Adopt a measurement that is relevant, accurate, insightful, and practical. It finally enables you to prove the transformative value of your L&D programs, manage them strategically... and secure the budget for the ones to come.
Figure 1 : Examples of insights on the learning impact for a cohort of learners
Measuring the Impact of Corporate L&D: A Complex but Crucial Necessity
In a rapidly changing professional world, lifelong learning has become a central pillar for any company that seeks not only to survive but also to thrive. However, Learning & Development (L&D) departments are under significant pressure. They must prove that every dollar spent on training generates tangible returns and that invested budgets do not go to waste. Unfortunately, the reality is often different: many training programs are delivered while "flying blind", without proper tracking or concrete assessment of their effectiveness. By doing so, companies risk underutilizing or losing talent that is ready to develop, while falling behind in an ever-competitive market.
Measuring the impact of training is far from simple. While the concepts may be straightforward, impact measurement is, in fact, a complex process that must be approached on multiple levels and demands a holistic, multi-dimensional perspective to be truly effective. It’s not just about verifying whether employees seem satisfied or if, by the end of the session, they’ve memorized a list of concepts or techniques. The impact manifests itself over the medium and long term, through changes in behavior, productivity, or employees' ability to solve problems or innovate. In other words, only a structured and rigorous multi-level analysis—from immediate feedback to long-term improvement in the company's results—can truly capture the effect of an L&D initiative.
Theoretical Models for Understanding and Measuring Impact
The theoretical models on which learning impact measurement is based are both simple and well-tested. Universal and stable over time, they have proven their effectiveness in various contexts and form essential frameworks for any company seeking to structure its training evaluation approach.
Kirkpatrick's Model offers a four-level method:
Reactions: How did participants perceive the training? Satisfaction is often necessary, but never sufficient for real impact.
Learning: What knowledge and skills have been acquired? Are they short-lived or do they stand the test of time?
Behavior: Are these skills being applied on the job? Has the learning led to real shifts in mindset and behavior?
Results: What concrete impact has the training had on the learner’s individual performance and on the company as a whole?
Phillips' Model, in addition to Kirkpatrick’s levels, introduces a financial dimension with Return on Investment (ROI), allowing the calculation of the financial gain from the training compared to its cost.
Figure 2 : Phillips' Learning Impact Measurement Model
Make no mistake: the difficulty with these models doesn't lie in their theory, which is relatively straightforward, but in their implementation. They provide a useful framework, but their true value depends on how effectively they are applied. With the real challenge lying in execution, meaningful impact measurement requires both expertise and well-designed tools.
Elendi’s Learning Impact Measurement: Relevant, Accurate, Insightful, and Practical
To turn these theoretical models into concrete, significant actions, Elendi introduces its Learning Impact Measurement module, specifically designed to measure impact with intelligence and performance. The module is built on four key principles:
Relevant measurement
Measuring indiscriminately can create detrimental "noise." Elendi’s measurement focuses solely on the attributes that truly matter—without missing any. The multi-dimensional approach proposed by Kirkpatrick and Phillips is implemented to create the most comprehensive overview possible. The skills taken into account are exclusively those developed in the L&D activities—those critical for the learner to excel in their current role and prepare for future ones. Individual or organizational KPIs are carefully selected at the beginning of the process to ensure the alignment of training with strategic goals. In the preparatory phase, Elendi helps identify the indicators that genuinely reveal the impact on both the individual and the organization.
Accurate measurement
Assessing skills is one of the most challenging tasks there is. Elendi does it by triangulating measurement, using complementary instruments, combining sources (from self-assessment to 360-degree feedback), modes, and formats. Elendi also resorts to an innovative, unique tool in the psychometric field: generative AI-driven skills measurement. A friendly conversational agent conducts an in-depth evaluation, allowing the learner to show the best version of their skills while carefully validating their claims. This results in a formative assessment that is both accurate and highly valuable.
Insightful measurement
Lining up up raw results is not good enough. It’s crucial to extract essential insights, interpret them correctly, link them to specific goals, and understand what they reveal about learners, the organization, and even the training programs themselves. Elendi provides analytical dashboards that offer a complete understanding of the data. These dashboards, for example, enable:
learners to compare their self-assessment with others’ perceptions;
business leaders to map the skills of their teams and be alerted to persistent gaps;
trainers to identify learners in need of additional support;
talent managers to recognize the organization’s rising stars;
and learning managers to make informed decisions to adjust training programs and improve their impact.
Practical measurement
Impact measurement must be scalable and easy to deploy without creating unnecessary complexity. Elendi’s Learning Impact Measurement module is designed to provide a smooth, intuitive user experience, whether for learners, training managers, or leadership. Each stakeholder benefits from a dedicated, role-specific space that offers the right level of detail, tailored to their needs while ensuring data privacy. This allows them to access real-time, granular information for informed decision-making, alongside high-level summary insights.
By adopting these principles, impact measurement becomes relevant and actionable. Companies can leverage it to genuinely transform their approach to L&D.
Figure 3 : Excerpt of an AI-driven conversational skills assessment
Conclusion: Measure Impact to Transform Training and Your Organization
As we now understand, it has become inconceivable—indeed, unthinkable—to organize L&D activities without measuring their real impact. Impact measurement is essential, and it must be approached intelligently. It’s about measuring what’s relevant, focusing on the aspects that truly impact performance; measuring accurately, by precisely assessing skills that are often difficult to gauge; measuring insightfully, by interpreting data effectively; and finally, measuring practically, by providing a smooth and scalable experience for all stakeholders involved.
The most advanced L&D departments are now embedding this practice into their processes. In parallel, the best training providers are also embracing it and increasingly forming partnerships with specialists such as Elendi to come equipped with an impact measurement solution.
With this approach, L&D departments can finally prove that their initiatives are not sunk costs but true performance drivers. Training is no longer a blind gamble: it’s a measurable, justifiable investment, and most importantly, a lever for lasting transformation.
Would you like your organization to benefit from it as well?
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