Learning Development Strategy - Creating SMART Goals for Employee Training

Let’s look at this goal – I need to complete my learning module task. What do you understand from this goal statement? Isn’t it vague? How are you supposed to attain it? Where are the timeline and other specifics? How do you know that you have attained it?

Now let’s make this goal SMART. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. So, if you were to rehash the goal statement into SMART, here is how you can rewrite it.

S (Specific): I want to launch a responsive learning module by the end of Q1.

M (Measurable): I’d like to have 200 successful enrollments within the first month of the launch.

A (Achievable): I must set milestones to keep all team members on target so that I can meet the deadline.

R (Relevant): Enhancing the customer experience is essential for my team, so I need to make sure that the learning is responsive because learners like to access training through their mobile devices.

T (Time-bound): In order to be able to launch it by the end of Q1, we need to complete testing by the 15th of March.

If you want your learning business and training goals to be powerful, you must make it SMART.

Here is a detailed guide on how to create SMART goals.

Specific: The goal must be clear and to the point. Vague goals confuse direction. Ask the who, what, why, where questions while drafting the goal.

Sample goal: Our aim is to increase the sales of the microlearning solutions by 10% at the end of Q2.

Measurable: The goal should measure progress with precise statistics. In the end, you should be able to measure your progress and success. Ask yourself how much or how many questions. Sample goal: We intend to gain 500 more completions for our new course as compared to the first phase courses.

Achievable: Make it realistic and attainable. If you set your expectations too high, you will be demotivated when you fail to achieve it. But that does not mean that you cannot stretch your abilities. You need to gauge how realistic the goal is based on the various constraint.

Sample goal: Make sure the 300 learners (a reasonable number) complete the course by the end of the month.

Relevant: Align the goals in the direction of your business. Otherwise, there is a high chance that you will lose focus. The goal should matter to you and align with other related goals. Make sure that you are responsible for driving the goal and that it’s not dependent on others to make it successful.

Sample goal: Audit existing classroom training material to ensure that they are fit for reuse.

Time-bound: Your goal should have a deadline. That way, you know where you stand and how much effort you need to put in in order to meet the deadline. A time-bound goal has short-term milestones that lead to a successful completion.

Sample goal: Our aim is to launch the blended learning program by 31st December 2018.

While drafting your SMART goals, make sure you have a lot of questions for yourself and your stakeholders. The answers will help you fine-tune the strategy and help you attain the goals. The main focus of any training program is to tie learning objectives with business results. If you establish goals that are SMART at the beginning of the training, it plays a crucial part in ensuring the success of the program.

At Designing Digitally, Inc. we improve your training goals by helping you evaluate the content the learners need to receive and how to effectively deliver the information. We can build an entire learning ecosystem utilizing innovative storylines, games mechanics, interactivity, sound instruction, and adaptable technology.

To learn more about custom online learning and the best ways to tackle your training goals, live chat with our team or book a free consultation with one of our experienced team members today!