Before you start any process design training program, define what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. What are the specific skills you want your trainees to acquire? What are the expected benefits of the training on your organization's performance? How will you assess the learning outcomes and the transfer of skills to the workplace? You can use tools such as SMART goals, Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation, and balanced scorecards to set clear and realistic goals for your training programs.
Regardless of the “tool” (such as SMART, Kirkpatrick model, etc.), it is important to understand the training program’s participant profile, intended beneficiaries, relevant process context(s), and what would be the desired end results of the process design training program. Regardless of tool, and variants, if any, it is important to align on the desired end results (objectives). For process design training, what are the relevant objectives? Are they measurable (quantitatively and/or qualitatively)? How would achieving such metrics impact a given business unit’s and the overall organization’s performance? It is also important to be flexible to make changes, as needed, to reflect results from such check-ins.
Each and every training live or recorded should have a goal associated with it. What do you want the trainee to learn? What tasks or activities should the trainee be able to perform once the training is complete. I break this down to each key milestone of the training. And after each milestone there is a knowledge test, if the scores are poor the trainee is advised to re-visit the training. If the scores are good, the trainee can either request a one on one / a doubt solving session with an expert for clarification, or continue with the next part of the training. At the end of each milestone, the trainee is assigned the task to be completed, or is requested to list down the steps if the simulations that are not available.
When delivering process design training, you can choose from a variety of methods and formats depending on your goals, audience, and resources. Instructor-led training involves a facilitator guiding trainees through process design concepts, methods, and tools. This can be in person or online, and can be tailored to different learning styles and needs. E-learning involves self-paced learning modules trainees can access online, using multimedia, interactive elements, quizzes, and simulations. Blended learning combines instructor-led training and e-learning. And experiential learning is learning by doing, where trainees experience real or simulated process design scenarios to apply their knowledge. Experiential learning can occur through case studies, role plays, games, projects, or internships to enhance the retention and transfer of learning.
Understand that people have different learning styles, ensure your training is a cohesive one and involves as many learning modalities and senses as it can. Audio - Listening - Ear Visual - Listening & Seeing - Ear & Eyes Test Audio - Speach - Tongue, Throat Test Writing - Activity - Hands Action and Explanation - A mix of all
Optimal delivery channel(s) for process design training warrants sufficient thought. Further, decisions in that regard, as well as training program content, should probably be reviewed once a year, to ensure adequate continuing relevance, effectiveness, and staying abreast with relevant changes to methods and tools. Desired end results of the training program, together with the primary learning style of intended participants, are key criteria for the deciding training delivery channel/method. Especially in medium or large size organizations, it is also possible that a central team conducts process design training for various business units. Creative thinking may be necessary to optimize the training program’s cost vs. benefits.
I am so glad that the author brought this up because too often training programs focus on course material as opposed to enhancing the skills that are being taught. My favorite exercise is to get students to design a process to make peanut butter and jam sandwiches. In doing so they need to design the process, come up with process metrics, test, measure and improve the process using the data they collect. Everyone has a role from putting on the peanut butter and jam, quality control, supervising the process and coaching employees etc. Students get practical experience with process design, management and improvement. Another aspect I would include is to give students ample opportunity to do facilitation.
One of the key factors for ensuring the effectiveness of process design training programs is to provide ongoing support and feedback to the trainees during and after the training. Support can include mentoring, peer learning, communities of practice, or online forums, where trainees can ask questions, share experiences, and learn from each other. Feedback can include formative and summative assessments, surveys, or interviews, so trainees can receive constructive and timely input on their progress. Support and feedback can help trainees overcome challenges, reinforce learning, and identify areas for improvement.
Towards the end of the training program, the trainees can be asked to define one or more problem areas that can be improved. The process design topic can be finalized after review and approval from supervisor and trainer. Also book meetings with stakeholders and the trainer. In this way the trainee gets to work on a real process design activity with support from the trainer.
We didn't Master how to drive in our first few days... It takes time to master any skill. The goal was to practice enough on the simulations that you don't kill anyone on the road while going from point A to point B. Not breaking any traffic rules while doing that. At first, that's what the goal should be with the process training. Not the speed, neither other frills and fancies. Provide assistive material in form of steps / flow and checklists, have someone to review before sending it to client or doing the final step. Sooner with practice both the trainee and the company will get confidence in each other.
Feedback questions (through surveys, interviews, etc.) should be genuine and meaningful; and not be biased. No real value in framing questions that are vague or that provide incorrect/incomplete picture for taking appropriate actions going forward. Even if a process design training program is well designed and delivered, there could be behavioral issues that impede trainees/participants from implementing learnings from the training program. Such issues need to be properly identified and addressed. Areas of improvement identified through feedback mechanisms should be actionable and measurable (quantitatively or qualitatively).
To ensure your training programs are delivering the desired results, evaluate and improve them continuously. Evaluation can involve collecting and analyzing data on the efficiency and impact of the training programs, using the goals and metrics you defined earlier. Tools such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or analytics can help gather feedback from the trainees, trainers, and managers. Improvement can involve identifying and implementing changes to the training programs based on the findings from the evaluation. Use tools like PDCA cycles, SWOT analysis, or action plans to plan, execute, and review the improvement actions.
Develop a competency framework that outlines the specific skills and knowledge areas required for effective process design. Assess participants against this framework to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Creating a competency framework for our process design team helped us standardise the skills required. We used this framework to assess training participants, ensuring they developed the necessary competencies to perform effectively in their roles. Implement an LMS to manage, track, and evaluate training programmes systematically. Use the LMS to deliver content, monitor progress, and analyse learning outcomes.
Process Design is a very unique topic to train for. It is a combination of governance, quality management, problem solving and UX/UI. The training course needs to connect the abstract concepts of process design, documentation and modeling with type of industry and human nature on top. The trainer must end up with enough tools to evaluate all the three above to produce the best process for each work setting