A BluePrint For Designing Staff Development Activities

Organization & Staff Development Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2007

Table of Contents

Purpose ...............................................................................................................3 How to Use the BluePrint ...................................................................................3 Guidelines for Accessing Organization & Staff Development (OSD) .............4 THE BASICS ........................................................................................................9

What is “Staff Development”?............................................................................9 Know Your Learners..........................................................................................9

PLANNING .........................................................................................................12 Goals...............................................................................................................12 Delivering Staff Development ..........................................................................13 Determining the “Best Way” ............................................................................13 Delivery Options ..............................................................................................13 Blended Learning ............................................................................................15 Delivery Tools..................................................................................................16

KEY FACTORS IN PLANNING ..........................................................................18 IMPLEMENTATION............................................................................................20

Piloting Staff Development ..............................................................................20 Facilitating Tips ...............................................................................................20 Evaluating Staff Development .........................................................................22 Sustaining Staff Development .........................................................................22 The Result… ...................................................................................................22

Appendix 1 ........................................................................................................23 Checklist for Planning Staff Development .......................................................23

Appendix 2 ........................................................................................................26 Staff Development Planning Checklist ............................................................26

Using the SD Planning Checklist.....................................................................27

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Purpose The BluePrint for Designing Staff Development Activities is intended to be a resource for health care professionals who design, develop and/or deliver staff development. The resource should benefit individuals or teams who have been given the responsibility for developing a new presentation, workshop, curriculum package, etc. The BluePrint provides:

• a step-by-step process in staff development design, whether the outcome is a one-time presentation or a comprehensive curriculum package and delivery strategy, and;

• staff development templates designed with key principles of adult learning and staff development in mind.

The BluePrint was developed by the WRHA Organization & Staff Development department which serves as a regional resource related to training and development. To obtain an electronic copy of this document or discuss its contents, please contact the department at 787-1582. How to Use the BluePrint This document is organized in three sections:

The Basics - provides you with an overview of some of the ‘big picture’ issues. This includes an overview of staff development and adult learning characteristics.

Planning - takes you through the steps of building your staff development

plan/package. This includes:

- Goals - Delivery options & tools - Key factors in planning - Reading level

Implementing - where the “rubber hits the road”. Includes piloting staff

development, facilitating tips, evaluation, and sustaining a training program in the workplace.

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Guidelines for Accessing Organization & Staff Development When to Access

OSD What OSD Can Provide Why Should You Access OSD

At Project Initiation

• High-level discussion of educational component of project

• Referrals to obtain cost projections for education e.g. contracted facilitators, multi-media development

• Options for education delivery e.g. interactive CDs, video, online learning, workshops, self-learning packages, return demos, etc.

Project budgets are usually determined very early in a project’s development. It is important to include education costs in a project budget in order to avoid: • Lack of available resources to roll-out

education • Inappropriate education format and/or content • Incomplete or ineffective educational roll-out In some cases the infrastructure may not exist to effectively deliver the type or extent of education desired for the project. If the project budget allows project teams can develop the necessary resources and processes to ensure a successful roll-out

In the Planning Phase

• Consultation regarding the implementation plan for education roll-out

• Guidance as to the best method of rolling out education

• Access to Education Councils to obtain feedback and consultation on educational materials and implementation plans

• Consultation regarding train-the-trainer & other approaches

• Determine sufficient timelines for a regional education roll-out

• Communicate with Educators across the region, regarding the project timelines and impact on educators and staff

• Ensure an education implementation plan that considers all options and potential challenges.

• Ensure all stakeholders are consulted.

Prior to and during RFP or RFQ Process

• Participation on review committees to determine appropriate vendor to deliver education

• Input into education-related questions and components

• Work with vendor to access Educators, to help roll-out education

• To avoid paying for external education providers that may not understand educational requirements within our health care environment

• To avoid “surprises” related to educational materials and implementation of education by a vendor

When Developing Education Materials

• Consultation regarding appropriate format, layout and in some cases, content.

• Consultation on educational material development and who can develop the materials

During Implementation

• An online registration database

• Access to contract facilitators

• Assistance in communicating the education component of implementation

• To enhance communication with Educators across the region.

