What Makes a Great Training Organization?: A Handbook of Best Practices

8. Measurement and Certification

Donald Rumsfeld, the former secretary of defense of the United States, once stated that there are “unknown unknowns”—things we do not know that we do not know; there are “known unknowns”—things we know we do not know; and there are “known knowns”—things we know that we know. His point was to tell the country that before making a critical decision (such as going to war), it is important to move from the state of unknowing to that of knowing—and being absolutely sure that we know that we know.

This logic applies to learning leaders as well. It is the nature of the training profession to assist learners from moving from the unknown to knowing. Some call this the concept of knowing. This has been a very important ...