What's your approach to operational planning training for staff and partners?

1 Assess the needs and gaps

Before you start developing your operational planning training program, you need to identify the needs and gaps of your target audience. This means conducting a thorough analysis of their current level of knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to operational planning, as well as their expectations, preferences, and challenges. You can use various methods to collect this information, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations. The results of your needs assessment will help you define the learning objectives, outcomes, and content of your training program.

2 Choose the appropriate format and methods

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your operational planning training program, you need to decide on the most suitable format and methods for delivering it. Depending on your budget, time, and resources, you can opt for face-to-face, online, or blended learning modes. You also need to consider the size, diversity, and location of your audience, as well as their preferred learning styles and preferences. You should aim to use a variety of instructional methods and techniques, such as lectures, discussions, case studies, simulations, games, or role plays, to engage your learners and cater to their different needs.

3 Develop the content and materials

The next step is to create the content and materials for your operational planning training program. You should base your content on the learning objectives and outcomes that you defined in the needs assessment stage. You should also align your content with the strategic vision, mission, and values of your organization, as well as the relevant standards, policies, and procedures. You should use clear, concise, and consistent language, and avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that might confuse your learners. You should also use visual aids, such as graphs, charts, diagrams, or images, to illustrate your points and enhance your message. You should prepare the materials that you will use during the training, such as handouts, slides, manuals, worksheets, or quizzes, and make sure that they are accurate, relevant, and updated.

4 Deliver the training and facilitate learning

The delivery and facilitation of your operational planning training program is the most critical and visible part of the process. You should plan ahead and prepare yourself for the training session, by reviewing the content and materials, setting up the equipment and environment, and anticipating potential issues or questions. You should also establish rapport and trust with your learners, by introducing yourself and the objectives of the training, creating a positive and respectful atmosphere, and encouraging participation and feedback. You should use effective communication skills, such as active listening, questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing, to convey your message and check for understanding. You should also use appropriate strategies, such as scaffolding, modeling, coaching, or feedback, to support and guide your learners throughout the training.

5 Evaluate the results and impact

The final step of your operational planning training program is to evaluate its results and impact. You should design and implement a comprehensive evaluation plan that covers the different levels of learning outcomes, such as reaction, learning, behavior, and results. You should use various tools and methods to collect and analyze data, such as surveys, tests, interviews, focus groups, or observations. You should also use the data to measure the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of your training program, as well as to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. You should also use the data to report and communicate the results and impact of your training program to your stakeholders, such as your management, staff, partners, or donors.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?