win situation for both sides: The deliverer needs to feel that they are getting something out of the project beyond remuneration. They should be getting a chance to innovate, to design something new, to test their skills. This builds enthusiasm on the part of the providers, and helps create buy-in. 3) Get a local deliverer if possible: Having a deliverer who is located in the same geographic area as the organisation can be very helpful, as it allows all the parties to get together relatively quickly when decisions need to be made. 4) Be prepared for a lengthy process when sourcing deliverers in this manner: Proceeding in the manner outlines above takes a significant amount of time. Profiles must be developed, potential deliverers identified, interviews arranged and conducted, and past work reviewed. However, it is highly recommended that this type of structured approach is followed, especially given the importance of the deliverer to the success of the project. 5) Ensure that the project manager and support personnel are actively involved in the process: This portion of the process requires a significant amount of work, including interviews, reviewing previous materials, etc. It is therefore very important that all members of the project team, but in particular the project manager and support personnel, are actively engaged. 15 16 Step 6: Recruit and Select Participants What Happened in the ADAPT Project The recruitment process for the project was based on voluntary participation by target group members. This was because the management team recognised that the key attributes of the pilot group would have to be enthusiasm and commitment. To attract volunteers, an open invitation to participate was displayed on internal notice boards in the Charleville plants. The consortia member SIPTU were asked to actively encourage members to participate, and this took place with significant results. After a number of responses were received, the factory managers were also consulted. This allowed the project team to construct a pilot team which was comprised of personnel drawn from a mixture of functions across the organisation, and which also had personnel with different levels of expertise and experience in the various areas which were to be taught. The composition of the pilot team reflected the fact that the ADAPT project was devising an organisation-wide solution to challenges which existed throughout all levels of Golden Vale. Members of the local consortia were also asked to provide participants. Learnings 1) Involve the factory managers in the selection process: The involvement of the factory managers helped to create buy-in for the project among this group, which cemented support for the project at this level of the organisation. This approach is recommended by the project management team. 2) Seek support from other project stakeholders: This took place in the ADAPT project, and allowed buy-in towards the project to become both wider and deeper. For example, SIPTU and local consortia members were all actively involved in this stage of the process. 16 17 Step 7: Design the Training Programme What Happened in the ADAPT Project There were three key areas which were to be the subject of training in the ADAPT project: ICT skills, business-related skills, and problem solving. The training needs analysis had revealed both the current state of expertise within the target group, and their learning preferences. All of this material was presented to the training providers, along with a detailed briefing, and discussions began on the best way of developing the training content. These initial discussions were quite intensive, as Golden Vale had a clear picture of the type of training which they wished to see developed and this did not coincide with the deliverer‟s views in several areas. Arising out of these discussions, it was agreed that the deliverers would develop a draft of the content, which would act as a starting point. This first draft was not what the organisation had envisaged, and several meetings took place between the project management team and ESRC/UCC seeking to modify the content of the draft. This period took quite of bit of time, and it has to be said that there was a feeling within the management team that the deliverers thought they knew best and were not open at this stage to what the organisation was seeking regarding the content. It is quite possible that the deliverers felt the same way. It took a long time to get full agreement, which in turn caused a delay between the needs analysis and the actual training delivery. In fact, although the delay was unfortunate and the project management team would seek to minimise it in future projects, the many meetings and discussions between the management team and the deliverer led to a significant strengthening of the overall content and to other aspects of the programme. For example, the providers wanted to retest the current competency levels of the pilot group, while the management team thought that this was superfluous given the testing which took place in the needs analysis. A compromise was reached and an acceptable approach was developed which utilised the monitoring of internet use by the pilots as a competency test (exploring such aspects as keyboard use, familiarity with the mouse, etc.). This innovative and simple testing methodology also offered the pilots the chance to learn about the internet. Another example of the meetings and discussions which led to positive results was in the area of the training manuals. The manuals were developed during this step and indeed 17 18 throughout the whole of the piloting. ESRC/UCC wanted to post these manuals on the internet, but the project team did not agree with this as Golden Vale is not a leading-edge technology company. However, the team also realised that an objective of the training was to prepare to become such an organisation, and they agreed to try the deliverer‟s idea. This worked very well in practice. Ultimately, the project developed a number of modules (30 in total), which were to be delivered in concentrated 2 hour sessions, with extensive time between sessions to allow the pilots to practice their new skills. The content was extremely practical, including