The Kirkpatrick Model

The Kirkpatrick Model, or four levels of training evaluation, consists of Reaction, Learning, Behavior and Results. Read on for a description of each level. SkiptoMainContent TrainingandEventsUpcomingEventsBack CertificationProgramsBack BronzeLevel StrategicEvaluationPlanning SilverLevel GoldLevel ClassesBack Workshops PresentationsandKeynotes PublicAppearancesBack FreeWebinars Conferences ServicesBack KirkpatrickConsulting®andServices BusinessPartnershipAnalysis Kirkpatrick®ImpactStudies AboutUsBack TheKirkpatrickModelBack StoriesofImpact CompanyLeaders DonKirkpatrick KirkpatrickAffiliatesBack CertifiedFacilitators JoinUs WhatOurCredentialsMean LearningCenterBack FreeResources CertifiedOnly KirkpatrickBlog Contact LinkedInLinkedin FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter YoutubeYoutube LogInEditAccount SelectLanguageEnglishSpanishPolishGermanKoreanChinese(Simplified)FrenchPortugueseHindiArabic TheKirkpatrickModel Forover50years,TheKirkpatrickModelhasbeenTheStandardforLeveragingandValidatingTalentInvestments™.TheKirkpatrickModelhasevolvedthroughdecadesofapplicationbylearninganddevelopmentprofessionalsaroundtheworld. Ourtime-testedmethodworksinallsectors,suchasgovernment,military,corporate,consulting,services,andhumanitarian.Themodelisapplicabletoallprograms.PopulartopicsforKirkpatrickprogramevaluationplansincludeonboarding,productandprogramlaunches,leadershipdevelopment,diversity,equity,andinclusion(DEI),safety,security,andsuccessionplanning. Wehavenotencounteredanindustryorprogramwherethemodelwillnotwork,whichisatestamenttoitstimeless,flexible,andelegantdesign. Level1:Reaction Level2:Learning Level3:Behavior Level4:Results TheKirkpatrickModel Level1:Reaction Thedegreetowhichparticipantsfindthetrainingfavorable,engaging,andrelevanttotheirjobs Level2:Learning Thedegreetowhichparticipantsacquiretheintendedknowledge,skills,attitude,confidence,andcommitmentbasedontheirparticipationinthetraining Level3:Behavior Thedegreetowhichparticipantsapplywhattheylearnedduringtrainingwhentheyarebackonthejob Level4:Results Thedegreetowhichtargetedoutcomesoccurasaresultofthetrainingandthesupportandaccountabilitypackage ReadStoriesofImpact CuriousiftheKirkpatrickModelwillworkforyou?Getinspiredbyafeworganizationsthatappliedtheprinciplesandachievedgreatresults.  LearnMore HistoryoftheKirkpatrickModel Dr.DonaldL.KirkpatrickiscreditedwithcreatingTheKirkpatrickModel,orthefourlevelsoftrainingevaluation,inthe1950swhenheuseditasthebasisofthePh.D.dissertationentitled,“EvaluatingHumanRelationsProgramsforIndustrialForemenandSupervisors.” Themodelgrewthroughorganicworldwideusageandbecamethestandardfordemonstratingtheeffectivenessoftrainingprograms. In2010,Dr.JimKirkpatrick,Don’sson,andWendyKayserKirkpatrick,slightlymodifiedthedefinitionsofthefourlevelsandbegancallingitTheNewWorldKirkpatrickModel.ThesedefinitionsbetterrecognizeDonKirkpatrick’sbroaderintentwiththemodelandclarifyitsusagetoday. ReadMore GlossaryOfTerms ThisglossaryofKirkpatricktermsisprovidedtohelpyouunderstandtheKirkpatrickModelandthefieldoftrainingandprogramevaluation.ThesetermsarecoveredindetailintheKirkpatrickFourLevels®EvaluationCertificationProgram–BronzeLevel. ACE(AcceleratedCertificationEvent) In-personbronzeandin-personsilvercertificationprogramsmaybetakenconsecutively.Someconditionsapply.Forexample,youmayattendthebronzeandsilverprogramsback-to-backifyouhaveagoodtrainingevaluationbackground.Youwillalsoneedtoacceptthatsomeoftheactivitiesinthemoreadvancedsilverlevelprogramarefocusedonabronzeplanthatyouwilljusthavestartedtocreate. BlendedEvaluationPlan® Amethodologyinwhichdataarecollectedfrommultiplesourcesusingmultiplemethods,inablendedfashionthatconsidersallfourKirkpatricklevels,forthepurposeofmonitoring,reportingandadjustingfindingstomaximizeprogramparticipantperformanceandsubsequentorganizationalresults Borrowedmetrics RelevantLevel4successoutcomesthattrainingprofessionalsobtainfrombusinessorhumanresourcedepartmentsinordertocompleteachainofevidence BrightLight® ApersonwhoinspiresothersthroughtheprocessofimplementingKirkpatrickevaluationprinciplesandcontributingtosubsequentorganizationalresults Businesspartnership Cooperativeeffortbetweenthetrainingdepartmentandotherbusinessandsupportunitsinthecompany Chainofevidence