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When to Access

OSD What OSD Can Provide Why Should You Access OSD

When Determining Performance Indicators or Evaluation Strategies for Education

• Information about what is currently tracked in education delivery across the region

• Challenges that may be encountered in data collection

• Consultation regarding the most efficient and effective methods of collecting educational data related to roll-out, evaluation and follow-up

• To help ensure the data you want to collect can be reasonably tracked and sufficiently evaluated

When planning for ongoing maintenance and monitoring of education related to a project

• Consultation on methods of tracking, monitoring and updating education materials

• A long-term goal of OSD is to centrally store, track and revise regionally developed educational materials. This requires our department to be aware of all materials that are developed in the region.

• To ensure the sustainable and realistic methods for maintenance and monitoring of education, based on the region’s current infrastructure and ability.

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Guidelines to Access Organization & Staff Development (OSD) for Regional Project Teams Regional Project – Definition For the purpose of these guidelines, a “Regional Project” is a project that impacts more than one Program and Facility. These are projects generally created through the WRHA Project Management Office, WRHA Corporate Office or WRHA Senior Management. The WRHA recognizes that various Program and/or Site-specific projects may be happening concurrently with Regional Projects. These guidelines do not apply to Program or Site-specific project teams, as Educator involvement in these projects would be collaboratively arranged within the applicable Program or Site. Purpose One of the primary needs across the region is the ability to reduce duplication of effort and increase the efficient use of education resources. Most Regional Projects result in new or changing policies, equipment and/or processes, often requiring an educational component. At times, project teams have experienced challenges when attempting to develop new educational materials, plan educational roll-outs, and implement education across the region. These guidelines will help to: • ensure the effective, efficient use of educational resources on regional project

teams; • provide a regional resource to project teams, through the WRHA Organization

& Staff Development (OSD) department; and, • improve the strategic alignment of OSD within the region • when resources permit, to assist with necessary educational supports and

resources for regional projects. Guiding Principles • The WRHA and Sites share accountability to ensure the success of Regional

Projects, through all project phases. • Educator involvement on regional project teams is a professional

development opportunity that allows an Educator to gain experience in project management and development/delivery of education at a regional level.

• Educator involvement on regional project teams must be cost-effective and structured in an efficient manner.

• Projects may require or benefit from having an alternate clinician (i.e. non-Educator) appointed to the team, to assist in developing educational materials and/or roll-outs.

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• Although project deliverables vary, there are common methods and processes for developing and implementing education across the region.

Process for Arranging Educator Involvement on a Project Team 1. Executive Sponsors, Project Leads and/or Project Managers may contact Kim

Warner, Director, OSD (ph. 787-8944, e-mail: kwarner@wrha.mb.ca) to discuss the need for OSD involvement on a project team. Discussions will generally include:

• the structure of the project team/sub-committees and required time

commitment • the educational component of the project and the type/volume of

educational support required for the project • the number of Educators that may be required and their anticipated role in

the project. 2. OSD does not have Regional Clinical Nurse Educators on staff. If Educators

are required for a project, the project team in consultation with the project’s Executive Sponsor will draft a memo to the appropriate Sites/Programs, to recruit Educators (or alternate clinicians as determined by the Project team and/or Site), to support the educational component of the project.

The memo should be addressed to the site CNOs and copied to the Director, OSD, along with other key stakeholders as determined by the project team. OSD can assist project teams to identify sites where Educators may not report through the CNO portfolio, to ensure all appropriate stakeholders are identified in the memo.

Supports Provided by WRHA Organization & Staff Development (OSD) 1. If an Educator Lead is required for a project, the Director, OSD will assist in

identifying an Educator Lead through consultation with site CNOs, the WRHA Educator Council, the Winnipeg Integrated Services Educator Council, and the WRHA VP Nursing Office.

2. The Director, OSD and Manager, Staff Development, Community are

available to project teams on a consultative basis. 3. A BluePrint for Designing Staff Development Activities is developed to assist

project teams in planning regional education roll-outs using consistent processes and procedures. Copies of the resource package may be obtained through WRHA Organization & Staff Development at 787-1582 or education@hsc.mb.ca.

4. OSD, the WRHA Educator Council and the Winnipeg Integrated Services

Education Council can provide feedback to project teams regarding

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educational materials being developed, and the regional applicability and feasibility of the timelines for the educational roll-out.