modules in MS Word, Excel, Access, the internet, cc-mail, computer components, business information, and problem solving. Learnings 1) Know when to stand firm and when to compromise: Prior to embarking on the development of the first draft, the organisation should have a very clear idea of what it envisages as regards both the content and the delivery of the training. The project team has to know where this vision must be defended and where they must insist that the deliverer follows that vision. On the other hand, the project team must be willing to compromise in other areas, or at least to explore the possibility of compromise. If the team is predisposed to automatically reject all suggestions, then potential opportunities to innovate will be lost. The best course of action is to actually seek out opportunities to replicate the creative tension which was present in the ADAPT project. Although this takes considerable time and can be frustrating, the result leads to a stronger training intervention than is otherwise normally possible without such intensive discussion. 18 19 Step 8: Deliver the Training What Happened in the ADAPT Project The programme in its final form was based on the organisational requirements, the findings of the training needs analysis, and the combined vision of the project team and the deliverers. The pilots were grouped into 3 different sections (Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced) based on the competency test delivered in the previous step using the internet. Some of the pilots initially wanted to stay in the groups they were familiar with in spite of the content of any given module (obviously, competency levels depended on module content; someone who was a Novice in Excel might be Advanced in Word). However, once they became comfortable with the training process, they were prepared to move between groups. The trainers identified by ESRC/UCC were interviewed by the project management team before the training actually began and were given firm guide-lines regarding the delivery philosophy and process. These guide-lines were based on adult learning principles and the principles of workplace-based learning, as opposed to traditional classroom-based training programmes. The trainers then undertook one or two sessions with the pilots, which were monitored and assessed by project team members. Any necessary changes were suggested. This ongoing evaluation was a feature of the whole of the training. There was constant review of how the training was progressing, how the trainers viewed the progress, and how the participants felt about the programme. This evaluation strategy used the communication paths which had been built earlier in the project, including the target group members who were part of the project team, and the designated communicator for the pilots. The project team provided an IT support person to work directly with the trainees. This person was trained as a trainer, and gave extra support including one to one training with those who had missed a session or who required further assistance. This person (Ms. Jean Hickey) also acted as a further communicator/facilitator. Support in terms of equipment was ample. Computers were set up in designated „cyber areas‟ in the three factories participating in the project. Laptop computers were provided to enable participants to undertake home study and to further practice their 19 20 skills. A dedicated training room with computers for each trainee was made available to the project. The training programme was posted on the internet, enabling the trainees to access it at any time (at the time of the writing of this guide, this web site has received almost 1,000 „hits‟; the site address is http://afis.ucc.ie/goldenvale). Learnings 1) The delivery must be based on adult learning principles: There is a substantial difference between teaching young undergraduates in a classroom and in teaching adult employees in the workplace. Many of the trainers were more used to the former style, and had to be willing to adapt to these differing requirements. Using the feedback provided by the project management team, the trainers were able to make the necessary adjustments, and performed their task to a very high standard. 2) When training in ICT, it is important to ensure that enough computers are available: The need for adequate numbers of computers during ICT training was clear from the earliest stages of the project, and was emphasised during the needs analysis. 3) Do not expect people to undertake home study in new and difficult areas: Although the laptop computers were given to the pilots primarily to enable them to practice new skills, they were also to be utilised for home/supplemental study. This proved to be unsuccessful. It is the conclusion of the management team that expecting the pilots to train themselves in areas such as the basics ICT, which involve a substantial number of new concepts and skills, is unrealistic. The structured approach to training is to be preferred in areas such as ICT, at least initially. Experience is showing that this in fact does change as trainees gain familiarity with the basics of the subject. 4) Allow enough time between modules for trainees to practice skills: This was emphasised during the needs analysis, and the success of this approach was confirmed during the evaluation. 5) Allow time for people to become comfortable with the training environment: The initial reluctance of the trainees to switch between groups was not unexpected, but was nonetheless a cause for some small concern. 