Jim Kirkpatrick: Four Levels of Training Evaluation
Jim Kirkpatrick is co-owner of Kirkpatrick Partners. He is an expert in training evaluation and the creator of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. He trains and consults for corporate, government, military, and humanitarian organizations around the world.
Jim co-authored three books with his late father, Don Kirkpatrick, who is credited with creating the Kirkpatrick Model. He also has written four books with Wendy Kirkpatrick, including Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation*.
In this conversation, Jim and I explore the details of the New World Kirkpatrick Model. Many leaders miss the critical nature of focus on level 4 (results) and level 3 (behavior). We examine these two levels in detail and show leaders how they can take practical steps to link training with results.
Key Points
- Ask yourself this when considering results: “Is this what the organization exists to do, deliver, or contribute to its customers or society, at a high level?”
- Level 4 (Results): The degree to which targeted outcomes occur as a result of the training and the support and accountability package.
- Level 3 (Behavior): The degree to which participants apply what they learned during training when they are back on the job.
- Level 2 (Learning): The degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence and commitment based on their participation in the training.
- Level 1 (Reaction): The degree to which participants find the training favorable, engaging and relevant to their jobs.
Resources Mentioned
- Kirkpatrick Community: Free Resources
- Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation* by Jim and Wendy Kirkpatrick
Bonus Audio
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- Help People Learn Through Powerful Teaching, with Pooja Agarwal (episode 421)
- Tie Leadership Development to Business Results, with Mark Allen (episode 435)
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