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Are you being asked to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of the learning programs you created for your company, but don’t know where to start and have limited resources?
Measure Learning Impact Despite Limited Resources
Year after year, talent development professionals report that lack of time, lack of support or partnership from stakeholders, and limited budgets are key barriers to measuring and evaluating their learning programs. Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring offers TD professionals a process to measure what matters to the organization with the tools and resources they have available. M&E pro Alaina Szlachta applies the Build-Borrow-Buy approach to provide guidance, quick tips, and shortcuts for making measurement easier while still demonstrating the value and impact of organizational learning.
With this book, you will learn to ask the right questions, brainstorm metrics to evaluate learning, and build a measurement strategy that fits your needs. It also guides you on integrating measurement and evaluation into your instructional design approach from the beginning as well as using and analyzing data sources you might already have. You’ll discover how to build stakeholder relationships to secure buy-in and when to look beyond your expertise for external support and technology.
The Association for Talent Development’s On a Shoestring series helps professionals successfully execute core topics in training and talent development when facing limitations of time, money, staff, and other resources. Using the Build-Borrow-Buy approach to problem solving, this series is designed for practitioners who work as a department of one; for new or “accidental” trainers, instructional designers, and learning managers who need fast, inexpensive access to practical strategies that work; and for those who work for small organizations or in industries that have limited training and development resources.
“Alaina offers a generous smorgasbord of concepts, principles, methods, tips, and tools that L&D practitioners can use fruitfully to plan, practice, and most importantly, leverage the impact of measurement and evaluation to increase training effectiveness and value.”
—Robert O. Brinkerhoff, Professor Emeritus, Western Michigan University; Director of Research and Evaluation, Promote International
“Navigating the complexities of measurement and evaluation for years, I find Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring to be a breath of fresh air. The ‘impact hypothesis’ framework elegantly simplifies the process, offering a practical lens to assess training effectiveness. It’s a must-read for any L&D professional seeking to bridge the gap between program design and demonstrable results, especially when resources are limited.”
—Laurie Roth, Learning and Development Manager, United Heritage Credit Union
“As L&D professionals, our work matters. But how do we prove it? Within these pages, Alaina provides a refreshing and highly practical guide for getting L&D programs the attention they deserve.”
—Chris Taylor, CEO, Actionable.co
“What I appreciate most about Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring is its focus on working smarter (not harder) by being strategic, deliberate, and thoughtful. The guidance Alaina gives for how to measure results is actionable and achievable.”
—Kevin M. Yates, L&D Detective™
“Alaina’s M&E tools and resources create Cirque du Soleil–like aligned solutions that are easy to build, simple to apply, and increase training program success. This book is a must-read that cracks the code on why and how data enablement systems improve business outcomes.”
—Kathy Sebuck, Founder and CEO, Marchitecture
An academic turned entrepreneur, Alaina Szlachta, PhD, is the founder of By Design Development Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in data enablement. Drawing on her background as a researcher and public health educator, she partners with learning and operations teams to integrate measurement and evaluation systems into their daily practices, providing continuous feedback loops that enhance quality, efficiency, and profitability.
Alaina brings a wealth of experience to her work. Her diverse client portfolio spans higher education, diversity and inclusion, finance, victim services, real estate, healthcare, and SaaS. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and marketing from Seattle University, as well as master’s and doctorate degrees in education and health education from Widener University.
Alaina’s passion lies in culturally responsive teaching, demonstrating the value of learning through data enablement, designing curricula that facilitate behavior change, and championing excellence in education. She generously shares her expertise through writing, speaking engagements, and as the host of Measurement Made Easy, a free community of practice that guides practitioners in refining their impact measurement strategies.
When not revolutionizing data practices, Alaina can be found exploring her adopted hometown of Austin, Texas, where she embraces an active lifestyle, running and kayaking around the scenic Lady Bird Lake.
Introduction
Part 1. Build
Chapter 1. Simplifying Measurement With the Impact Hypothesis
Chapter 2. Aligning Your Measurement Strategy: Models and Tactics
Chapter 3. Boosting Data Literacy to Overcome Core Measurement Challenges
Part 2. Borrow
Chapter 4. Saving Time by Integrating Measurement With Instructional Design
Chapter 5. Evaluating and Improving Your Programs With New and Existing Data
Chapter 6. Getting Buy-In and Measuring Impact Without the Ideal Support System
Part 3. Buy
Chapter 7. Investing (or Not) in External Expertise
Chapter 8. Leveraging Technology and AI to Demonstrate the Value of Learning
Bringing It All Together