How to Develop a Training Plan

Establishing Your Training Goals

Consider the goals of your organization. In order to conduct effective training sessions, you need to keep in mind the objectives of your business or organization. These goals should guide you as you develop your training plan. For example, if the main goal of your business is to increase sales of medical supplies, you'll want to make sure to convey that to your trainees. If your company has a mission or vision statement, use that to guide you as you develop your training goals. You want the training goals to be compatible with the overall objectives of your company. Be aware of what you want to accomplish. For instance, the purpose of the training may be to prepare employees for emergencies, improve business offerings or protect the privacy of clients.

Identify the benefits for trainees. Make it clear to your trainees that there will be tangible benefits that each of them will gain by completing the training. Perhaps your trainee will earn a new certification that qualifies her for more responsibility. Or maybe there is greater job security for those who have completed training. Whatever the case, convey these benefits at the outset of training. Outline the skills, information, and certifications that participants will gain by undergoing the training. These might include mastery of specific software applications, detailed knowledge of company policies and procedures, or enhanced customer service skills.

Recognize desired outcomes. Include in your plan the specific outcomes you want the training to achieve. Be as clear as possible. These should be more specific than the overall goals of the training. For example, you could say, "At the end of training, we will have 25 new employees ready to begin their first week of work in the Accounting Department at XYZ". If possible, note the benefits of achieving these goals. You might note, "Once these new employees are trained we will have X number more hours of production each week, which should increase our overall profits by X%."

Developing Content

Plan necessary steps. A good training plan will indicate exactly how you will accomplish your goals. You should indicate how long training will last, how many sessions will occur, and what will happen during each session. Make sure that the steps align with your specific and broad objectives. Create a training topic outline. When conducting training on productivity software, for example, your topics may include creating files, formatting text, copying and pasting text and saving files. Break down the topics into specific titles. For example, formatting text might be divided up into 3 separate lessons: formatting fonts, paragraphs and tables.

Design lessons. Include in your training plan a list of lessons complete with lesson objectives, specific activities and assessment plans, which may include pre- and post-tests, class discussions, or group activities. Figure out the length of each lesson. Determine whether you will need additional materials or resources for the individual lessons. Determine the best training modality. You might deliver the training via online files, video conferencing, in person instruction or audio files. Choose the method based on the objective. For example, software navigation may be best taught in person or via video, whereas delivering information about safety procedures may be adequately communicated through web-based files. Engage participants to engage in the training activity. Puzzles, problem-solving exercises, questions, and writing activities are ways to keep trainees focused on tasks. Participation can help the trainees more effectively absorb the material. Accommodate a variety of learning styles. Watching video demonstrations, listening to audio and participating in hands-on exercises are ways to diversity activities.

Outline the training structure. In your plan, offer specifics about all of the methods you will use in training. For example, if you plan to use a variety of modalities, such as Skype and in-person sessions, make that clear from the outset. It is also useful to explain your objectives for using a variety of methods. For instance, explain that you will use one-on-one training for detail-oriented tasks. Some tasks are best learned by observing and actively doing them across a substantial period of time. In this case, one-on-one training delivered in the form of shadowing an experienced person might be best. You could also note that you will train people in small groups for tasks requiring interaction. Teaching customer service skills, for example, may be done in small groups using role-play and problem-solving activities. Utilize large group training for overviews. Delivery of information and overviews can be done in large groups. Break the large group into smaller groups, if necessary.

Establish a time frame. To master new skills, trainees might need to meet 1 hour each day for several weeks. If they must be trained by a certain date, include these requirements in your training plan. Indicate whether current employees will need to add this to their additional duties, or if she will need to ask a coworker to help cover responsibilities while she is training. Establish a timeline for making all preparations. For example, you might hire a trainer a month in advance, book a meeting space 2 weeks in advance and inform all trainees of the training location and requirements several weeks in advance.

Create a section for training prep. Your training plan should be a comprehensive document that will make it simple for others to follow your instructions. Therefore, you should indicate exactly how to prepare for training sessions. Be as specific as possible, so that other trainers will have a clear idea of how to accomplish the goals. Include a list of resources in the training plan. Trainers may need presentation tools, a computer or chalk. Trainees may need workbooks, training guides, video players or other equipment. Review the list of resources prior to the training. Consider each step of the training to ensure that all equipment, materials, and tools are accessible and functional.

Including Specific Action Items

Assess the training. Your training plan should include ways that the trainers can evaluate the training as it progresses. There should be clear benchmarks that measure the effectiveness of the training. Specifically state the points during training where the goals should be measured. Have concrete assessment tools included in your training plan. For example, you could have trainees complete a quiz or test after each module. Have trainers ask for feedback. In your training plan, indicate that trainers should observe the trainees attitudes. If the trainees seem lost or unmotivated, indicate that that trainers should address that.

Offer alternatives. Not every group of trainees will respond the same to your training methods. You training plan should indicate that trainers will need to be prepared to teach the material in a different way. For each section of content, your training plan should indicate a couple of different ways to convey the material. For example, some groups may be less talkative than others. Instead of a large group question and answer session, have the the trainees work in pairs. In your delivery of the material, you will likely use specific examples to illustrate your points. If the trainees do not seem to comprehend the material, make sure that there are alternate examples included in the training plan.

Indicate the training participants. Your training may be organization-wide, geared toward a single department or designed specifically for entry-level employees. You may develop separate training plans for different groups or teams. In each plan, be clear about the group that is the focus of the training. Group the trainees by training type. For example, some members of the organization may need simple overviews, whereas others involved in the day-to-day completion of tasks may require in-depth training.

Utilize your colleagues. For example, you will need to calculate training costs. If you are not involved with accounting, you may need to ask someone familiar with your company's financials for some information. Review the list of required training resources to determine how much money you will need. Other costs to consider include meeting space rental, trainer compensation and employee time. You may also need to speak to your organization's facilities manager. They can help you reserve conference rooms or lecture facilities. Let your IT department know that you might need some assistance during training, particularly if you are teaching online or using tools such as video conferencing.

Choose qualified trainers. In order to offer the most effective training, you will need to select the highest quality employee to conduct the training sessions. They may be people already working for the organization or outside experts. Examine their qualifications and experience before hiring. Look for trainers who have experience using the methods that you want to offer. For example, if your training is to be conducted online, make sure to find someone who feels comfortable using that platform. Communicate with your trainers. Allow them the opportunity to ask questions and make sure that they clearly understand the objectives and desired outcomes.