Kirkpatrick's 4 Levels of Evaluation

How can you evaluate a training course?

Dr. Donald Kirkpatrick was a university professor and former President of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). He’s known for creating the 'Four Levels' model for training-course evaluation.

His Four Levels of Evaluation was designed as a sequence to evaluate training programs so organizations don't spend time or money on training that doesn't provide a worthwhile return.

The first level of evaluation is REACTION: This level measures how favorably the trainees reacted to the training. Here, the trainees evaluate the instructor, the material, its presentation and the venue.

Level two is LEARNING: This level measures what the trainees have learned.The trainer would measure these parameters against the learning objectives.

Level 3 is BEHAVIOR: At this level, the trainer evaluates the trainees to see if they’ve changed their behavior based on the training when they’re back on the job. Specifically, it looks at how trainees have applied the information they've learned.

Level four is RESULTS. At this level, the trainer analyzes the final results of the training by measuring the outcomes.These outcomes are measured against any criteria that the organization has determined would be good for the business, for the employees and for the bottom line.

By analyzing each of these four levels, a trainer can gain a thorough understanding of how effective the training was and how it can be improved in the future.