For over thirty years, I’ve observed that most training efforts are a waste. They focus on teaching people to "learn" and "understand." The problem with such training is that it is difficult to measure what someone has learned or understands until they are asked to demonstrate it with behaviors that are observable and measurable.

In addition, the behaviors that are measured have to be relevant to the purpose of the training. Do you want to fly with a pilot who qualified by taking a written test or one who had to successfully demonstrate his skills taking off, flying, and landing your airplane for 100 hours under all weather and light conditions? The difference is measurable objectives.

Most training fails because it lacks this most basic performance element — measurable objectives.

Reading and applying the information in this article will enable you to:

• Construct specific, concrete measurable objectives for training classes, managing training, and managing your organization.

• State the importance of measurable objectives in designing, conducting, and managing the training that takes place within your organization.

• Measure the effectiveness of your training and organization’s efforts in observable results.

Measurable objectives communicate in specific and concrete terms the observable results to be attained. They are also known as behavioral, instructional, and performance objectives.

When applied to training they:

• define what the trainee is supposed to learn to do
• determine what will be included in the training design
• provide the basis for evaluating the training’s effectiveness

When applied to managing the training function or a training effort, they:

• define what the trainer is supposed to accomplish in measurable performance terms
• determine what needs to be included in the training design
• provide the basis for evaluating the training effort’s effectiveness

When applied to managing your organization, they:

• define what the project, function, department, or manager is supposed to accomplish in measurable performance terms
• determine what action steps are essential
• provide the basis for evaluating your organization’s effectiveness

Measurable objectives contain three parts.

• The conditions under which the desired result is to be performed

• An action verb that identifies an observable behavior

• The criteria for determining how well and when the behavior is to be performed

The following is a sample of a technical training measurable objective:

Using the standard tools and manuals supplied by the company [condition], diagnose and identify [action verb] the primary cause of failure on XYZ system [criteria] within one hour [time criteria].

The following is a sample of a managing the trainer measurable objective:

While reviewing the scheduled training outlines [condition], observe [verb] one or more written measurable objectives specifying the observable performance results [criteria] for each upcoming class [time criteria].

The following is a sample of a customer satisfaction measurable objective:

Using a telephone survey of a random sample of 100 customers [condition], find [action verb] that at least 95 [criteria] of them are satisfied with our planned maintenance program within 90 days of its implementation [time criteria].

Measurable objectives are critical for training because they:

Provide a clear and measurable definition of success for both the trainers and the trainees.

Enable trainers and trainees to concentrate on exactly what needs to be taught and learned.

Enable the trainers and trainees to determine their success in observable performance terms.

Enable all parties to assess the effectiveness of their efforts.

Enable all parties to identify where specific improvements need to be made.

Enable you to establish accountability for your training resources investment.

Substitute the words training, trainer, and trainee in the above list and the benefits apply equally well to meeting management, project management, and most other organizational leadership. By providing a specific definition of the desired result in observable performance terms, measurable objectives enable all parties to:

• Clarify where they are going

• Clarify when they will get there

• Clarify what they will need to get there

• Assess whether or not they got there

As a management tool, measurable objectives enable you to ensure that:

• Your staff’s training is effectively and efficiently designed and implemented.

• Your staff’s training is managed effectively and efficiently.

• All or your responsibilities are managed effectively and efficiently.

Are you applying measurable objectives to the training resources of your organization?

Do all your training experiences have measurable objectives that:

Identify the conditions for implementation?

Describe the desired action in observable terms?

State the criteria by which you will measure their success?

Have I met the objectives of this article? Can you:

Construct specific, concrete measurable objectives for training classes, managing training, and managing your organization?

State the importance of measurable objectives in designing, conducting, and managing the training that takes place within your organization?

Measure the effectiveness of your training and organization’s efforts in observable results?

Please contact us for free assistance with writing one or two specific measurable objectives for your organization. Once you do the first one, the rest are easy.

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Bill’s second book, Common Sense Managing: Simple Actions That Produce Results, blasts through twenty years of management trends with proven simple common sense leadership tools and actions that produce lasting results. Available at http://www.growthassociates.org or www.amazon.com

Bill Werst founded Growth Associates, an international consulting firm specializing in practical and lasting customer driven organizational improvement, in 1973. He may be reached at 541-386-1117 or bill@growthassociates.org.