Diagnostic techniques for training and education: strategies for marketing and economic development

The purpose of this diagnostic‐skills training model paper is to provide an overall assessment process for training and development. The interests of trainers, managers, and trainee representatives (stakeholders) are best served when all parties carefully discuss the training parameters and come to an agreement on six crucial questions. The diagnostic techniques paper and Index for Training Success (ITS) address these crucial questions and offer several training strategies. Writing a training proposal for the company or firm is the first logical step in the process. In the writing process of the training proposal, one of the critical considerations of the trainer working is to determine how much information he or she can get compared to how much time he or she should devote for the training under given budget constraints. This paper recommends steps to follow and provides an Index for Training Success. The index is to be used during the planning process to assess the potential success of the learning event and to diagnose the areas in which additional effort will achieve the most improvement. The paper also suggests a method in which the index can be used as a summary evaluation and diagnostic tool after the event is held.