Learning and Development Fundamentals Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Foundation to Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends HR Officers, Learning and Development Coordinators and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-LD-107

Before you join: Participants should have basic workplace experience and familiarity with common HR activities such as induction, performance management, employee development or training coordination.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Learning and development teams are asked to improve performance, support change and show where training makes a difference. Yet many requests arrive as loosely defined courses, with little evidence of the underlying gap, unclear ownership and no plan for transfer. HR professionals need a disciplined way to distinguish learning needs from process, motivation or resource problems, then commission or build interventions that managers and employees will use.

This five-day course gives participants the foundations and working methods to manage the learning and development cycle. It covers needs analysis, competency and task analysis, learning objectives, course design, adult learning principles, facilitation, blended delivery, implementation planning and evaluation. Participants learn to use ADDIE, Bloom's Taxonomy, 70:20:10, Kirkpatrick's four levels and related HR methods to make defensible decisions about what learning is needed, for whom, and how success will be measured.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with sector-based cases, group analysis, design work, facilitation simulations and structured application planning. Cases reflect common issues in banking, government, NGOs and corporate functions, including compliance training, manager development, systems rollouts and service-quality improvement. Participants receive a certificate of completion and leave with a reusable L&D practitioner toolkit, including a needs-analysis template, learning design blueprint, evaluation plan and 90-day application plan.

The course suits HR and people professionals who need to establish, improve or support learning activity without requiring prior specialist instructional design experience.

What you will be able to do

  • Conduct a training needs analysis that separates learning gaps from non-learning causes
  • Write SMART learning objectives using Bloom's Taxonomy and observable performance criteria
  • Build a course blueprint aligned to business outcomes, learner needs and assessment evidence
  • Apply adult learning principles, cognitive load theory and retrieval practice to learning design
  • Facilitate structured learning sessions using questioning, feedback and experiential learning methods
  • Develop blended learning journeys that combine digital, live and workplace learning methods
  • Create an implementation and transfer-of-learning plan with manager accountabilities
  • Design an evaluation plan using Kirkpatrick's four levels and relevant performance measures

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Make confident decisions about whether training is the right response
  • Produce credible learning proposals for managers and senior stakeholders
  • Design clearer courses with measurable objectives and relevant practice
  • Run learning sessions with stronger structure, questioning and feedback
  • Build evidence of L&D impact for career progression into specialist roles

For your organisation

  • Reduces spend on training that does not address the real performance issue
  • Improves consistency of learning design across internal and supplier-led programmes
  • Strengthens manager involvement before, during and after learning interventions
  • Provides clearer evidence linking learning activity to workforce performance measures
  • Creates reusable templates for planning, delivery, transfer and evaluation

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can explain the L&D cycle and position learning activity against business and workforce priorities.

  • Business strategy, workforce plans and capability priorities linked through an L&D charter
  • Core ADDIE cycle: analyse, design, develop, implement, evaluate and improve learning
  • The 70:20:10 development model distinguished from formal training provision decisions
  • Learning, performance and talent management accountabilities mapped using a RACI matrix
  • Ethical handling of learner data, accessibility needs and confidentiality
  • Training requests triaged against business outcomes, risk and feasibility

Participants can define a performance problem and determine whether learning is an appropriate response.

  • Performance gaps separated from motivation, process, resource and policy barriers
  • Problem statements framed with desired performance, current state and consequences
  • Stakeholder interviews structured around tasks, standards, evidence and constraints
  • Training needs analysis scope defined by population, priority and timing
  • Root-cause analysis using the Five Whys and fishbone diagram
  • Evidence sources compared: performance data, surveys, observations and customer feedback

Participants can gather and prioritise evidence about learner groups, job requirements and capability gaps.

  • Competency frameworks translated into observable knowledge, skills and behaviours
  • Task analysis identifies critical steps, decisions, errors and performance standards
  • Persona profiles built from role, experience, motivation and access constraints
  • Prioritisation matrix scores learning needs by impact, urgency and population
  • SME input validated against operational evidence and learner perspectives
  • Needs-analysis report presents findings, recommendations, assumptions and exclusions

Participants can create a learning design blueprint aligned to defined performance requirements.

  • SMART learning objectives specify behaviour, conditions and performance criteria
  • Bloom's Taxonomy selects cognitive levels appropriate to required performance
  • Constructive alignment connects objectives, learning activities and assessment evidence
  • Course blueprints sequence prerequisites, practice, feedback and transfer tasks
  • Content curation distinguishes essential knowledge from reference material and optional detail
  • Design constraints balanced across time, budget, technology and learner availability

Participants can select learning methods that promote understanding, retention and workplace application.

  • Andragogy principles applied to relevance, autonomy, experience and problem-centred learning
  • Cognitive load theory manages intrinsic, extraneous and germane processing demands
  • Retrieval practice and spaced repetition planned for durable knowledge retention
  • Gagné's Nine Events structure attention, demonstration, practice and feedback
  • Scenario-based learning uses realistic decisions, consequences and debrief questions
  • Universal Design for Learning addresses multiple means of engagement and representation

Participants can plan and facilitate structured sessions that encourage participation and useful feedback.

