I'm hitting the road, traveling the country to discuss my Predictive Evaluation model.  If you're in any of these areas and would like to attend one of my upcoming presentations, please email me.

Columbus, OH - ASTD Thursday, June 16

St. Louis, MO - ASTD Thursday, August 25

Charlotte, NC - ASTD Thursday September 15

Stay tuned for more locations, and dates coming soon.

Sincerely,

Dave Basarab

Predictive Evaluation has a forecasting element - the ability to predict the value of training.  To start, you need to choose a course on which you want to perform a Predictive Evaluation (PE). That course (training) is in one of two states: it is a new course in the design phase or an existing course that you plan to continue (deliver in the future). Note: you may also have a course that is being redesigned. In any case, you want to predict future business results to aid the company in deciding to (1) move forward with the training because the predicted results are attractive, (2) use predictions to alter training design, or (3) decide not to train (cancel the instructional design or stop teaching the existing course). You are providing key decision makers with information so that they can weigh all the possibilities to make an informed decision on the training investment.

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Many times evaluators struggle with the balance between using quantitative and qualitative data in training evaluations. I like to use both.  However, the element that determines what type of data I use always comes back to the purpose of the evaluation and the questions that evaluation will answer.  These two things determine what types of data are needed and how to collect it.  It is rare that I do not use both data types.

I view quantitative data as the "business end" of the evaluation.  Senior executives are used to seeing data in charts and graphs and like Impact Data in those forms.  I use an Impact Dashboard exclusively for these types of data. I always use qualitative data with Impact Evaluation, Intention Evaluation, and Adoption Evaluation - I view these as the "heart and soul" of the Impact and have found Seniors Executives gravitate more to these than the charts and graphs.

Another way of looking at it is that the quantitative data can provide an overview or snap shot that most people are used to. The qualitative data can be used to drill deeper to explore issues of interest and explain items that that the quantitative data highlights. 

The key skill is not one or the other, but how to strike a balance. This balance will vary depend on the scale and scope of the evaluation. Larger evaluations will require greater quantitative attention. On the flip side, smaller evaluations will have less use for quantitative data because they wont be as significant or representative. So you will need to rely more on qualitative data.

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