What we measure
Perceived relevance, satisfaction, and whether learners would recommend it. Not "did they like it" — "did they find it useful."
- Overall satisfaction (1–5)
- Content relevance to their job
- Pacing and length
- Clarity of objectives
Parker Lee · Instructional Design
Kirkpatrick L1–L4 Planning Canvas
Fill this in with your sponsor at kickoff. If L3 and L4 stay blank, that's a signal — not a problem to solve after launch.
What we measure
Perceived relevance, satisfaction, and whether learners would recommend it. Not "did they like it" — "did they find it useful."
How we capture it
3–5 question survey immediately at course end. Completion rate drops fast after 5 questions — keep it short.
Who owns the signal
L&D designer reviews each cohort. Results feed into design improvements, not stakeholder reports.
Honest ceiling
L1 measures perception, not learning. High score ≠ retention. Low score is useful — it flags confusion or credibility problems worth fixing.What we measure
Knowledge acquisition, skill demonstration, and confidence shift from pre to post training.
How we capture it
In-course assessments and pre/post checks. If you're not adjusting design based on failure rates, you're not using L2 data.
Who owns the signal
L&D tracks failure rates by question and scenario. Manager sees aggregate completion status.
Honest ceiling
L2 measures what they knew in the training context — not what they'll do on the job. High L2 with low L3 is common and usually a design problem, not a learner problem.What we measure
Observable behavior change in the work environment. Not what they say they're doing — what managers observe or systems record.
How we capture it
Requires manager pre-commitment before launch. If managers aren't in the plan before rollout, L3 data usually doesn't happen.
Who owns the signal
Shared between L&D and the direct manager. L&D designs the instrument; manager collects and reports.
Honest ceiling
Even real behavior change is hard to attribute to training alone. Acknowledge other factors — manager coaching, process changes — in any L3 readout.What we measure
The business metric this training was supposed to move. Defined at kickoff with the sponsor — not retrofitted after launch.
How we capture it
This data usually exists in the business already. The work is connecting L&D's training cohort to the relevant metric window.
Who owns the signal
Sponsor owns the business metric. L&D's job is to connect it to the intervention and be honest about what can be attributed.
Honest ceiling
L4 attribution is almost never clean. Market conditions, leadership, and process changes affect the same metrics. Overpromising damages L&D credibility more than admitting uncertainty.