L&D organizations function as valuable resources for businesses around the globe. If you work for an L&D organization, you can serve as a Learning consultant for its business partners as well. Just like IT Department’s use of Business Analysts, L&D uses Learning Consultants to ensure that Learning is focused on business needs.
What Is a Learning Consultant?
A Learning Consultant offers tips, recommendations, and insights to help a business get the most value out of its training. The consultant knows the ins and outs of Learning and Instructional Design but can start to relay the value of Learning in business terms without the over-use of L&D jargon. As such, they can make it easy for a business to determine which training options are ideal and what the ultimate business impact will be.
As a Learning consultant, you can work closely with an L&D organization’s business partners. You can engage with these partners and offer feedback as they develop and execute training initiatives. At the same time, the partners can share their training concerns and questions — and you can share your expertise with them. That way, an L&D organization’s business partners can rely on you to get the help they need to optimize the value of their training materials.
How to Serve As an Effective Learning Consultant
To function as an instructional design consultant within an L&D organization, you must:
1. Learn ”the Business”
It is wise to dedicate a Learning Consultant to a single Business Unit and have that consultant support multiple Business Partners from that Business Unit. When one understands the day to day challenges that the business faces the Learning Design becomes more relevant. Learners begin to see that this isn’t just “training for training’s sake”, but a means to improve the business.
Ask questions about a business partner’s goals, challenges, and typical workday. Find out more about the roles and responsibilities of the people within that Business Unit to truly understand WHO will be using the Learning program you are to design. Then, you can use this intimate understanding of your Learner, to design a relevant and personalized learning experience.
2. Monitor Your Results
Put data and analytics at the center of your efforts. If you track a business partner’s training program’s results, you can gain insights to improve its training materials continuously. Plus, you can show the partner you are committed to doing everything you can to make their program a success.
It can be beneficial to provide a business partner with reports that showcase training program data and analytics as well. You can use these reports to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with a program. Next, you and the partner can leverage the reports to find ways to optimize the program. Finally, tracking data is the only way to show that L&D is contributing to the growth of the business.
3. Remain Persistent
Keep the lines of communication open with a business partner. Remember, you want to provide instructional design support in any way you can. To accomplish your goal, you should stay in contact with the partner and ensure its needs are consistently met.
If you operate as a Learning consultant, you can keep an L&D organization’s business partners happy. You can also continuously grow your career and accomplish your career aspirations.
Take the Next Step Forward in Your L&D Career
LTS is a staffing agency that wants L&D professionals to feel good about their careers. With our support, you can pursue top roles at leading L&D organizations. To find out more about how we work with L&D professionals, please contact us today.
