Measuring learning
How do we know that the organisation is learning from incidents?
EI-funded university research has found that there are broadly two types of indicators of learning. We call these:
- Hard indicators: evidence that the organisation has learned, e.g. there has been a demonstrable change in practice, processes, equipment, and results (i.e. fewer incidents).
- Soft indicators: proof that the organisation is capable of learning, i.e. it has put efforts in place to ensure there are the right learning activities (training courses, toolbox talks), organisational support (culture, leadership) and attitudes and knowledge (people are open to learning).
What are the hard and soft indicators of learning that can be measured in your organisation? What evidence can be gathered and used to measure these, what does that evidence really tell us (how useful is it), and are we making the best use of it?
Measuring learning workshop
Measuring learning is a free workshop exercise designed to be carried out with a group of 6-12 people. It will take approximately 2 hours to complete. The workshop is described in full in the downloads above:
- Facilitator guide: Measuring learning
- Video: Learning indicators
The video has been designed to help you facilitate the workshop. It consists of two parts. Pause the video when prompted and carry out the workshop exercises within the facilitator guide with your group.
In part 1, the group will learn about ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ learning indicators –these are the things that tells us whether learning has happened, orcan happen. The group will then be asked to identify examples of each type of indicator that could be measured in the organisation (exercises 1 and 2).
In part 2, the group will be asked to select a small number of learning indicators, and then to explore what evidence is available in the organisation to measure these. What does this evidence tell us? And how is that evidence being used?