abdi newsletter

Issue 40 - August 2010

Greetings from abdi
abdi ltd has a depth of experience unique in the UK, in impact measurement and ROI within L&D. We teach the tools to effectively plan, measure and evaluate all business activity. To discover how abdi can help you and your organisation, visit our website at www.abdi.eu.com





editorial
I noted recently a McKinsey Quarterly article 'Putting a Value on Training'. In it, the authors present a very reasonable set of conclusions about the need to establish clear business impact results from training! Anyone that has worked with us will know that we take this requirement as the starting point in planning all types of people investment. So it's rather surprising to read this take on what seems to be a new found discovery of the authors!

The end of the article concludes 'By tying the curricula of training more closely to key performance metrics and then measuring its impact on them, organizations can generate greater value from training programs and find useful insights to improve programs constantly.' What's not to agree with!

What the article doesn't venture into is whether organisations should be applying the same principle to the services they buy from McKinsey and other large consultants. These services today constitute a huge business in both the private and public sectors and include initiatives around organisation development, re-structuring, performance improvement, business process improvement and introducing lean principles (among many others) as well as training programmes. We know organisations spending millions on initiatives delivered by these consultancy firms.

Furthermore, while the article rightly discusses the benefit of organisations taking the recommended approach (planning your business and job performance outcomes and then measuring if they were achieved), it does not highlight the need to ensure this is independent and objective. There needs to be a clear line between those doing the delivery and those measuring and monitoring results. We all remember in years gone by when following investigations about the relationships between services providing consulting and accounting and audit services, the disastrous results for client and service firms alike and the subsequent changes in legislation.

The same pertains when using suppliers to provide services and ensuring independent monitoring and measurement of the results. Although clients can certainly ask service providers to assist in data collection and may invite providers to give their views about the results in terms of business benefits and value, the job of analysing the data and deciding whether an investment is delivering what's needed and good value belongs with the client. Oh yes, and hopefully also analysing whether it might generate greater value from these services and improve programmes constantly!

So take this thought with you on your summer hols - just because your service providers are heavyweight players, whether they be a business school, consultancy firm, university or have a large client base, the business impact and value they deliver to you is not automatic. Don't be dazzled: the services of these organisations should be treated to the same rigorous outcomes planning, monitoring, and objective measurement and analysis as any other investment using any other service provider.

Want to know how to ensure you have objective rigorous processes and capability in planning, measurement and reporting business impact from your workplace initiatives; please contact us on 01223 360240 (info@abdi.eu.com) and we'll be happy to give you some guidance.

Enjoy the holiday season if you're having a break and we look forward to being in touch and working with many of you in September.

Jane Massy (CEO)


Thinking of running an in-house course?

If you require any information about project or programme evaluation and consultancy services or would like to discuss the possibility of running one of our in-house courses to build the competency of your HR and L&D teams, contact us at  info@abdi.eu.com


Certificates awarded

We would like to say well done to the following candidate who has passed and will receive his Edexcel ROI Foundation Award certificates.

Adrian Cunningham: Vocational Learning Co-ordinator, Health and Social Care Academy, City College, Sheffield.
Dr Vanessa Alison Taylor: Senior Lecturer/Senior Research Fellow, University of Bedford

We would also like to say well done to the following candidates who have passed and will receive their Edexcel ROI Evaluator Award certificate.

Becky Monaghan: Head of Integrated Governance, Sheffield Health and Social Care, NHS Foundation Trust
Jim Chapman: Audit and Knowledge Manager, Sheffield Health and Social Care, NHS Foundation Trust



Public Course dates

ROI is a key tool for managing L&D and HR objectives and budgets.

Make yourself one of the smart practitioners who can bring Gold Standard impact planning and evaluation to your organisation - reserve your place on one of our 2010 courses now

ROI Foundation Certificate Award courses
20-21 September
15-16 November

ROI Evaluator Certificate Award courses
17-19 November

To talk about bringing our courses in-house to you and your colleagues, or to discuss hosting a course for your sector, distribution network or key stakeholders, place call (01223) 360240 or email us at info@abdi.eu.com for further information and course booking.

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