20 21 However, this resolved itself as the trainees became more comfortable with the training environment, and began to move between groups on their own. 21 22 Step 9: Evaluate the Training What Happened in the ADAPT Project Ongoing evaluation was a key feature of the ADAPT project. The importance of evaluation was well known to Golden Vale based on their previous project experience. Ongoing evaluation is also a formal requirement of the ADAPT Initiative. Internal valuation was carried out on the materials developed by the project, their content, the training facilities, the trainers, the high and low points of the programme as a whole, and what changes were required. ESRC/UCC carried out their own evaluation of the content and the delivery. As well as these formal internal evaluative mechanisms, more informal methods were also employed. A member of the project team attended each training session, and was able to give and receive immediate feedback regarding any issues which might arise. In addition, all of the communication pathways outlined throughout this guide were utilised for evaluation. External evaluation was also undertaken. The project team employed an external evaluator with experience in EU projects and who had worked with Golden Vale in the past. This evaluation took place on a regular basis throughout the project lifetime, and highlighted any issues which the internal evaluation may have overlooked. Learnings 1) Ongoing evaluation is critical: Ongoing evaluation allows changes to be made immediately, rather than waiting until the end of the project or training cycle. 2) Effective evaluation is predicated upon communication: The importance of communication is again demonstrated in the area of evaluation. Both formal and informal evaluations are based upon successful communication paths. The time and effort spent in developing such paths earlier in the project continues to prove its worth in this step. 22 23 Step 10: Integrating the Learning into the Workplace What Happened in the ADAPT Project The integration of the learning back into the business is an important benchmark for the success of any training initiative. Such integration generally will take two forms: the use of the new skills by the trainees in their jobs, and the spreading of the learning by the trainees themselves to others. The use of new skills by the trainees in their jobs was particularly marked in this project. To take several examples, as a direct result of this project a new yields spreadsheet has been developed for the measurement of yields. A production runs spreadsheet has also been developed, which has already been shown to reduce waste, save time, and which is far more accurate than the previous process (which was done manually). A computerised daily log sheet has been developed for the butter production which also shows the average moistures for the day, improving quality and reducing waste. In addition to developing new processes, the ADAPT participants are not afraid to fix their own computers, thereby saving time on repairs. They have been found to take a shorter time to learn new systems than those who did not take part in the programme. Besides learning more quickly and grasping new concepts more readily, they are more accepting of new systems. For example, the new Time and Attendance system was on average accepted far more rapidly by ADAPT participants than non-participants. The second form of measuring the integration of the skills back into the workplace is whether or not the trainees are now training others. This is taking place in Golden Vale. The trainees report being sought out on a regular basis by non-participants for assistance in a number of areas, ranging from general information to troubleshooting and problem solving. They have also helped to train others in the new systems which were designed as a result of the new knowledge developed through the project such as the new spreadsheets and the butter log. Finally, they are also helping to train others in the new systems introduced outside of ADAPT, such as the Time and Attendance system, among others. Learnings: 23 24 1) Ensure that the integration of the learnings back into the workplace is measured: As noted above, the integration of the learning into the workplace is an important benchmark of success. Measuring this integration allows the project team to prove the business case for the training. This measurement does not have to be given in terms of quantifiable date, such as „trainee x has trained 10 others in system y‟. By its very nature, this measurement will be more anecdotal. Nonetheless, it is important to gather such measurements, so that the project is able to define in a clear way where and how it has achieved its success. 24 25 Step 11: Graduation and Certification What Happened in the ADAPT Project Certification for innovative programmes is always a challenge, because accrediting bodies have their own particular requirements which bespoke training programmes may or may not meet. This means that either the content of the programme must be altered to fit these requirements, which may change the programme to the point where it loses its original focus, or the accrediting body must undertake a lengthy examination of the training and decide whether there is some way to accredit it under existing formats. The latter option can consume a significant amount of time. However, in the case of the ADAPT project, the majority of participants made it clear in the need analysis that they wanted some type of recognition, but did not want to undertake exams. This meant the need to explore formal accreditation was effectively removed. Certificates were devised by the project team itself in conjunction with UCC, and were presented at a formal graduation ceremony. All of those who attended were taken out for a meal and a celebration. Certain members of the target group wished to undertake more formal certification. These trainees received support from the project team, and to date 8 of the trainees have gone on to receive the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL). Learnings 1) The impetus for certification has to come from the participants themselves: While certification is an important consideration, if the participants themselves do not want to undertake the formal certification process it can be put aside. There are may reasons why trainees may not wish to undertake formal certification, particularly if they are learning skills in an area with which they are largely unfamiliar. These include fear of exams, and fear of being judged by their fellow trainees and managers. 2) Even if there is to be no formal certification on the programme, hold a graduation ceremony: It is very important to celebrate success. Graduation ceremonies, with certificates designed by the project team, are an effective way of allowing the participants to acknowledge their achievements in public. 