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THE BASICS

What is “Staff Development”? There are many ways to define Staff Development and a few are listed below: - Learning materials, strategies and organizational supports that ensure the

skills preparation and ongoing development of staff whose competence and actions in the workplace influence the quality of health care.

- Continuous improvement of skills, knowledge and ability for the purpose of

enhancing the quality of patient care and customer support. - Staff development is the provision of activities designed to advance learners’

thinking in knowledge, understanding and skills. Staff development is a comprehensive and continuous process of professional growth and self-actualization that benefits staff, the organization and ultimately the community we serve.

- Opportunities offered to retain staff by further developing knowledge, skills,

and approaches to improve their effectiveness in the organization. - Staff development includes any activity which contributes to the enhancement

of staff knowledge, skills, competence, or working practices e.g. courses, development programs, vocational training, structured staff development activities, attendance at meetings and conferences, secondments, development of educational materials, curriculum enhancement, and active involvement with professional bodies.

Know Your Learners Having an understanding of some of the basic principles of adult learning is an essential first step to any staff development project. While it may seem obvious that adults and children learn differently, we often design new learning for adults using child-learning principles. Use the following principles of adult learning as you develop your learning package:

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Adult Learners….

Bring experience

Unlike children, adult learners often bring many years of work and life experience to any new learning event. Provide adults with an opportunity to share their successes, failures and what they learned. Adult learners will screen any new learning against that which they already know and use.

Learn differently

What is your preferred way to learn? Do you prefer to read, learn on your own or in a group, or do you like to see a new procedure demonstrated? Adult learners are unique – some are visual, others are literal. Some will pick up new learning right away while others will need time for practice.

Want meaning/relevance

Adult learners are busy people. They want learning experiences that they can transfer into their work lives. They expect to be able to see where the new learning ‘fits’ in the big scheme of things. They will quickly ‘tune-out’ new information or learning that appears to be unconnected to their work. Adult learners screen for value and context.

View change differently

New staff development often involves change. Understand the complex dynamic of change as it applies to adult learners. They may not like the change but if they see value, they will be motivated to build it into their learning and practice. On the other hand, they may fully understand and see the value of the new learning but not be motivated enough to make any change in their own behaviour. Some learners embrace any change as an adventure and jump in with both feet, while others will view any change as just one more stressor in their lives. Staff development is often the way in which change is communicated within organizations.

Knowing and Practicing are two different things

Most adult learning is based on both learning and using new knowledge. We sometimes mistake the ‘book’ or ‘head’ knowledge with competence in building the new information into our daily lives. While information, facts and knowledge are essential first steps, their value is severely reduced without the opportunity to find a meaningful outlet (through practice, demonstration and continuing competence) beyond the learning event.

Challenge new learning

Adult learners can be a ‘tough room’ at times. They may be skeptical and challenge new learning, but their reasons may vary greatly:

• if the new learning is perceived to be a threat or beyond their abilities

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• if they don’t have a clear understanding of the value or context or simply lack motivation

• learners may initially take a ‘critical back seat’ to new learning until they screen it for value, have an opportunity to voice their concerns, practice a new skill in a non-threatening learning environment, talk to their peers/colleagues, and understand the context/purpose.

If concerns are adequately addressed, the new learning is usually accepted and adopted. Healthy skepticism is not negativity; rather it’s a wait-and-see approach.

Want to be respected

Adult learners want to be respected for who they are and what they’ve accomplished. They enjoy learning that ‘showcases’ their experience and gives them the opportunity to look good in the company of their peers and co-workers.

Demand learning that is credible, organized and interactive

Adults expect the following:

• the learning experience is based on information that is accurate and credible;

• good preparation and organization; • the opportunity for interaction and to share experiences, and; • the opportunity to debate, question and practice the new learning in a

safe environment.

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PLANNING Goals Goals are the end result, what needs to be achieved by your staff development event. Setting goals involves clarifying at the outset what it is you expect to achieve. Most staff development goals focus on two distinct targets: Participant goals what participants will be able to do, what new knowledge they will know and use as a result of attending or participating in staff development. Participant goals should define the benefit of staff development in terms of what the future looks like. Implementation goals These goals are more focused on what the staff developer and/or the organization requires i.e. How many staff will receive the staff development? Who is the staff development targeted at? How broadly will the staff development package be used?

