New ISO Standard on L&D Metrics is Now Available!

by Dave Vance, Executive Director, CTR

The first comprehensive ISO standard on L&D metrics is now available for CHF166 (about $190). The 42-page standard is based on the TDRP framework and provides guidance for the selection and reporting of 52 key metrics for L&D.

The standard is ISO TS30437 Human resources management – Learning and development metrics. It is the culmination of more than two year’s work by ISO Technical Committee 260 Working Group 2 Metrics, of which I am a member. The working group is composed of measurement experts from around the world, and the new standard reflects not only their input but review and comments on the draft from many other ISO measurement experts globally, including 24 pages of detailed comments and suggestions for improvement.

In an important extension to the existing TDRP framework, the recommendations are organized by user, reflecting the different needs of each user. The five categories of user are senior organization leader (for example, the CEO), group or team leader (for example, business unit or department head), head of learning (for example, the CLO or VP of Learning), program manager (the person responsible for the learning program), and the learner. This organization makes it easier for any user to focus just on the metrics recommended for them.

The standard describes the four broad reasons to measure and the importance of gaining upfront agreement on how the measures will be used. The reason to measure will also inform how the metric should be reported. The four broad reasons are inform, monitor, evaluate and manage.

The metrics are organized by type, according to the TDRP framework of efficiency, effectiveness and outcome metrics. And consistent with the TDRP framework, the standard recommends a balanced selection of measures which means always having both efficiency and effectiveness measures. If the program supports a key goal of the organization, then an outcome measure is also recommended.

The standard describes the four basic types of reports used to share the chosen metrics: scorecards, dashboards, program evaluation reports, and management reports. The appendix includes examples of each.

The heart of the document is the detailed recommendation of metrics by user. Recognizing that it is more difficult for small organizations to measure and report, the standard recommends 52 metrics for large organizations but only 19 for small/medium-sized organizations.  The recommendations are summarized in two tables (by size of organization) with breakouts by type of metric and type of user. Metrics are recommended for both formal and informal learning. The discussion of metrics for each user concludes with an example of a scorecard employing the recommended metrics so the reader can see how they could be used in practice.

The standard also includes definitions and formulas for the recommended metrics as well as illustrations of the use of many of the metrics in simple tables.

I am very excited about the standard and the guidance it will provide for the profession. We have planned a four-hour workshop October 25 to explore the new standard in detail. Registration is now open.

I look forward to talking more about it with you!