Data,informationandtestimoniesateachofthefourlevelsthat,whenpresentedinsequence,demonstratethevalueobtainedfromabusinesspartnershipinitiative Consumptivemetrics Participantattendance,Level1andLevel2datathatattempttoshowtrainingvalue,butinsteadhighlightthecostsoftrainingtothebusiness Corporatejury Theindividualorgroupofbusinesspartnerswhoultimatelyjudgethedegreetowhichtrainingeffortsaddvaluetothebusinessinrelationtotheircosts.Thisgroupsubsequentlycontrolsorinfluencestrainingdepartmentbudgets,staffingandfuture Criticalbehaviors Thefew,keybehaviorsthatemployeeswillhavetoconsistentlyperformonthejobinordertobringabouttargetedoutcomes Dashboard Agraphicdepictionofkeymetricsinabusinesspartnershipinitiativethatmonitorsandcommunicatesprogresstowardsbusinessoutcomes;typicallycolor-codedingreen,yellowandred Formativeevaluation Thecollectionofdataandinformationduringalearningeventorphase “Thegreatdivide” ThesignificantgapthatexistsbetweenLevel2LearningandLevel3Behavior,bothinresearchcorrelationstudiesandactualpractice Impactmetrics Levels3and4metrics,whichconstitutethemostrelevantmeasurementsoftrainingeffectivenesstokeybusinessstakeholdersKeybusinessstakeholder:Amemberofthejurythathasastakeinthesuccessoutcomesofatraininginitiativeandultimatelyjudgesthevalueoftrainingrelativetoitscosts KirkpatrickModel TheKirkpatrickModelisthestandardforleveragingandvalidatingtalentinvestments.Itconsidersthevalueofanytypeoftrainingorprogram,formalorinformal,acrossfourlevels.Level1Reactionisthedegreetowhichparticipantsfindthetrainingfavorable,engaging,andrelevanttotheirjobs.Level2Learningisthedegreetowhichparticipantsacquiretheintendedknowledge,skills,attitude,confidenceandcommitmentbasedontheirparticipationinthetraining.Level3Behavioristhedegreetowhichparticipantsapplywhattheylearnedduringtrainingwhentheyarebackonthejob,andLevel4Resultsisthedegreetowhichtargetedoutcomesoccurasaresultofthetrainingandthesupportandaccountabilitypackage. Dr.DonaldKirkpatrickiscreditedwithcreatingtheKirkpatrickmodelinthe1950s.Themodelisappliedbefore,during,andafterprogramsmaximizeanddemonstratetheorganizationalvalue. Leadingindicators Short-termobservationsandmeasurementssuggestingthatcriticalbehaviorsareontracktocreateapositiveimpactondesiredresults Level1:Reaction Thedegreetowhichparticipantsfindthetrainingfavorable,engaging,andrelevanttotheirjobs Level2:Learning Thedegreetowhichparticipantsacquiretheintendedknowledge,skills,attitude,confidenceandcommitmentbasedontheirparticipationinthetraining Level3:Behavior Thedegreetowhichparticipantsapplywhattheylearnedduringtrainingwhentheyarebackonthejob Level4:Results Thedegreetowhichtargetedoutcomesoccurasaresultofthetrainingandthesupportandaccountabilitypackage “Themissinglink” AnothernameforLevel3becauseexecutionatthisleveliscriticalformaximizingLevel4:Results,yetneithertrainingnorthebusinesstendstotakeownershipofit Necessitiesforsuccess Prerequisiteitems,events,conditionsorcommunicationsthathelpleveragesuccessorheadoffproblemsbeforetheyreducetheimpactofaninitiative “Needles” TheLevel4metricsatraininginitiativeisdesignedtomovethatwilleffectivelydemonstratetrainingvaluetokeybusinessstakeholders;thisreferstoaneedleonadashboardindicatingthecurrentlevelofacriticalmeasurement Requireddrivers Processesandsystemsthatreinforce,monitor,encourageorrewardperformanceofcriticalbehaviorsonthejob Returnonexpectations(ROE) Whatasuccessfultraininginitiativedeliverstokeybusinessstakeholdersdemonstratingthedegreetowhichtheirexpectationshavebeensatisfied(seeROE’sRisingStar:WhyReturnonExpectationsIsGettingSoMuchAttention) Successfactors Itemsthateachcontributetoon-the-jobapplication,performanceandultimateresults,includingrequireddrivers,thetrainingprogram,personalresponsibilityandnecessitiesforsuccess Summativeevaluation Thecollectionofdataandinformationafteralearningeventorphase Supportandaccountability Thetwoforcesthatmustbebalancedaftertraininginordertodrivecriticalbehaviors(seeTransferringLearningtoBehavior) “Whatwillsuccesslooklike?” Thecornerstonequestionthathelpsconvertgenericstakeholderexpectationsintoobservable,measurablesuccessoutcomes,whichsubsequentlybecometheLevel4targetsofreturnonexpectations LearnMore Readourlatestwhitepapersandgetquickaccesstoourbestfreeresources. 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