Summary of RedThread Research's recent study on Learning Impact - how to have it, not just show it!

1. Learning Impact
(having it, not just showing it)
Dani Johnson
Cofounder, Principal Analyst
RedThread Research

2. A short history lesson
(or, how we got here)

3. f
Frederick
Winslow
Taylor

6. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
Outperformers prioritize growth goals
43%
40%
32%
32%
30%
26%
21%
19%
17%
17%
15%
29%
28%
52%
18%
30%
32%
21%
12%
19%
12%
22%
Developing new product / service offerings
Addressing regulatory challenges
Improving operational efficiency
Expansion into new markets/geographies
Increasing revenue from current operations
Increasing profit margins
Reducing business risk
Developing new distribution channels
Increasing customer loyalty
Integrating newly acquired companies
Improving product/service quality
Significant outperformers
All others
Source: IBM Global Study

7. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
How does this affect L&D?
We mostly measure
formal learning
We worry most
about efficiency
We get trapped in
our own L&D bubble

8. We have to think about the next
100 years differently than we
thought about the last 100.

9. So…what are leading orgs doing?

10. This is really hard.
There is no silver bullet.

11. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
Patterns leading orgs are following:
(to both have and show learning impact)
Get clear
on the
business
goal
1
Use leading
and
lagging
indicators
4
Be
consistent!
5
Make your
metrics,
choose
data
3
Consider
all the
levers
2
Illustrate
your story
6

12. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
1. Get clear on the business goals.
3 things more evolved organizations understand:
Business direction
How success is measured
Collaboration is key

13. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
2. Consider all the levers.
Discover Consume Experiment ConnectPlan Perform
Employee Development
• # of External searches for
content related to goal
• # of Internal searches on
content related to goal
• # of Clicks to content
related to goal
• Conversion rate of
comms/marketing to
specific goals
• # of Courses / content
provided to address goal
• # of External searches /
consumption of articles,
etc. having to do with the
goal
• # of learning paths
completed on subjects
about goals
• # of stretch assignments
completed that build skills
toward goal
• # of Cross-functional
rotations that build skills
toward goal
• # of smart failures
associated with working
toward goal
• # of New connections
to SMEs with respect
to goal
• # of new cross-
functional connections
• # of SMEs on the
subject of the goal
• % of employees with
goals specific to goal
• % of 1:1s where
progress toward goal
are addressed
• % of employees
including content or
activities in IDP
specific to goal
• # of individual
development goals
completed that are
related to goal

14. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
3. Make your metrics & choose your sources.
Contextual Deliberate Calculated Directional

15. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
3. Make your metrics and choose your sources.
HR Data
Interview /
Observation Data
Business
Data
Learning /
LMS Data
Surveys / Evaluations
ResourcesRequired
Frequency of Use

16. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved 16
4. Use leading and lagging indicators.
Leading indicators:
Predictive in nature. Frequent and
formative. Offer valuable
information that can help
organizations adjust or change.
Examples:
• Employee / Manager engagement
• Intention to change
• Improved awareness
• Popularity of a topic on an LXP
Lagging indicators:
Confirm long-term trends.
Significant changes in the
company generally occur before
trends in the market.
Examples:
• ROI
• Learning spend per employee
• # of employee learning hours
• Learner satisfaction

17. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
5. Be consistent.
Patience is a virtue.
Metrics aren’t always
immediately useful; collect
them consistently over time.
Standardize!
Collect and format data in
the same way as the rest of
the organization.

18. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
6. Illustrate your story.
Know your audience!
Know what’s important to
them. Do they really care
about completion rates?
Don’t…
Tell them stuff they don’t
care about
Don’t…
Fail to paint
a picture
Be graphic!
Use pictures, not just
numbers. Get good at data
visualization
Don’t…
Bury the
lead
Focus!
Use only data that makes
your point or tells your story.

19. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
Patterns smart companies are following:
Get clear
on the
business
goal
1
Use leading
and
lagging
indicators
4
Be
consistent!
5
Make your
metrics,
choose
data
3
Consider
all the
levers
2
Illustrate
your story
6

20. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
Questions?
http://redthreadresearch.com/2019/06/27/
learning-impact-infographic/
Follow this project & Infographic Summary
Dani Johnson
dani@redthreadresearch.com
@danij2

21. ©2018 RedThread Research. All rights reserved
Patterns smart companies are following:
Get clear
on the
business
goal
1
Use leading
and
lagging
indicators
4
Be
consistent!
5
Make your
metrics,
choose
data
3
Consider
all the
levers
2
Illustrate
your story
7
Continuously
analyze &
adjust
6