Training Industry Magazine - September/October 2021 - 3

KEN TAYLOR
FROM THE
EDITOR
DIAGNOSING LEARNER NEEDS
How relevant is your training? It's a
question we should be asking more
often
in
learning and development
(L&D). One of the surest ways to
sabotage your training is to focus only
on the outcome, and not give any
thought to how it will resonate with
learners. Regardless
of how much
planning goes into the programs,
training will not have the desired
impact if it doesn't connect with
learners. To ensure that training efforts
align not only with the interests of
management, but also with those of
learners, we must improve or at least
develop our diagnostics capabilities.
Understanding the needs of your
workforce will allow you to develop
programs that speak to each learner.
THE STRUCTURE
OF OUR PROGRAMS
NEEDS TO EVOLVE TO
MAINTAIN RELEVANCY
FOR EVERY
PARTICIPANT.
The structure of our programs needs
to evolve to maintain relevancy for
every participant - employees are
expecting it. That means designing
programs that take into consideration
not only the skill gap or purpose for
the program, but also the learner's
preference in terms of how and when
they want to develop the needed
skill.
That
can
mean
introducing
everything from printed materials to
mentoring sessions to practice the
new skills. Providing the employee
with some degree of choice in the
learning path will result in a more
engaged learner and better outcomes
for the organization.
In this edition of Training Industry
Magazine, we're exploring the ways
that L&D can foster performance
improvement
throughout
the
organization. You'll find a breakdown of
what makes great employees (and how
to help learners at all levels get there).
Learn why it's important for L&D to be
involved in organizational design, as
well as how we can use brain science
to understand and mitigate the stress
that corporate change can bring about
in employees.
This edition will also examine how
L&D can focus on the individual with
articles on fostering mentor/mentee
relationships, as well as using artificial
intelligence and machine learning to
replicate the benefits of the one-on-one
attention that learners used to receive
under apprenticeship programs. You'll
gain tips on ensuring the relevance
of your training, so that it inspires real
engagement from learners across the
organization, as well as ways to break
training down into
memorable) portions.
digestible
(and
At Training Industry, we strive to
provide you with the information and
tools you need to improve learner
performance within your organization.
This issue should offer you some
unique perspectives and techniques
toward that end. As always, we would
love to hear your thoughts on the
perspectives shared in this edition, as
well as any topics you would like us to
engage with in the future.
Ken Taylor is the chief executive officer
at Training Industry, Inc. Email Ken.
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Training Industry Magazine - September/October 2021

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