Most talent development programs drive improvement in business measures–just not necessarily all the improvement. Taking full credit for the improvement in performance measures is a bit unfair–and, quite frankly, will diminish the credibility of the results you report. That is why it is important to give credit where credit is due by taking a step to isolate the effects of your programs and projects on improvement in measures that matter.

Isolating the effects of the programs is not about isolating programs from other activities in the organization—far from it. In fact, by isolating the effects of your program, you're positioning yourself as a better business partner. Doing so enables you to explain how you know the investments in programs are driving results and help your clients allocate resources to the different programs, projects, and activities in which they invest.

During this session, you will learn three techniques to isolate the effects of talent development programs. Case studies will demonstrate each technique. Participants will calculate the improvement in business measures due to the programs described in the case studies. Remember to bring a calculator.

Objectives
After attending this session, participants should be able to:

1. Describe the importance of isolating the effects of programs
2. Apply at least three techniques to isolate the effects of programs
3. Determine when to use each of the techniques covered in this session

All registrants will receive a copy of the presentation, a handout, and a chapter from the book Value for Money: How to Show the Value for Money for All Types of Projects and Programs In: Governments, Nongovernmental Organizations, Nonprofits, and Businesses.
 

Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D., CEO of ROI Institute, is a driving force in the global adoption of the ROI Methodology® and using measurement and evaluation to drive organizational change. Her work as an educator, researcher, consultant, and coach supports practitioners as they change their approach to defining and achieving success while improving future results, ultimately adding value to their work, organization, and community. Her work spans the private sector, public sector, nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations.

Patti serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and faculty of the UN System Staff College in Turin, Italy; chair of the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) People Analytics Board; Senior Advisor, Human Capital, The Conference Board; board member of the International Federation for Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO); and is an Association for Talent Development (ATD) Certification Institute Fellow. She, along with her husband and business partner, Jack J. Phillips, is the recipient of the 2022 ATD Thought Leader Award, named among the top fifty coaches globally by the Thinkers50 organization, and named a finalist for the Marshall Goldsmith Distinguished Achievement Award for Coaching. 

Patti has authored and edited over 100 books, including Show the Value of What You Do: Measuring and Achieving Success in Any Endeavor (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, September 2022).