The Business of Training 

 Lies about Consultants and Vendors

This excerpt from “Lies About Learning” covers eight lies workplace learning professionals should be aware of before signing a contract with a vendor or a consultant. They include a team of experienced consulting will be engaged on this project, content will be customized for your needs, we can support a global rollout, our online program will easily integrate with your platform, and more.  It is important to note that experiences with all vendors and consultants are not the same, so it is important to be savvy when you consider using outside services.
T+D, v61 n3 p54-61
March 2007

Bridging the Skills Gap

This significant whitepaper challenges employers to assess the skills of its workforce. Why? To move to the next level of success staff at all levels must be ready to take on new skill set and businesses need to be ready to leverage their learning investments like never before to compete globally.
ASTD’s Public Policy Council 2006

Quantifiable Evidence

This article emphasizes the importance of training metrics that link to the business of the organization. The author urges workplace learning professionals to develop their own business acumen, and to find and use meaningful business metrics to prove their worth to the organization. The metrics used by the 2006 BEST award winners are included in the article.
T+D, v60 n11 p59-62
November 2006

Managing Training Projects

Stock no.250512. Based on the ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate) model of instructional systems development, this Infoline booklet presents a project management process to manage training projects from analysis to evaluation successfully. The five components covered are: defining the project, planning the project, kicking off the project, managing the project to completion, and wrapping up the project.  The Job Aid is a guide to Key Resource Considerations.
INFOLINE
December 2005

Build Your Business Acumen

The expression 'business acumen' creates panic for some workplace learning and performance professionals. This article defines the term; explains how training professionals can learn to respond confidently based on their knowledge and understanding of business terms; and defines the pitfalls that will giveaway the lack of business acumen. The article includes a self-assessment tool that tests business enabling skills.
T+D, v59 n6 p28-33
June 2005

Training Triage

Written for the seasoned trainer, this book looks at the seemingly impossible challenges presented each day from internal and external clients. The book covers how to manage emergency projects dealing with topics such as leadership development, technical and process training, compliance training, collaboration, and coaching. The book includes a CD-ROM with handouts, assessments, and tools that support the strategies outlined in the chapters.
ASTD Press Book 2005

Fail to Plan -- Plan to Fail

This article reports on the combined roles of instructional designer and project manager. The elements of managing a project are covered. The advice for the new project manager is to deliver on time, to scope, and within budget.
Learning Circuits, v5 n7
July 2004