Dive Brief:

• Organizations often neglect to keep real business value as the focus when designing learning programs, reports Jack J. Phillips and Patti P. Phillips of the ROI Institute, in Chief Learning Officer. This can produce disappointing results, they say.
• Design thinking approaches business goals in a systematic way, with stakeholders getting what they want, while the organization controls costs and remains true to business results. This happens in a few critical steps, including: understanding the "why" of the project, expecting that things will be successful, designing for maximum impact, and making sure there is a way to measure return on investment. 
• The pair advises that corporate learning is not just about increasing skill sets. Good learning design is about creating a positive and lasting impact on organizational results. 

Dive Insight:

In the quest for improving skills and knowledge, organizations often take a one-sided approach to developing learning programs. However, there must be a balance between what employees need and what the business needs to compete for the long-term.

Designing learning around key business objectives that can create a strong ROI takes careful planning and a concerted effort to accomplish. This mindset of being accountable to business goals, however, keeps things in perspective for all stakeholders. Employers may want to review how they measure the results of learning design.

Learning is a significant investment made by companies; according to recent reports, it often amounts to more than $1,000 per employee per year. Organizations need to make sure they are getting a solid return.