Building an Innovative Learning Organization

Chapter 7Assessing the Results of Your Learning Plan

Sarder Framework: Building the Learning Organization

Evaluation is a constant guard at the gate of failure.¹

—Chuck Hodell

Organizations spend significant amounts of time and effort developing a compelling strategy, defining goals, and articulating a convincing theory of change, without putting into place the infrastructure and support needed to monitor and evaluate whether or not the strategy is actually working.²

—Hallie Preskill and Katelyn Mack

Suppose the owners of a newly expanded restaurant embark on a campaign to attract customers. They advertise their opening, highlighting a new menu and new chef. They do e-mail marketing, offer incentives, hold special events, and enlist local journalists and food bloggers to write reviews.

Within a few weeks of opening, it's clear that the campaign is a success. The reservation list is full every evening, and some evenings walk-ins hang out at the bar, hoping for a table. The owners congratulate themselves, thank everyone who helped, and begin planning for yet another expansion.

In this situation, success is measured by results: The owners' goal was to attract customers to the expanded restaurant, and the numbers demonstrate that they achieved that goal. But the numbers don't show the entire picture. Which marketing activities were the most successful? How many customers were ...