At Primeast we believe that organisations that are the most effective at turning learning and development into positive business results practice six disciplines:

D1: Define outcomes in business terms

Organisations invest in learning and development with the expectation of a return in terms of improved business results. Therefore, the first discipline is to rigorously define how the learning program will contribute to the organisation’s mission and productivity. After successfully completing the learning, what will learners do differently and better that will contribute to their personal and business success?

D2: Design the complete experience

Learning and development produces performance improvement only when it is transferred and applied to the participant’s work. Maximising the effectiveness of learning and development requires designing and managing all three phases of the process:

• Phase I: Preparation in advance of formal teaching, including the development of “learning intentionality” through discussions with supervisors.

• Phase III: Transfer and application, continued practice, and learning on the job.

D3: Deliver for application

For learning and development to pay dividends in terms of improved results, participants must be able to make the connection between what they learn during instruction and how they can apply it to their daily work.

D5: Deploy performance support

Follow-through management is most effective when it is linked to on-going support that assists learners in applying new methods and mastering new skills. The fifth discipline of highly effective programs is to ensure adequate sources of support to accelerate transfer and application.

D6: Document results

The investment in learning and development should be treated just like any other corporate investment. That is, the results should be documented and the program’s impact assessed to ensure that the investment is producing an adequate return for the stakeholders.

If you would like to discuss how Primeast can use the Six Disciplines to help you improve the effectiveness of your learning and development call us on +44 (0)1423 531083 or e-mail sixdisciplines@primeast.com.

For more information on the Six Disciplines visit www.forthillcompany.com

Primeast is a strategic partner of Fort Hill Company.