As a training manager, I would like to have consultants that are well versed with various techniques that are pertinent to evaluation and validation. At the outset, the consultants should understand the different types of evaluation. Each evaluation type is used for various purposes and is dependent on the object of evaluation (Basarab, Kanade, Root, & Xu, 1992). The consultants ought to distinguish between formative and summative methods of evaluation and validation. Formative techniques usually support the object under evaluation. This is through appraising the delivery and the quality of the training.
The consultant also needs to comprehend different subtypes of the formative evaluation. They include among others, a needs assessment that focuses on bridging the needs of the organization by appraising the current organizational culture (Rossett & Sheldon, 2001). Besides, the consultant should be conversant with an ‘evaluability’ assessment that pays attention to the feasibility of the evaluation and the role of all key stakeholders in influencing the evaluation. Basarab et al. (1992) assert that the consultants should understand the structured conceptualization that facilitates the organization to identify the program in addition to its intended population. They ought to know the implementation evaluation techniques of the program that the organization seeks to roll out. All these make up the specific varieties of formative evaluation techniques.
Summative methods of evaluation look at the impacts and outcomes of the evaluation. Rossett & Sheldon (2001) explicate that they give descriptions of the consequences of a specific program that an organization ought to implement. They also facilitate the assessment by establishing the cause and effect of the outcomes. The consultant ought to know the subdivisions of the summative evaluation that address specific issues. First, they should understand the outcome evaluation. It seeks to identify the immediate outcomes and the causative factors. They also ensure that the overall intended and unintended factors of the program on the organization are factored in. A cost-benefit analysis should be central while initiating a program as it facilitates when addressing such questions as the effectiveness and efficiency of a specific program (Basarab et al., 1992). Secondary analysis should facilitate the evaluation of the existing and new literature to comprehend the existence of the most viable methods of evaluation and validation.
Beyond the comprehension of evaluation and validation techniques, there are other important aspects that I should consider when hiring a consultant. Importantly, how the consultants deliver the training should be the focal point of the interview. It is imperative to have a consultant who integrates technology during the training. This primarily aims at countering excessive resources that the consultants may utilize such as time (Basarab et al., 1992). Besides, the use of technology during the training will facilitate easier evaluation and ultimate success in the entire process.
The consultant should be able to utilize various programs of data analysis some of which will require technological skills. During the process of data collection, the consultants ought to use programs that allow the participant’s answers to go direct to the database upon which the data would be interpreted. E.g. During the end of training evaluation, the consultant may use SPSS programs where the answers go to the database directly. This would avert the danger of initiating a training program without a reliable evaluation process.
References
Basarab, J., Kanade, T., Root, K. & Xu, Y. (1992). The training evaluation process: A practical approach to evaluating corporate training programs. San Francisco, California: Springer Publishers. Print.
Rossett, A. & Sheldon, K. (2001). Beyond the Podium: Delivering Training and Performance to a Digital World. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Press. Print.