It’s important in any staff development exercise not to mix the two types of goals. From an educational perspective, you want to focus your efforts on defining the learning or participant goals. The implementation goals are the larger goals created for/by your organization to operationalize the training. Characteristics of goals Big picture – they accurately capture/synthesize all objectives; Describe what participants will be able to do after they have gone through the

staff development event, and; Use action verbs that match the learning e.g. ‘understand’, ‘replicate’,

‘demonstrate’, ‘develop’, ‘create’, etc. Sample Goals “Team Managers will successfully and accurately complete all components of WRHA’s Human Resource hiring process” “Participants will be able to replicate/demonstrate the new procedure for transferring patients” “Community area teams will complete a work processes exercise for addressing the needs of complex needs clients in their work sites”

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Delivering Staff Development Two key questions face your project team when developing education:

1. What is the BEST WAY to facilitate the new learning? 2. Is there MORE THAN ONE WAY to conduct the new learning?

Determining the “Best Way” The target group, makeup and size, their availability, resources (i.e. facilitators, budget, etc.) and time limitations on education delivery can all impact on the best way to deliver education. The type of learning and the learning goals will also determine the best way. In short, the ‘best way’ may not be the ‘ideal way’, but needs to take into account the content, the resources available, and the context of the new learning. Delivery Options Below are some options to consider at the design stage. They may or may not be appropriate for your learning package. Pros and cons of each option are provided to help you in decision-making. Classroom Sessions

Pros Cons Everyone hears/experiences the same learning

Costs in time, travel, registration, backfill

Efficiencies in presenting factual knowledge in lecture style

‘Traditional’ context for learning

Face-to-face Not all learners ‘learn well’ in a classroom setting

A place to focus on learning outside of the work site

Fear of asking ‘dumb’ questions in front of peers/colleagues

Traditionally the more ‘efficient’ way of communicating to large groups in a limited timeframe.

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Self-Directed Learning

Pros Cons Work at own pace Not all learners ‘learn well’ in a self-

directed style Non-threatening Limited/no interaction with other

learners Learner can review material many times

No option to ask questions

Personal ‘ownership’ of learning experience

No direction or supervision when a learner gets “stuck”

Information is the same for all learners Hard to know if learning is achieved Can be done anywhere/anytime Not all learners may have access to the

‘package’ (i.e. on-line learning modules)

On-line Learning

Pros Cons

An increasingly popular method Limited computer access Potential for cost efficiencies Limited computer knowledge Learn at own pace Web sites are sometimes not user

friendly (locating the learning package) Technology allows for different learning options (ie. on-line tests, case studies, links to other sites etc.)

May not be interactive

Often used to complement classroom or self-study learning.

No time to complete learning at work

Not all learners ‘learn well’ online Mentoring

Pros Cons Allows for new learning practice in a real-world setting

Requires planning that can be time-intensive

Allows mentor to model and learner to replicate

Requires patience

Promotes dialogue, feedback Need a trusting mentor-learner relationship

Provides a ‘transition time’ when new learning is to be followed by practice

Changes in mentors can be disruptive

Not all learners ‘learn well’ with mentors

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Learning Groups (moderated forums/focus groups/labs)

Pros Cons Face to face Not all learners ‘learn well’ in a learning

group style Everyone hears/experiences the same learning

Often requires a leader to be identified

A place to focus on learning outside of the work site

Coordinating schedules to bring all members together

Provides an opportunity to both share one’s own views and hear other’s opinions.

Varied levels of commitment by participants

Too many or too few participants to be useful

Blended Learning Many new adult learning events may include different options that recognize adults learn in different ways. For example, a classroom or online session that is supported by an interactive forum in which learners come together to share their experience, support one another and problem-solve. Classroom learning may be enhanced by ‘hands-on’ experience through mentoring or job-shadowing.

