TOOL 4: Transfer-oriented Feedback Forms

To evaluate training with transfer success and business impact as the target outcomes.

IMPLEMENTATION

Here are three basic principles for designing transfer-oriented feedback forms:

1. Usefulness instead of Satisfaction

• The aim of transfer-oriented trainings is not for trainees to be "satisfied", but to be "useful" in terms of successful implementation. This is because being "satisfied with the training" does not necessarily mean that what has been learned will be applied.
• If, on the other hand, what has been learned is perceived as "useful for day-to-day work", the likelihood of transfer increases. This is why you should ask questions about usefulness instead of satisfaction on your feedback form!

Satisfaction questions signal "We want you to be satisfied."

• "How satisfied are you with the training?"
• "How satisfied are you with the content?"

Usefulness questions signal "We want you to use and implement what you have learned."

• "How useful was this training for your day-to-day work?"
• "How relevant was the content of the training for your job?

2. Learner-Centered instead of Teacher-Centered

• Learning is a process that requires ownership and participation. The trainer and/or the training enables and supports learning, but the responsibility remains with the trainee. That is why you should ask questions about the trainee's learning success instead of asking them to evaluate the "teacher" (trainer)!

Teacher-centered questions signal "The trainer/training is responsible for the success of learning."

• "The trainer involved us as trainees in the training."
  (strongly agree - strongly disagree)
• "The trainer was competent."
  (strongly agree - strongly disagree)

Learner-centered questions signal "The trainee is responsible for the success of the learning process."

• "I made sure that I took on responsibility for getting involved in the training."
  (strongly agree - strongly disagree)
• "The way the training was presented contributed to the success of my learning."
  (strongly agree - strongly disagree)

3. Transfer and Business Impact as Target Outcomes

• Transfer-oriented feedback forms contain questions about the planned implementation and the expected business impact - as this is, after all, the most crucial aspect of the training.

Examples of questions about the planned implementation signal "What has been learned should be applied."

• How confident are you that you will use what you have learned in your job?
  (from 1 = not at all confident to 10 = very confident)
• What are your specific plans for when you get back to your work?
• How likely are you to do [insert behavior critical for success] at work in the future?
  (from 1 = very likely to 10 = definitely not)

Examples of questions about the expected business impact signal "The aim of the training is to bring about a positive change in the organization."

• When you implement what you have learned, which business outcomes will this have a positive impact on?
  (checkbox or open answer field)
• What results and effects do you expect to see as a result of implementing what you have learned?
  (checkbox or open answer field)

Tips

1. Delete questions
   For each question on your feedback sheet, consider: (1) For which key stakeholder is this question critical and absolutely necessary? And (2) What steps should be taken if this question receives "poor" evaluations? Cross out any questions that are not critical to a stakeholder and any questions that do not initiate change.
2. Make expectations visible from the beginning
   Ensuring the feedback sheet is seen right from the beginning has proven effective in helping trainees to understand that ownership and transfer success are critical and expected within the organization. Make expectations clear in advance by handing out the sheet at the beginning of the training, putting it up as a poster in the seminar room, and/or sending it to the trainees before the training.
3. Ask about anticipated transfer barriers even before the transfer phase
   Are trainees expressing doubts about their ability to apply what they have learned? Ask what the reasons for this are ("My manager won't support me", "I will find it difficult to stick to it consistently", etc.). In this way, you can intervene quickly and ensure they still manage to achieve transfer success.