Challenge
At the National Park Service, training evaluations were poorly designed and written with questions that did not provide actionable data for continuous improvement. Designers did not see the point in using them and learners saw little value in completing them.
My Role
As Senior Instructional Designer, I modelled the use of performance-focused survey questions (Will Thalheimer method) across several projects and sought to realize the opportunity to elevate learner feedback by sharing evidenced-based methodology across L&D groups.
Action(s)
I took advantage of a funding offer from the Pacific North West Region’s Educational Development Officer to fund a book order of Will Thalheimer’s “Performance-Focused Learner Surveys” book and sent an open invitation to our siloed training teams to participate in a Book Club activity. I invited the L&D Evaluation Lead to participate. I designed/developed a kickoff learning activity to examine our current state and bi-weekly meetings to review concepts from chapter readings, supported by Mentimeter to allow open responses from our virtual, dispersed team across all U.S. time zones. The club ran for 8 weeks and each week included an ice breaker and theme related to current events (e.g., President’s or Earth Day); there was robust discussion and comments were recorded in Menti and a summary shared for those who missed the meeting.
Result(s)
The Book Club was a huge success, with 12 active participants who went on to experiment and apply Performance Focused questioning to not only course evaluations but also any kind of surveys. Designers were able to connect and build their network across siloed teams and support each other with shared knowledge and experiences. The effort concluded just as the L&D Evaluation Lead was proposing a new comprehensive strategy across the NPS, so participants were able to communicate the strategies value and become early adopters.