L&D departments get training requests all the time. It’s a good thing because that the organization values learning. However, the result will be far from good when a training intervention is not really connected to a skill or information gap.
There needs to be constant communication between the training request initiators and the people in charge of fulfilling it. One way of significantly improving the instructional design process (and end-product) is to apply the 5 Whys technique before starting the creative journey.
The 5 Whys method is part of the Toyota Production System. Developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the technique became an integral part of the Lean philosophy. When applying the 5 Whys method, the point is to get to the problem’s root cause. In most cases, the real source of the issue is unexpected.
While the technique was initially developed for technical problems, it applies to any situation that needs a resolution. And it works very well for impromptu training requests, as it shows what kind of learning intervention is the best solution (if training is what’s needed).
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As the name suggests, it implies asking Why? five consecutive times. It’s important not to go further than that, as it will all become redundant.
Back when I was a trainer in a large telecom company, someone requested a training program on persuasion techniques for the Retention & Loyalty team. So, we wanted to see where it came from:
As it turned out, R&L specialists didn’t lack persuasion skills; they just found the new offer difficult to implement. And since they also had to handle a certain number of calls per hour, they decided not to present it unless they were sure the customer could be retained.
While the technique itself is fairly easy, you need the right answers to those whys. Here are the steps you should take to make sure you get to the root of the problem:
While it has a broad potential usage, this way of getting to the bottom of an issue is not universal. As it was designed to operate in a process-based production and assembly line, the technique works best when applied to a process. This means that you won’t be able to find the absolute truth by employing it.
Furthermore, it’s important that the issue you are trying to solve has already happened. This technique is rather factual and will not work well if you are attempting to mitigate potential future problems or as a result of something that is happening now.
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Since training initiatives need to be efficient, it’s important to ensure that any learning intervention is adequate and in line with organizational needs. Applying the 5 Whys technique to any request will lead to a better understanding of the issue and give you an idea about what should be included in the material. It’s also the best way to see if the solution pertains to L&D or it's different need altogether.