Targets
Setting organisational objectives before training design begins is the cornerstone of successful improvement and training programmes. If the organisation doesn't know where it is going, all roads will take it there. So, firstly, identify the organisational outcomes that the improvement and training programmes will serve to achieve. What are not meant here are the course objectives or learning outcomes. Determining these will come later. The question here is, What is the end benefit to the organisation of this programme? This may be a reduced number of defects shipped, increased proportion of new products in range, reduced time to market, reduced waste, improved employee retention, and so on.
Beginning with defining the organisational goals will enable the organisation to:
measure objectively the success of the improvement programme
focus employee efforts on what is important
design an effective training programme
Considering the first purpose, measuring objectively the success of the improvement programme, the goals need to meaningful and useful. Recommended here is the adoption of the well-known SMART principle in which goals are Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic and Time specified. Specifying measurable and meaningful goals is no easy task and to do it well is time consuming but well worth the effort. Without specific and measurable goals, it will not be possible to determine objectively whether the programme was successful. For example, do not set a goal of improving product quality. Instead, set a target of reducing defect rates on Machine A by ten percent before end of financial year.