Training Industry Magazine - September/October 2020 - 11

MATTHEW S. PRAGER, CPTM

GUEST EDITOR

THE STRATEGIC L&D PLAN

A critical part of a successful learning and
development (L&D) program is a multi-year
strategic plan. A strategic plan defines the
direction of learning solutions, informing
and guiding key business decisions.
STRATEGICALLY ALIGN TRAINING
A foundational resource in developing an
L&D strategic plan is the organization's
overall strategic plan. The organization's
vision and goals provide the framework
for determining the future goals of learning
programs, supporting the organization's
vision for growth in the future.
When aligning learning programs to the
future needs of the organization, there are
two specific areas to consider:
* Changes in business operations
and scope. What is the future of the
organization and how does it impact
the need for learning programs? How
will policies and processes change?
* Changes in L&D programs necessary
to support the future. Are L&D
programs teaching the right skills
and competencies? Are the learning
programs provided effective and
positively impacting the business?
ADDRESS DEVELOPMENT OF
RESOURCES
The L&D strategic plan must demonstrate
how learning programs will maintain and
improve business resources and partners.
Employees, customers and stakeholders
are all impacted by change. Technology
is constantly changing and improving, and

new developments in technology impact
how we do business - and learn.
Strategies for supporting emerging
policies, new product and service lines,
and reskilling the workforce are key to
developing an L&D plan that anticipates
organizational change.
Additionally, the strategic plan should
efficiently optimize resources for the
development of learning programs. The
plan should address learning programs
designed in-house, sourced from thirdparty vendors or a blend of both. The
plan should also address infrastructure
requirements to ensure that training
facilities, technology and personnel are
sufficient to meet the changing needs.
PLAN FOR FLEXIBILITY AND
CONTINUITY
The strategic plan should address flexible
learning strategies, structures, support
systems and processes. These aspects
of the plan should remain aligned to the
business mission and goals. Learning
leaders should also seek to diversify the
instructional methods, processes and
supporting technologies that enable
learning to continue when events outside
of the organization's control occur.
Identify potential scenarios that might
impact learning strategies and operations,
and create contingency strategies to
counter the effects. If possible, identify
trigger points that would initiate a review
of training structures and processes,
and implement contingency plans and
solutions to resolve any roadblocks

and meet the changing needs of the
organization. Developing and utilizing a
communication plan allows changes to
be quickly communicated.

THE L&D STRATEGIC
PLAN IS A LIVING,
ITERATIVE DOCUMENT.
MAINTAINING THE L&D PLAN
The L&D strategic plan is a living, iterative
document. Implementing a regular
monitoring process along with L&D
strategies will help determine if the L&D
program is successful in supporting the
organization and ensure its continued
alignment to the organization's business
goals. Including success measures to
track the effectiveness of the plan's
implementation and outcomes will ensure
that it is practical and measurable. Part
of the monitoring process is an annual
review of the L&D plan, which should
occur concurrently with an annual review
of the organization's overall strategic plan.
Developing a comprehensive L&D
strategic plan bridges the organization's
vision and strategy with execution,
allowing training and education operations
to align with and fully support the
organization's needs.
Matthew S. Prager, CPTM, manages largescale national training programs for the
U.S. federal government - comprising
hundreds of individual courses, numerous
certificate programs and online information,
and training sources for millions of learners.
Email Matthew.

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