What LTD can learn from IT

The role of the Learning and Talent Development (LTD) professional is evolving. Once considered a role that delivers pre-determined learning solutions is expanding to that of a consultant focused on improving performance in the workplace.

Up to the year 2000, those in LTD roles primarily focused on executing learning solutions based on decisions made by staff outside the LTD department. When the United States experienced a recession in the early 2000’s, we started to see a change in what was required from the LTD department. We started talking about ‘value-add’ when thousands of LTD professionals were out of work as departments were minimized or all together disbanded when they could not account for the value that was being added to the business. Then, we started to get serious about linking the work of LTD departments to the organization so that we could demonstrate our links and express the value this added to our organizations.

The Information Technology (IT) department is experiencing a similar pattern of growth in organizations. Once considered techies that developed computer programs, is now a multi-faceted department with multiple roles working in tandem to link solutions to the business and positioning themselves to demonstrate the value of their work. To accomplish this, the IT department added a new role, that of the business analyst (BA). This is a key role designed specifically to verify and validate business requirements.

When an internal customer makes a request for an IT solution, the BA gets to work by first verifying the requirements of the performance issue (rather than the requirements of the solution). The BA seeks detailed information about what, why, and who behind the request, saving the ‘what’ for later examination. This first step is provided to better determine what is going on before any solution is addressed. This keeps the requirements solution-free and open to many possibilities. Looking for the right match between the issue and the solution comes after the next step- that of validating the requirements stated by the end user.

Validating the requirements seeks to uncover the business need for the request. Those requests that demonstrate a need (rather than a want or preference of the requestor) are those that must be addressed for the organizational system to function efficiently and effectively. The system cannot function without addressing these needs. Conversely, wants or preferences are just that. They are optional and may aid the system, but are not essential for functioning. Requirements that are validated may then be put to the task of seeking solutions.

So, what can we learn from the evolving role of the IT professional? A key to successful solution development and implementation is requirements verification and validation. It’s essential. When requests and solutions pass this test, the alignment and value add reach heights it could never before reach. Additionally, the risk to organizations is reduced. Less money is spent on projects that add little or no value, and more priority to those that do. Now, IT efforts have laser focus on the value add to the organization. They’re getting aligned, and proving it, by simply taking the extra step of validating their customer requests before addressing performance solutions.

One lesson we can learn from IT is to consider this distinction between verifying and validating requests for training. In LTD, we do a great job of verifying training requests. We ask our requestors about how they want the learning delivered, when they want it delivered, and for their feedback about our designs. We could, however, learn a lesson from IT in how they validate their user requests by asking ourselves, “Am I designing and developing the right learning solution?” Once we can answer this question, we gain improved alignment – and prove it.