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Delivery Tools Tools are the techniques and methods you choose to enhance your group’s learning experience. Recall the participant and implementation goals in selecting the most appropriate tools for your staff development plan. Ice-Breakers Commonly used at the beginning of a new learning event and where participants do not know one another. Some examples are:

• ‘Scavenger Hunt’ (ie. find someone who has been with the organization for 10 years or more…”)

• Interview/Introductions (ie. “I’d like to introduce John to the group…”). Ice breaker activities provide a fun way to reduce anxiety while at the same time allowing participants to get to know their fellow learners. The facilitator may ask participants to share one expectation they have for the session or learning event. Ground Rules Becoming more and more common in adult learning; these are the rules of conduct that will apply during the learning session. The facilitator invites participants to brainstorm and own the ground rules. Typical ground rules may include:

• no side-bar conversations • no put-downs • respect for one another • keeping confidentiality

Quizzes A good way to check out the progress of new learning, particularly where there are many goals to achieve. They also provide facilitators with an opportunity to review/adjust content or the pace, particularly where participants are experiencing difficulty. Do not use quizzes as a formal evaluation tool (ie. pass/fail) unless you provide your learners with sufficient notice and opportunity to review content. Role plays Can be an effective way for participants to practice a new skill or experience a scenario in a non-threatening situation. They’re particularly effective when the roles participants are asked to play is clearly written and where the non-role players are involved as observers to provide feedback. Facilitators may also ‘coach’ by playing one of the roles. Participants may also be asked for their feedback on how they felt while playing the role. However, not everyone feels comfortable being the centre of attention - permission to ‘opt-out’ should always be provided.

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Case studies Provide flexibility for either individual participants to be presented with a situation for analysis and problem solving. A key to good case studies is relevance. A facilitator may, during the planning stage of staff development, pilot the case studies to ensure they represent ‘real-life’ situations. A series of guide questions may accompany the case study which the individual or group is asked to respond to. Lectures Lectures are an especially effective learning tool when information needs to be presented to the group. An effective facilitator will ensure they provide learners with notes summarizing the key learning points from the lecture. A lecture presentation, although dominated by the speaker, may still incorporate a question/answer opportunity, either during or at the end of the speakers’ time. A lecture is NOT simply reading word for word the speakers’ notes but an interaction between the speaker and their audience. Demonstrations The facilitator may demonstrate and/or have participants practice the new skill, either on their own, with a partner or in front of the group. Adult learners need time to practice, ask questions and practice to build their sense of comfort and competence.

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KEY FACTORS IN PLANNING

An often-neglected piece of the staff development puzzle is the organization’s capacity to support the new learning. In this section we explore a few things to keep in mind as you design your learning package. Implementation needs to be considered at the design stage, not as an afterthought. The more you can ‘match’ the learning package with your organization’s capacity to support its implementation, the greater the chances for success. Key Factors to consider Before you get too far in planning staff development, there are a number of factors you need to consider:

• Management Support • Partnerships • Administrative Support • Communication • Innovation • Reading level • Competency

Management Support Management support is critical to the success of any staff development initiative. Directors and managers have the authority to release staff to become trainers or participate in the training; they can also ensure communication about the staff development gets to the staff who need to hear about it. Senior managers often will want to see how your staff development plan fits with and supports the organization’s vision, mission and current priorities. Partnerships Partnerships are all about having the right people at the table (preferably at the outset of your staff development planning). Doing ‘with’, rather than ‘to’ or ‘for’ is preferable to ensure your staff development plan is relevant and jointly owned by all programs it will have impact on. One example of a necessary partnership when designing training is e-Health Services. Few staff development plans are designed today that don’t rely to some degree on technology (i.e. as a communication tool, as a supporting means of training etc.).

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Administrative Support The best staff development plan in the world will fail if this key factor isn’t considered. While administrative support is often the ‘behind-the-scenes’ factor, planning for your administrative support needs at the planning stage is essential to your plan’s success. For example, if training requires registration or ongoing tracking, who will perform these tasks on an sustainable basis? Communication Communication is the factor that asks the question: “Who Needs to Know?”…about your staff development plan, when training is held, who can attend etc. Innovation Staff development means much more than the traditional classroom training approach. There is increased demand to consider alternative methods of delivery to reduce costs, travel time, staff backfill (in client service situations, etc.). Reading Level An important consideration when developing educational materials is readability level. Are plain language principles being used and have the learning materials been checked for jargon and acronyms that may not be familiar to participants? Have materials been checked to ensure they are at an appropriate reading level for the intended target audience? A goal to aim for when drafting educational materials is a Grade 8 reading level. This will make materials easier to read for all staff, especially those with English as a second language. Competency Identifying competencies that employees will need to achieve as a result of the training, can help to focus your training efforts. Competencies can help to focus training objectives and clarify what needs to be evaluated to determine the success of training.