  • Facilitator guides separate subject expertise from learning process responsibilities
  • Session plans allocate briefing, practice, reflection, feedback and transition time
  • Questioning techniques probe assumptions, check understanding and invite quieter voices
  • Kolb's experiential learning cycle structures activity debriefs and application
  • Challenging participant behaviour handled through contracting, redirection and evidence
  • Feedback uses SBI model: situation, behaviour, impact and agreed action

Participants can choose suitable delivery modes and specify requirements for blended learning solutions.

  • Modality decisions compare classroom, virtual, self-paced and workplace learning
  • Blended learning journeys connect digital preparation, live practice and follow-through
  • Virtual session design applies chunking, polls, chat and breakout structures
  • LMS configuration requirements cover enrolment, completion, reporting and access permissions
  • Accessibility checks address captions, documents, colour contrast and assistive technology
  • Vendor briefs define scope, quality criteria, milestones and intellectual-property rights

Participants can plan the operational and management support needed for learning transfer.

  • Implementation plans assign owners, milestones, communications, resources and contingency actions
  • ADKAR change model anticipates awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement
  • Manager toolkits reinforce pre-work, observation, coaching and post-course accountability
  • Transfer-of-learning plans specify workplace tasks, support and evidence deadlines
  • Learning communications segment messages for sponsors, managers and participants
  • Operational risks logged with triggers, mitigations, owners and review dates

Participants can create an evaluation plan that produces useful evidence for L&D decisions.

  • Kirkpatrick's four levels distinguish reaction, learning, behaviour and results
  • Evaluation questions link decisions to measures, sources and collection timing
  • Pre- and post-assessments establish change in knowledge and skill
  • Behaviour measures combine observation, manager ratings and performance-system data
  • ROI methodology separates programme benefits, costs, attribution and confidence assumptions
  • Dashboard measures include completion, proficiency, transfer, productivity and quality

Participants can organise L&D priorities, governance arrangements and a focused workplace application plan.

  • L&D operating models clarify central, decentralised and shared-service responsibilities
  • Annual learning plans align priorities, budgets, capacity and delivery calendars
  • Portfolio governance uses demand reviews, stage gates and benefits tracking
  • Supplier selection criteria assess expertise, design quality, cost and delivery risk
  • Learning data governance defines ownership, retention, consent and access controls
  • Personal application plan schedules one workplace improvement within ninety days

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Training needs analysis template
  2. Learner and task analysis worksheet
  3. Learning design blueprint
  4. Facilitation session plan
  5. Kirkpatrick evaluation plan
  6. 90-day L&D application plan

Who should attend

  • HR Officers — need practical methods for responding to employee development requests
  • Learning and Development Coordinators — need to organise, support and evaluate learning programmes
  • HR Business Partners — need to connect people capability issues with business performance
  • New L&D Specialists — need a structured foundation for designing and delivering learning
  • Line Managers with training responsibilities — need to support workplace learning and transfer
  • Talent and Organisational Development Practitioners — need consistent learning design and evaluation methods

Skills and tools covered

Training needs analysisLearning designFacilitation skillsBlended learning designLearning evaluationL&D planning

Tools and standards

ADDIE, Bloom's Taxonomy, 70:20:10 model, Kirkpatrick's Four Levels

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings to introduce each method, followed by case analysis, group design work, facilitated discussion and simulated L&D decisions. Participants examine realistic training requests, identify root causes, write objectives, build learning journeys and select evaluation measures. Facilitation practice focuses on questioning, feedback and managing participant contributions. Application planning helps participants adapt the methods to a current or anticipated workplace requirement. Instructor feedback is provided throughout, with examples drawn from HR, public sector, banking, NGO and corporate settings.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic workplace experience and familiarity with common HR activities such as induction, performance management, employee development or training coordination. Experience of arranging training, briefing external providers or supporting managers is useful but not essential. No prior qualification in learning and development, instructional design, facilitation or psychology is required. Participants do not need advanced data analysis skills, specialist software knowledge or responsibility for an existing learning function. The course explains core terminology before applying the methods to realistic workplace cases.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Basic workplace experience and familiarity with HR or employee development activities are sufficient. No prior L&D qualification, instructional design experience or facilitation certification is required.

Bring a current training request, people capability issue or development programme if you have one. You can use it as a reference when creating your application plan, although course cases and templates are provided.

It is suited to HR officers, L&D coordinators, HR business partners, new L&D specialists and managers with responsibility for staff development. It is also useful for talent and organisational development practitioners seeking a common method for learning work.

This course covers the full L&D practitioner cycle, from diagnosing a request through to evaluation and governance. Specialist instructional design courses typically focus more deeply on building learning materials, while talent management courses focus more broadly on succession, careers and workforce pipelines.

Participants can use the templates to assess incoming training requests, write stronger briefs for providers and improve existing learning programmes. The methods also support conversations with managers about performance barriers, learning transfer and evidence of results.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours, excluding breaks. Time is divided between instructor input, case work, group activities, design tasks, facilitation practice and application planning.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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