Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2023 - 57

EXPECTATION SETTING AND
COMMUNICATION
Expectations were set and frequently
communicated to manager candidates.
Assignments were explained clearly to
ensure manager candidates knew what
was expected and when. Assignments
were reiterated at the end of each
instructor-led training and on a virtual
discussion board. Manager candidates
were expected to review content,
apply weekly learning assignments and
present analysis and best practices
during the next virtual class.
Manager candidates were also expected
to take ownership of a capstone project
where they applied what they learned
during weekly assignments to identify
an opportunity in their restaurants
and develop and implement a plan to
improve their practices.
Manager candidates understood that
they owned their learning journey.
INSTRUCTORS AND COACHES
In addition to instructors, in-restaurant
coaches were assigned to manager
candidates to increase learning
throughout the program.
During virtual classroom sessions,
instructors and coaches refined
manager candidates' learnings through
activities and discussion. They asked
manager
candidates questions
to
empower learning, share best practices
and analyze opportunities in restaurants.
To support the capstone project,
instructors and coaches encouraged
manager candidates to practice higherlevel
skills such as strategic thinking and
problem-solving, identifying business
opportunities in restaurants and
developing and implementing plans to
address them. This coaching included
empowering
manager
candidates
to
identify business opportunities, develop
action plans, execute action plans using
training and communication, anticipate
and remove obstacles, collect relevant
data and analyze results to develop future
plans. The intent behind the project was
to build continuous improvement skills
in manager candidates that could be
replicated upon program completion.
THE RESULTS
At the outset, the program had three
primary
goals: increase knowledge
proficiency, build upon continuousimprovement
skills and apply knowledge
and
skills
in restaurants to improve
business outcomes. All three goals were
met and many unintended benefits made
the program even more compelling.
All manager candidates passed
knowledge proficiency at 85% or higher
and all shared that they were equipped
to apply the continuous improvement
skills they learned in DQ® restaurants
where they worked. As a result of
the capstone projects, all manager
candidates felt confident in their abilities
to improve their restaurants and reach
business
ALL MANAGER
CANDIDATES FELT
CONFIDENT IN THEIR
ABILITIES TO IMPROVE
THEIR RESTAURANTS
AND REACH BUSINESS
OUTCOMES.
outcomes. The capstone
projects completed during the program
led to impressive business outcomes,
including, but not limited to, a 2%
decrease in food waste cost and a 28%
increase in sales using more targeted
suggestive-selling techniques.
IN CONCLUSION
The ADQ curriculum team found
success in using Depth of Knowledge
and the flipped classroom model to
deliver manager candidate training
more successfully and to meet its three
primary training
goals. Additionally,
ADQ instructors and manager
candidates realized unintended
benefits that made training more
efficient and effective.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - SPRING 2023 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/MAGAZINE
* Removed barriers of physical
meeting locations, travel costs and
time by moving to virtual meetings
in the flipped classroom model.
* Developed critical-thinking skills in
manager candidates as defined in
Depth of Knowledge level four.
* Deepened the application of
knowledge and skills more
efficiently and effectively, which
led to more compelling business
outcomes.
METHODOLOGY BENEFITS
Here are some unintended benefits
the curriculum team experienced
using Depth of Knowledge and
the flipped classroom model,
both of which positively affected
instructors, manager candidates
and the program overall:
* Empowered manager candidates
to learn content when and where it
was convenient for them.
* Increased manager candidates'
knowledge through instructorled
discussions and peer learning.
* Focused class time for the benefit
of manager candidates' learning.
* Offered more opportunities for
instructors to ensure manager
candidates' understanding.
Based on the success of the program,
the ADQ curriculum team will continue
using Depth of Knowledge and the
flipped classroom model in its manager
candidate training programs to pursue
knowledge proficiency, continuous
improvement and in-restaurant
applications that meet and exceed
business outcomes.
Julie Halloff is the senior instructional
designer at American Dairy Queen
Corporation and Mikaela Faust is
the LMS virtual learning specialist, at
American Dairy Queen Corporation.
Email the authors.
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https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/moderation-tips-for-online-learning/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/content-development/moderation-tips-for-online-learning/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/leadership/5-things-managers-can-do-to-foster-continuous-learning-spon-caveo/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/workforce-development/show-your-support-how-to-build-an-effective-coaching-program/ https://www.trainingindustry.com/magazine

Training Industry Magazine - Spring 2023

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