Is it set for successful measurements?
At Mindspring, we found that traditional Kirkpatrick evaluations often fail not because of flaws in the model, but because organizations skip the most basic steps. So we strengthened the classic four-level model using internal team satisfaction and process ratings, called level 0.
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Missing Links: From Learning Metrics to Bottom Line Results
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Traditional Kirkpatrick Level: A Simple Review
Before diving into the enhancement, make sure most L&D experts already know.
Level 1-Response: How did participants feel about their learning experiences? Did they find it attractive, relevant and well placed?
Level 2 – Learning: Knowledge, skills, or attitude acquired by participants. Can they show new abilities?
Level 3 – Action: Whether participants apply learning to work. Are they using new skills in their daily work?
Level 4 – Results: The impact of learning experiences on business. Has training contributed to improved performance, reduced costs, or other organizational outcomes?
These four levels create a logical progression from immediate response to long-term business impact. However, despite this seemingly outspoken framework, most organizations struggle to implement effective measurements at any level beyond the first two.
Missing basics: Level 0
Here’s what I’ve learned in collaboration with hundreds of organizations: Before effectively measuring learner satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, behavioral change, or business outcomes, it is necessary to ensure that the internal team has the satisfaction, processes, and capabilities needed to successfully carry out the measurements.
Level 0 – Internal team satisfaction and process rating address key questions that determine the success of the measurement.
Team Preparation: Does the L&D team have the skills, tools and time needed to carry out meaningful assessments? Process Clarity: Is the measurement process well defined, consistently executed and continually improving? Stakeholder Adjustment: Does your internal stakeholders understand and support your measurement approach? Resource validity: Do you have enough budget, technology, and personnel to measure what is important? Cultural Foundation: Does your organization’s culture promote honest measurement and data-driven decision-making?
Why Level 0 is a Measurement Make or Breakpoint
Pillar 1: Team abilities and satisfaction
Your measurement efforts are only as strong as your team does them. Level 0 ratings are as follows:
Do team members have the analytical skills necessary to collect and interpret data? Are they happy with the measurement tools and processes? Do they feel confident in their ability to communicate results to stakeholders? Are they experiencing measurement fatigue or are they overwhelmed by the demands of assessment?
Measurement Approach: Perform quarterly team assessments focusing on measurement trust, tool satisfaction and process efficiency. Tracking team retention and engagement, particularly related to assessment responsibility.
Pillar 2: Handles excellence and consistency
An inconsistent measurement process produces inconsistent results. A level 0 evaluation would look like this:
Is the measurement process clearly documented and regularly followed? How long does it take to collect and analyze data at each Kirkpatrick level? What percentage of planned measurements is designed? Based on the lessons learned, how often does process improvement occur?
Measurement Approach: Establish process metrics such as measurement completion rate, time to viewpoint, and process adherence score. Create a feedback loop for continuous process improvement.
Pillar 3: Stakeholder engagement and support
Even the best measurement efforts fail without the buy-in of the stakeholders. Level 0 Rating Track:
How satisfied are business leaders with the relevance and quality of measurement reports? Do stakeholders provide the support they need for data collection (time, access, resources)? Do stakeholders understand and evaluate the measurement approach? How often does measurement insight affect business decisions?
Measurement Approach: Report the perception, usefulness of measurements and investigate key stakeholders that support motivation. Track how often measurement insights lead to program changes or strategic decisions.
Pillar 4: Resource alignment and sustainability
Measurement efforts must be sustainable to be valuable. Please consider a level 0 rating:
Is the measurement budget suitable for planned assessment activities? Do technology platforms support or hinder measurement efforts? How does measurement workload affect other L&D priorities? Are measurement efforts scalable as the program grows?
Measurement Approach: Track measurement costs per program, technology satisfaction scores, and resource allocation balance between delivery and evaluation.
How each enhanced Kirkpatrick model level connects to business impact
Based on level 0, traditional Kirkpatrick levels become exponentially more powerful.
Level 0 → Level 1: Collect more honest and comprehensive response data when your team is confident and the process is solid.
Level 1 → Level 2: High-quality response data can help improve your learning experience and improve your knowledge acquisition.
Level 2 → Level 3: Strong learning outcomes are supported by a robust measurement process, making behavioral change more likely and easier to detect.
Level 3 → Level 4: Consistent behavioral changes tracked through reliable processes by competent teams create a measurable business impact.
Level 4 → Level 0: Examining your business outcome measurement approach and providing data to continuously improve your assessment capabilities.
Common pitfalls at each level and how to avoid them
Level 0 pitfalls
Assume your team is ready without checking. Regularly assess teams’ measurement confidence and capabilities to underestimate the time required for quality measurements: Build realistic measurement timelines in your project plan.
Level 1 pitfalls
Rely solely on end-of-course research: Collect response data through learning experiences Ask general questions: Ignore negative feedback to suit specific learning and business goals: Use important feedback as an opportunity to use important feedback
Level 2 pitfalls
Knowledge retention only measurement: Skill demonstrations and attitude change assessment tests immediately after training: Customize learning measurements for different roles and experience levels, not just initial acquisition using one-size fit ratings, by measuring learning retention over time
Level 3 Pitfalls
Expect immediate behavioral change: make sure there is enough time for new behaviors to rely solely on self-reports: measure manager observations and objective performance data alone: consider environmental factors that support or interfere with behavioral change
Level 4 pitfalls
Choosing Unrelated Business Metrics: Make sure the selected metrics connect directly to your learning goals
Break through level 2 ceiling
Most organizations measure responses and learning only, and do not proceed to behavioral or outcome measurements. This happens because you skip building the foundations at level 0 and encounter obstacles that you cannot overcome at level 3.
Breakthrough Strategy: Invest 20% of your measurement effort into level 0 excellence. If the team is confident, the process is solid and stakeholders are involved, levels 3 and 4 are achievable rather than ambitious.
In experience working with learning organizations, those who invest in strong basic measurement capabilities consistently achieve better results both in business impact measurement and stakeholder engagement with L&D assessment efforts.
Enhanced Kirkpatrick Model: Level 0 Quick Rating
Evaluate tissue on each level 0 pillar (1-5 scale).
Team Features: Does your team have the skills and confidence needed for comprehensive measurements?
Process excellence: Is the measurement process consistent, efficient and constantly improving?
Stakeholder Engagement: Do business leaders value and support your measurement activities?
Adjusting resources: Are there appropriate budgets, technology, and time for quality measurements?
Total score interpretation:
16-20: Strong Level 0 Foundation – Preparation for Advanced Measurements 12-15: Good foundation with room for improvement in targets 8-11: Medium foundation – Focus on strengthening weak pillars before expanding measurements 8: Building a Level 0 foundation before investing heavily in other levels
The expanded Kirkpatrick model isn’t just about adding another level. This is to ensure that measurement efforts are built on a foundation that can support meaningful and sustainable assessments. Getting level 0 correctly will not only make everything else possible, but also powerful.
In our ebook, we explore ways to measure true business impact once we dive deeper into Level 4 and beyond, establishing the foundation for measuring success.
Mind Spring
Mindspring is an award-winning learning agency that designs, builds and manages learning programs to drive business outcomes. Solve learning and business challenges through learning strategies, learning experiences and learning techniques.
