Hey Training Directors View?
How many times have you heard training directors say: “I need to find a way to assure that what I teach in the classroom is effectively used on the job”?
I would estimate that only 10 percent of content which is presented in the classroom is reflected in behavioral change on the job. With increase demand from my management to demonstrate the effectiveness of training, I got to find a way to deal with the issue of transfer.
Note that Georgenson actually uses quotation marks for the above two statements — and the reason why is that he is asking a rhetorical question. Thus this 10% transfer myth is NOT based on any studies or research, but rather on a rhetorical question asked by an author! The are no studies or research cited in Georgenson’s paper. In fact, Georgenson is not even a learning/training researcher, for the bio in the article reads, “David L. Georgenson is manager, product development, Xerox learning Systems, Stamford, Conn.”
When I first started coming across this bogus 10% figure, I spent quite some time tracing it to its roots. I could have saved myself some time if I have read an article by Fitzpatrick and Thalheimer first.