Training and HRD

TRAINING & HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 3(1+2)

Lesson 5:Training objectives

Important considerations while formulating training objectives

The course director has to be very careful and sincere while formulating training objectives. If the training objectives have not been formulated in tune with the assessed training needs, the course may not be conducted effectively. Here are some important considerations, which are essential for formulating training objectives:

1. The training/course objectives should be formulated on the basis of assessed training needs. The training need may be either to bring improvement in attitude or knowledge or skill or all the three aspects together.
2. The training objectives should be well defined like in which area the skills have to be developed and up to what extent.
3. The training objectives should clearly specify what type of change has to be brought in the attitude, knowledge and skills of the participants.
   The criteria of SMART should be adopted while formulating training objectives:
   
S = Simple
M = Measurable
A = Attainable / Achievable
R = Realistic
T =Time Bound
4. Training objective should be formulated quantitatively, means the extent of achievement after the course should be quantified in terms of percentage improvement in the attitude, knowledge and skills of the trainees.
A training objective should also clearly indicate what percentage of trainees will be getting improvement in attitude, knowledge and skills after attending the training course.
For example-a training objective for a training course on "communication" may be "at least 50%participants will be able to prepare and use 3 types of visual aids successfully".
5. The use of indirect verbs like: Learn, Follow and Understand etc. should be avoided while formulating training objectives.
6. The action verbs like: Perform, Describe, Explain etc. should be used while formulating training objectives.
7. While formulating training objectives it should be kept in mind that the formulated objectives are achievable. For example-"the accounting .skills of all the trainees will definitely be improved after the training course", is not an achievable training objective. "3 accounting skills of at least 50% trainees will be improved after the course” is an achievable training objective.

Example - Well-written objectives