A checklist can be found in Appendix 1 that provides additional details for planning staff development.

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IMPLEMENTATION

Piloting Staff Development Rarely does a good staff development plan just ‘happen’. In most cases, some form of piloting, or trying out the materials, takes place before the final product is developed. Who to talk to…

Ideally, if you can run your staff development plan by a sample group of individuals who are part of your target group, they can often provide good feedback.

Managers of the staff targeted for the staff development exercise might also be asked for their feedback.

What to Ask…

Are these activities effective? Are these goals reasonable to achieve during this session? Are the handout materials appropriate (ie. right material, reading level etc.) Is there anything missing that we should be including? Should we be inviting anyone else to attend this session? Are there other ways this target group could learn this material? (to managers) – does my plan meet expectations you have for your staff

attending this session? Doing a test run of your product with a sample group is the ideal; at the very least, share your plan (agenda, activities, materials etc.) with a group who can provide effective feedback. Facilitating Tips The ‘chief cook and bottle washer’ description often rings true for staff developers, who often find themselves not only developing materials, but planning and facilitating the staff development activity as well. Some tips to keep in mind if you are a facilitator…: Know Your Adult Learner – review the tips at the beginning of this resource; have a good understanding as well, of your target group(s) and anticipate the impact your staff development plan will have on them. Adults look for relevance and applicability to their work/life.

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Be Prepared – This may include any photocopying, ensuring any A/V equipment has been booked, ensuring participants know where the session is, time etc. Be Organized - A staff development event that appears to participants to be disorganized will distract from any potential learning. Have an agenda, and stick to the times you’ve outlined. Have any handouts at hand to avoid having to search for them. Know Your Content – hand in hand with being prepared is knowing your content and organizing/presenting it in a way that makes sense to your audience. Even if you’re an expert, review your materials ahead of time. Set a Goal - Set a goal as to what is absolutely necessary for your participants to know and take away from your staff development session and work backwards from there in organizing your learning event. Manage Your Time – if you are committed to setting and reaching your session learning goal, manage your time well. Review your agenda activities and the timeframes you’ve provided for them – are they reasonable/realistic. Start on time, whether it’s first thing in the morning or after a break (get a commitment from the group on ‘start times’ – breaks often take longer than the time allotted). Have a Back-Up Plan – facilitators should always have a back-up plan to ensure that the unknowns don’t sabotage your session. Technology is a good example, where equipment fails, a PowerPoint doesn’t load properly etc. (in this case, do you have hard copies available?). If a guest speaker doesn’t show, how will you fill the space with learning and/or an activity that still meets your goal? Be Flexible – Being flexible and managing your time are not contradictory; adult learners like to share their experiences and contribute to the discussion but there is often a fine line between a discussion that adds to the learning and straying ‘off-topic’. Facilitators will often interject at a moment of silence to summarize the group discussion and ‘bring them back’. Group Dynamics – with experience comes the ability to ‘read the group’; look at the verbal/non-verbal communication going on throughout your session. Take temperature checks during the session to ensure your learners are still with you and understanding the learning (ie. “how are we doing…is there anything we need to review?” etc.). Check the group’s energy level – if it is low, do you have a brief activity that will re-energize them? Listen with your eyes; what does their body language tell you? (Some) Silence is OK – often adults need time to analyse and process new learning. Involve everyone – give everyone a chance to contribute but respect that for some adult learners, speaking in a large group is difficult. Manage those participants who dominate the conversation.

