In some cases, follow-up assignments can develop Level 3 and Level 4 data. In a typical follow-up assignment, the participant is instructed to meet a goal or complete a particular task or project by the determined follow-up date. A summary of the results of these completed assignments provides further evidence of the impact of the program.

The action plan is the most common type of follow-up assignment and is fully described in this section. With this approach, participants are required to develop action plans as part of the program. Action plans contain detailed steps to accomplish specific objectives related to the program. The plan is typically prepared on a printed form such as the one shown in Figure 3-2. The action plan shows what is to be done, by whom, and the date by which the objectives should be accomplished. The action plan approach is a straightforward, easy-to-use method for determining how participants will change their behavior on the job and achieve success with training. The approach produces data answers with such questions as:

• What steps or action items have been accomplished and when?

• What on-the-job improvements or accomplishments have been realized since the program was conducted?

• How much of the improvements are linked to the program?

• What may have prevented participants from accomplishing specific action items?

• What is the monetary value of the improvement?

Figure 3-2: Action plan.

With this information, HRD professionals can decide if a program should be modified and in what...