The most successful business executives will tell you that getting an organization to perform at the ultimate level, you must clearly define the business processes, and then position resources to consistently execute on those processes. Training organizations are no exception. I believe that many training organizations do not perform at a level they should because they don't understand process management.
We offer training, but we never get to the detailed level of managing the processes of learning. Most learning leaders run their organization based on their experience of attending educational institutions. I believe this is why the university model became popular in corporate America. But let's be clear. How you manage public education and secondary institutions are not the best way to manage a corporate learning organization.
As a personal mission to address this issue, I began several years ago researching what made a great training organization. An early finding was that great training organizations were operationally excellent. The executive(s) understood process management, and how to effectively and efficiently MANAGE the learning process. We aggregated what we thought were the best practices, and created the Training Process Framework. Our goal was to help leaders of training organizations with how to define the business processes for managing the training function.
The Training Process Framework
categorizes processes around four functional areas; administration, content, delivery, and technology. All training organizations must provide an administrative set of processes, they must manage content, they all deliver learning in some way, and all use technology in some manner. The framework defines the processes around these four functional areas into 26 processes that must be integrated through inputs and outputs.
There are 10 administration processes; registration services, scheduling, strategic alignment, vendor management, assessments and testing, financials, client relationship management, tuition reimbursement, marketing and communications, and metrics and reporting.
There are 6 processes related to content; they are instructional design, content development, graphic design, materials fulfillment, portfolio management, and content refreshment.
There are 6 processes related to delivery; they are instructor recruitment, instructor development, instruction, feedback, classroom support, and facilities management.
There are 4 processes related to technology; they are LMS/LCMS management, authoring tools management, delivery tools management, and technology integration.
Please note that many training executives like to personalize the name of the processes. No issue with me. I say call them what you want. What's most important is that they are clearly defined and communicated to the staff. And if the organization is using outsource suppliers to manage parts of the training function, then clearly articulate the tasks, inputs and outputs of each process.
And let's remember, the real differentiator is how you execute on the processes. Applying fancy names without being operationally excellent, (usually done by suppliers to differentiate) is like putting lipstick on a pig. The pig looks prettier, but it's still a pig. If you are not executing well on the process, the name of the process doesn't make it look or perform any better.
If you would like a copy of the framework including definitions of each process, feel free to send me a note at dharward@trainingindustry.com.
