Measuring outcomes
Outcomes describe the changes you expect to see because of training and can be measured in the short and longer-term. For example, at XYZ Disability Services, one outcome of training is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants to have better access to culturally appropriate supports.
The next step is to determine the indicators that show that the outcome is being met, both in the short-term and over time. Short-term indicators track success in addressing an immediate challenge, such as the provider lacking workers with the appropriate capabilities to fill shifts. Medium and longer-term indicators track how training contributes to achieving longer-term goals and priorities. For example, where the provider has a goal to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants choosing XYZ Disability Services, this can be measured through word-of-mouth referrals as current participants feel they are supported in culturally appropriate ways.
Tracking data over time can be useful to indicate when you may need to refresh capabilities or consider other strategies to achieve your organisation’s goals. The Workforce Management and Planning Tool provides guidance on using workforce data sources and indicators to track progress towards achieving business goals.
When measuring training outcomes, indicators should be considered from different perspectives. The participant perspective tells you about their assessment of access to the support they need. The worker perspective provides feedback about whether workers feel confident, supported and capable to deliver support. This is a strong determinant of job satisfaction and workforce stability. The organisational perspective considers the organisation’s capacity to provide and maintain quality supports and services.
This Training Outcomes Matrix illustrates how to describe indicators and use data to measure each indicator.
Training is only one of many different variables that affect the delivery of support, and it is not possible to draw a direct link between training and outcomes, especially over the medium and longer term. The important point is whether you are seeing a positive trend in achieving your service delivery and workforce goals, with indicators such as supervisors reporting that workers are demonstrating the capabilities they need on-the-job, workers reporting that they feel more confident in delivering the relevant supports, and positive participant feedback about the relevant area of capability.