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Use the Group’s Experience – adults bring life experience to new learning situations. If you’re able to encourage the sharing of experience that ties to the new learning, it becomes more real for the learners. Stump the Expert – facilitators may feel that they need to know everything; while a good knowledge of the material is essential, you can expect that questions may arise that you’re unable to answer. When this happens, ask the group; there may be someone in the room who has the information needed. If not, tell the group that you’ll note the question, find the information and get back to them (don’t promise something however that you’re unable to delivery on). Evaluating Staff Development Evaluation of training is a specialized area of practice in and of itself. Program evaluation can range from “smile sheets” (i.e. participant satisfaction surveys) to extensive evaluations that measure the impact of training on behaviour change in the workplace. Most of the training evaluation done in health care consists of surveys or focus groups conducted with participants, to identify overall satisfaction with the training and where improvements can be made for future training. Sustaining Staff Development Sustainability refers to the resources required to keep a staff development initiative going. If your plan is a ‘one-off’ or ‘one-time’ event, sustainability will not be an issue. However, if after your plan is implemented there are expectations that it will be re-offered in the future, on a regular basis etc., then sustainability is an issue that needs to be addressed early in planning. The planning checklist in Appendix 1 poses some questions that will help you to develop a sustainable training plan. The Result When staff developers look back at their initial ‘idea’ and compare it against the final product, they’re often quite surprised at how it has changed (i.e. different emphases, activities and even goals). Staff development is rarely done in isolation; it’s to your benefit to try out your ideas and plans ahead of time.

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Appendix 1 Checklist for Planning Staff Development We use a checklist format for each of the key factors. Use the third column to flag those questions you don’t yet have an answer for but which will need a response as you plan.

Key Factors Questions to Consider Sustainability How many times will the staff development package be used? Is this a one-time event? If other departments or organizations are involved in this staff

development plan, are they committed to jointly sharing the sustainability issues?

Will you need to train trainers, print materials, etc. that may go beyond the current fiscal year?

Will you need to develop an evaluation strategy to justify next-year funding?

Are there new “soft-skills” or management skills required as a result of your staff development plan? If yes, will additional staff development be needed to address these issues and ensure the sustainability of your project?

What do you think your needs will be for ongoing support after the staff development is implemented e.g. help desk, trainers at the Sites, job aids, refresher training every year, etc.?

Does your education have legislated requirements for training and if so, have you considered the ongoing administrative infrastructure that will be required for ongoing tracking, monitoring and maintenance of training records?

Is sustainability an assumption or a fact? What are your assumptions? What do you know to be ‘fact’?

What are management’s expectations for your package, both short and long-term?

Evaluation How will you assess the current staff skill level, if you do not know what it is?

What type of evaluation do you want to use to measure that learning has occurred?

Information Technology

If your staff development involves the use of computers and/or computer networks, have you contacted e-Health Services to ensure the organization has the necessary technology and human resources to support your project?

Does the organization have the equipment necessary to support your plan (ie. on-site supplies, computer labs, classroom space etc.)?

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Key Factors Questions to Consider

Management Support

Who are your key supports/decision-makers who have the authority to support the learning package and make the case, if necessary, with their senior management colleagues?

If staff will need to be released for a period of time to participate in the learning, are you prepared to demonstrate the value of the learning and get management commitment to promote and encourage staff to attend?

If you will need to draw trainers (ie. front-line service professionals and managers) from programs or community offices, will senior managers support this?

Where does your staff development plan fit with other initiatives currently being planned or implemented across your organization’s programs/areas? Are they rolling-out at the same time as your project? Are the target audiences the same?

Partnerships Is the learning package applicable to one Program or across the organization?

If the learning package goes beyond one program or organization, is there a common understanding or agreement on sharing resources (ie. financial, human etc.)

If the learning package is one that could be used or adapted by multiple programs, have you engaged these programs at the outset?

Do you have project team members with experience in developing learning materials?

Have you contacted Organization & Staff Development to get feedback on your staff development plans from the WIS Educator’s Network (Community) and the WRHA Educator Council?

Administrative Support

How much administrative support is needed to coordinate the learning event and who will do this work?

Does the staff development plan require staff to register? How will this be managed?

How will attendance and completion of learning be tracked? If you are using a database to track training, who is managing the

database? Do educational materials need to be assembled, copied and distributed? e.g. learner manuals, training kits, hand-outs, quick reference guides, online learning, tutorials, etc.?

Do you have any audio-visual requirements and who will do the set-up/take down and reserving of this equipment?

Do you need to book classroom or computer lab space? Who Needs to Know?

Who is your target audience?

What is the best way to communicate the training? (e.g. newsletters, e-mail, Intranet site, etc.

What should be the timing of your communication?