25 26 Summary and Conclusions The ADAPT project was a considerable success. A holistic training programme was devised to meet the needs of both mid-career employees and the development needs of the organisation. This programme consisted of 30 modules in the areas of ICT, business skills, and problem solving. They were delivered in concentrated 2 hour sessions, with ample time in between sessions to allow the trainees to practice their skills. New links were created between the IT and HR Departments, which will improve future training interventions by ensuring that they take account of the holistic needs of the organisation. 50 pilots were trained. Of these pilots, 8 have now received the ECDL. Arising from the programme, several new systems have been developed and put in place by the trainees themselves which have improved the business performance of Golden Vale. The trainees are training others in what they have learned. The ADAPT project was not only a success in achieving its objectives. It has also allowed the project team to gather a number of best practice principles which it believes others can use to devise innovative training initiatives. These learnings and principles can be summarised as follows: 1) Effective training interventions require time and resources: The ADAPT project has demonstrated that effective innovative training interventions can not just be thrown together and be expected to work. Effective training interventions require significant amounts of time and resources. The ADAPT project took two years to complete through the piloting and evaluation stage. However, when the results of the project are compared to the time and resources devoted to it, it is clear that this investment was worth it. At one point in the project development stage, the organisation noted that its ultimate aim was to move from a 1960‟s level of computer use to a 21st century level, and that the ADAPT project was designed as an intermediate step to bring them perhaps to a 1970‟s-1980‟s level. The achievements of the project have exceeded this, and have brought the trainees firmly up to the 1990‟s, with employees now using systems based on Enterprise Resource Planning. It is highly questionable whether this result could have been achieved without the substantial investment made by the organisation in this initiative. It is also extremely important at this point to recognise the contribution of the European Union, and in particular those 26 27 responsible for the ADAPT Initiative, for the improvements experienced by Golden Vale and a number of other organisations in the area of innovation and innovative capacity. The funds and assistance provided by ADAPT were critical factors in the success which the organisation achieved in this area. 2) The project management team should be composed of personnel drawn from a number of functions: Devising enterprise-wide solutions requires that a variety of functions should be represented on the project management team. In the case of the ADAPT project, the key areas were IT, HR, and business knowledge. Each of these functions was represented on the project management team. In addition, the target group was also represented on the team. This is a vital step, as it creates buy-in, allows effective communication, and allows the target group to give their views and insights into proposed interventions which impact upon them directly to the team. 3) Communications are vital to the success of training initiatives: The importance of bilateral communications can not be overemphasised. Again and again throughout this guide the need for communications can be seen, from the initial training needs analysis to the final evaluation of the project at its completion. Communication not only imparts information. It creates buyin, builds teams, and changes attitudes. Without effective communications, training initiatives will not succeed. It is that simple. 4) Invest in a proper training needs analysis: A proper and professional training needs analysis takes considerable time and resources; however, the benefits deriving from it are well worth the investment. A proper needs analysis creates buy-in, builds momentum, reveals in-depth needs, and reveals learning preferences. 5) Ensure target group input throughout: Far too often training is devised without the full participation of the trainees themselves. Involving the trainees at every stage has been shown to be a significantly more effective way of proceeding. A full and comprehensive needs analysis, appointing members of the target group to the management team, allowing the trainees to participate in the design of their own training, ongoing evaluation, and communications all ensure full target group participation. 6) Ensure that the training design and delivery reflects the needs analysis and the organisational needs: Often the needs analysis and the 27 28 organisational needs might diverge at certain points. It is important to find the balance between the two, so that each party gains. Ensure that the training design and delivery reflects the needs analysis and the organisational needs. This is especially important when you are beginning to bring in external training designers/providers; they must be willing to take account of what all of the previous work before they became involved has revealed. Do not automatically reject suggestions from the designers/providers, as this may cause an opportunity to innovate to be lost. At the same time, know when to insist on what you want and what the previous work has revealed you need. 7) Ensure that the equipment provided is sufficient: Equipment includes locations, as a dedicated computer training room. It includes personal equipment such as PCs for each participant. Finally, it also includes support equipment such as working overhead projectors, etc. 8) Undertake ongoing evaluation: Evaluation should not just be left to the end of the project or of a training cycle. Ongoing evaluation allows changes and modifications to be made immediately, thereby maximising time. Evaluation should be both formal and informal, using internal and external mechanisms. 9) Celebrate success: Whether the training is formally accredited or not, it is important to celebrate success. 28