Define the action you expected to see.
“The training didn’t work” does not identify the gap. Name the action, the situation in which it should happen, and what an acceptable result looks like. For example: before passing a routine request to another team, the sender records the owner, due date, and next action.
Then separate two questions: can people perform that action, and do they perform it when the relevant situation occurs? A knowledge test addresses only part of that distinction. CDC’s training evaluation guidance distinguishes learning from using that learning in the workplace.
Look at what the job requires in practice.
A skill gap may justify instruction and practice. If people can demonstrate the task but struggle to carry it out at work, examine the conditions around it. CDC’s needs-assessment guidance recommends assessing the gap before deciding whether training is the appropriate response.
For the handoff task, check:
- Whether the sender knows when the handoff is required and which version of the instructions applies.
- Whether the needed information and system access are available before the deadline.
- Whether the form, workload, and competing requests allow the task to be completed.
- Whether the receiving team checks the same requirements and provides useful feedback when something is missing.
Ask people to walk through recent examples. Compare successful and unsuccessful handoffs under similar conditions. Keep missing evidence visible; a plausible explanation is still something to investigate.
A trained employee with nowhere to record the answer.
Illustrative scenario, not a client result. Imagine that a team has learned a new request-handoff procedure. Staff can explain it correctly during practice, but the live form has no field for the next action. Some put it in comments; others email it separately.
A refresher might help someone who has not learned the procedure. It would not establish a shared place for the missing information. A focused test could add that field, clarify when it is required, and check whether the next team receives a usable handoff.
The result remains uncertain until it is measured. If requests still arrive incomplete, examine whether the sender has the information, whether exceptions are handled clearly, and whether the extra step creates another delay.
Count opportunities to use the skill.
Choose a measure tied to the action. For this example, use complete handoffs divided by all eligible handoffs reviewed during the same period. Define “complete” in advance and record exceptions separately.
Keep training completion and quiz scores as learning records. Check actual handoffs after staff have had opportunities to use the procedure. Record the size of the sample, the work it represents, and any changes in workload or tools that could affect the comparison.
Watch the receiving team’s experience too. A higher completion rate has limited value if the information is unusable, preparation time rises sharply, or errors move downstream.
Choose a response that matches the evidence.
Use instruction and practice where a demonstrated knowledge or skill gap exists. Where access, information, unclear responsibilities, or conflicting expectations interfere with use, test a change to those conditions. Several causes may need attention.
A Performance & Process Diagnostic can examine the gap and define a way to evaluate the proposed response. The sample diagnostic shows how findings, limitations, recommendations, and measures fit together.
If different teams interpret the same requirement differently, continue with why the same procedure is followed differently.