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Key Factors Questions to Consider What is your target group’s preferred method of communication? Have you contacted Organizational Communications to get feedback

on your project’s communications plans? Innovation Are there new and innovative ways to provide your learning package

that have not been tried in the past? e.g. e-learning Is the organization ready for a new method of developing or

delivering education? Are there cost or delivery efficiencies that can be gained by trying

something different?

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Appendix 2 Staff Development Planning Checklist Winnipeg Integrated Services Educators Network

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Using the SD Planning Checklist The Winnipeg Integrated Services (WIS) Educator’s Network developed the Planning Checklist to assist its programs, community areas, as well as regional and corporate departments in designing and implementing staff development/training initiatives across its Community Sector. While it can be used at any point in the development process, it will be most effective if it is used at the initial stages of the design process. The Checklist identifies 16 criteria identified by program and community specialists as essential elements needing to be addressed when staff development activities are being planned for across WIS:

Target Group(s) – how many staff are impacted both directly and indirectly (i.e. is there communication with team managers if their line staff are the target group for the training?). Community Level Planners Involved – are Community level planners (i.e. those familiar with the program, community area etc.) engaged at the planning stage?

ssion?

el?

Sustainability (Human Resources) – is there a need for an ongoing sustainability plan, after the initial roll-out; who will ‘own’ the sustainability plan and have any assumptions been clarified regarding staffing (for administration, training etc.).

Sustainability (Financial) – if this is an on-going process, what financial resources are required, for printing of materials, licensing etc. Will different programs/areas/departments contribute to a sustainability budget?

Initiative Timeframe – what is the timeframe for rolling out the staff development component – is it reasonable, given the time of year, number of staff impacted? How much lead-time is being given to prepare WIS staff for the initiative? Is this a one-time initiative; if long-term or on-going, what is the ‘shelf-life’ of the staff development package before review?

Attendance Plan - do attendance records need to be kept and if so, is a process in place identifying who takes attendance, who maintains the attendance data base (both initially and on-going); if a review or recertification is required, has a timeframe been specified?

Coordination (with other initiatives) – has the staff development plan been reviewed by WIS Program Management Committee and the WIS Educators’ Network? What other initiatives are being rolled out concurrent with this initiative and to the same target group?

Time Required of Staff – does the staff development plan clearly state the total time required for training/new learning – is any additional time required beyond the initial roll-out and/or training se

Sufficient and appropriate training venues have been identified – have training facilities/rooms been booked ahead of time; are there a mix of locations or does one central location make more sense? Do venues have the right equipment (i.e. internet access)? Bilingual materials/facilitators – will this staff development initiative require materials and facilitators in a second language?

Evaluation Plan/criteria in place – is an evaluation plan required, and if so, have the appropriate outcomes been identified and approved at an appropriate management lev

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Eligibility – who is eligible to attend this staff development initiative? Is it limited to Family Services & Housing staff? Winnipeg Regional Health Authority staff? A particular program or position? Is priority being given to one target group? Specify who can attend and under what criteria?

Roles Clarified – have the key players (i.e. sponsors, leads, project manager, administrative support, trainers etc.) been identified, and do they have a clear understanding of their role; if an ongoing initiative or where responsibilities will change over time, has this been stated?

Impact Assessment on Administrative Support – has an accurate and realistic assessment of administrative support been considered – what their role is, the amount of time required – is a contingency plan in place if administrative support must be pulled back or lessened?

Delivery Options – what is the best way for the target group to receive the information or training – is the face-to-face classroom venue the best (or only) option been considered? Is the train-the-trainer approach the ‘best’ ongoing method for training/informing new staff? Are other options (i.e. self-study, on-line e-learning, coaching/mentoring) being considered?

Plain Language & Reading Level Check – are plain language principles being used and have the learning materials been checked for jargon and acronyms that may not be familiar to participants; have materials been checked to ensure they are at an appropriate reading level for the intended target audience(s)? As a rule of thumb, most adults read at a grade 6-8 level.

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Criteria/Screen Yes No N/A Notes

Target Group

Community Level Planners

Sustainability – Human Resources

Sustainability – Financial

Initiative Timeframe

Attendance Plan

Coordination – Other Initiatives

Time Requirement (Staff)

Training Venues

Bilingual Materials

Evaluation Plan

Eligibility Stated

Roles Stated/Understood

Administrative Impact/Support

Delivery Options

Plain Language

Reading Level Check