If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that we strongly believe in establishing the credibility of learning & development by aligning learning strategy with organizational objectives to deliver measurable business value. And although it's a relatively simple premise, we realize it can seem daunting to actually embark on it in practice.
Whether you don't know where to start on the road to delivering business value, or if you just want a clearer way to visualize the role L&D plays in your organization, take some time to create a One-Page Learning Plan.
The One-Page Plan is a collaborative and actionable structure for aligning the goals of L&D with those of the greater organization, ensuring that budgets are maximized and that KPIs are optimized and targeted. Since it's only a single page, it's quickly digestible and easily shared—think of it as the strategy equivalent to microlearning.
There are six basic components of the One-Page Plan:
1. Stakeholders
List the key people within the L&D team and the organizational leadership, along with critical external individuals. Try to use names here, where possible, rather than simply listing titles, as doing so will help boost accountability.
2. Strengths and Opportunities
Identify the strengths of your L&D team, both generally and as they pertain to the larger organizational goals. For example, if increasing sales revenue is a top company priority for the coming year, make note of the expertise your team members have in developing and facilitating sales training. Likewise, list areas where needed skills are lacking, and briefly specify what will be done to address those opportunities.
3. Relevant KPIs
Determine the metrics that align to the overarching organizational goals. Avoid the trap of selecting learning-centric measures like test scores or training hours or engagement ratings, and instead aim for metrics that tie directly to business objectives and have provable value. Remember: As far as business leaders are concerned, if you don't measure something, it doesn't exist.
4. Organizational Goals
Briefly outline the year-end initiatives of the larger organization, and match them with L&D activities. Focus here on the "what," not the "how." This section will help you plan resource allocation over the course of the year to ensure your L&D team is set up to support organizational priorities.
5. Quarterly L&D Priorities
What can the learning function accomplish in the next 90 days to meet those organizational goals? Think in terms of milestones, but tie them to measurable, relevant KPIs. Which brings us to...
6. Financial Outlook
This should be a high-level business case that aligns the goals and priorities with expected ROI. Note that while some organizational goals may be non-monetary, attempt to assign financial values where you can, even if they are rough approximations.
Finally, do try to keep the One-Page Plan to just a single page. The point of this exercise is to boil the complex learning strategy down to the essentials, providing a clearer picture of organizational objectives and helping the L&D team stay focused throughout the year.
For more a in-depth explanation of how to develop a One-Page Learning Plan, download this white paper.
Topics: Learning Strategy