The Learning Outcomes Playbook A Foundation of LMS Success

We’ve outlined our approach to delivering ‘frictionless’ learning through our Kallidus Readiness Model. We’ve done the research and learned that it is hardly ever (translated to “never) one person who makes decisions or influences the learning strategy of the organization. These decisions are influenced by leaders in Finance, IT, Operations, even Legal, and are ultimately made by Learning & Development, Talent, and Human Resources. We’ve taken all this into consideration and designed a model that you can use and share with leaders throughout your organization so that you have a framework within which to make the best decisions for your learners and your business as you contemplate the learning management system that works best for you.

The following document provides an outline of the process and tools to support this approach. There’s lots here, but nothing worth having is easy – right?

In fact, we wrote this playbook for people who find their current learning environment — to use the words from our L&D practitioner survey — “a little clunky”. Well, don’t worry! The friction that you feel now is what sparked you to look for something better. The good news is that we’ve done the heavy lifting for you, so now let’s get you moving toward frictionless learning experiences for all!

Let’s get a warm up in. The following five steps will help you to frame your thinking around how to set outcomes for your learning initiatives. We will help you to establish outcomes for the varying stakeholders involved in your learning programs.

1. Identify the Overall Goal. Begin by determining the overarching purpose or goal of the learning experience. What do you want learners to achieve or understand by the end of the course, program, or training session? This goal should be specific, relevant, and aligned with the broader educational objectives.
2. Break Down the Goal into Specific Objectives. Once you have the main goal in mind, break it down into specific learning objectives. Objectives should be clear, concise, and observable. They should describe what the learners should be able to do or know after completing the learning experience. Use action verbs like “demonstrate,” “analyze,” “evaluate,” or “create” to describe these objectives.
3. Align with Bloom’s Taxonomy. Consider using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework to structure your learning outcomes. It categorizes objectives into different cognitive levels, from lower-order thinking skills (e.g., remembering and understanding) to higher-order thinking skills (e.g., analyzing, evaluating, and creating). Aligning your objectives with these levels ensures a balanced approach to learning.
4. Make Outcomes Measurable. Learning outcomes should be measurable so that you can assess whether learners have achieved them. To make outcomes measurable, consider using criteria such as timeframes, quantity, quality, or specific assessments like tests, projects, or observations.
5. Review and Revise. Before finalizing the learning outcomes, review them to ensure they are realistic and achievable. Seek feedback from peers, subject matter experts, or other stakeholders. Once the outcomes are established, use them as a guide to design instructional materials, assessments, and activities that support the achievement of these objectives.

Remember that learning outcomes should be learner-centered, meaning they focus on what the learners will gain from the experience. Clear and well-defined learning outcomes help both managers and learners understand the purpose of the learning and track progress effectively.

Next, we will discuss how to align these outcomes with business goals and objectives.

Here are some prompts to help you work your way through the map. We know! This may feel overwhelming, but don’t stop here. Give yourself some creative freedom to walk through this guide as if you were the “boss”. What do you think should be the goal or objective? This will help to warm up a productive conversation with colleagues. What specific skills or knowledge do you feel are important for your role or department? 

Identify Organizational Goals 

• Review the overall strategic goals of the organization and understand how the Learning function aligns with those objectives. 
• Identify specific areas where structured learning supported by a learning management system (LMS) can contribute, such as improving employee training, reducing costs, increasing compliance percentages, or enhancing onboarding processes. Think about employee satisfaction, retention, and promoter scores.  

There are so many things the organization wants to do but remember, you are playing the role of the “boss”. What do you want to prioritize? 

You need a boost? We know these decisions are not easy so let’s think about how you can get help. As you are contemplating this exercise, remember that you will have to get key stakeholders on board. Things to think about: 

• Identify key stakeholders who will be impacted by the LMS implementation, such as HR managers, department heads, instructors, learners, and IT staff. 
• Understand their needs, pain points, and expectations regarding learning and development initiatives. 
• Determine how the LMS can address their requirements and contribute to their success. 

Define Measurable Objectives 

• Set clear and measurable objectives that the LMS implementation should achieve. 
• Ensure that these objectives are specific, realistic, and aligned with the organization’s goals. 
• Consider using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) framework to define objectives. 

Determine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 

• Identify the KPIs that will help measure the success of the LMS implementation. 
• Examples of KPIs include learner engagement, completion rates, skill development, cost savings, time-to-competency, and compliance adherence. 
• Ensure that the selected KPIs directly align with the defined objectives and provide meaningful insights into the LMS’s impact. 

Establish Baseline Metrics 

• Gather relevant data or conduct assessments to establish baseline metrics for the identified KPIs. 
• This will serve as a starting point for measuring the effectiveness of the LMS implementation. 
• Baseline metrics provide a basis for comparison and help track progress and improvements over time. 

Define Success Metrics 

• Define the criteria that will determine the success of the LMS implementation. 
• Success criteria should be specific and measurable, indicating when the objectives have been achieved. 
• Consider factors such as target percentages, performance thresholds, or qualitative assessments that indicate success. 

Be sure to establish a monitoring and evaluation plan. It’s always important to know how you will measure progress before you begin implementing the game plan. Consider these tips.

• Develop a plan to monitor and evaluate the progress and outcomes of the LMS implementation.
• Determine the frequency and methodology for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Assign responsibility for monitoring and evaluation tasks to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate and re-evaluate to see what you could have done differently to improve the actual result. Re-iterating on the practice will make your next cycle through that much more efficient and effective.
• Share the defined business outcomes with all relevant stakeholders, including executive leadership, project teams, and end-users.
• Communicate how the LMS implementation will contribute to the organization’s goals and the expected benefits.
• Ensure alignment and understanding among all stakeholders to foster support, collaboration, and shared ownership of the outcomes.