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Learning And Development icon

Create a Learning and Development Strategy

Transform your learning and development function from reactive to strategic.

  • Organizational leaders remain unsatisfied with the performance of their current L&D functions.
  • Employees are leaving organizations because they are not receiving the training and development that they were promised when they were hired.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst.


  • Get on-demand project support
  • Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
  • Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Developing an L&D strategy involves more than just designing learning solutions. It requires aligning resources, culture, and learning solutions to support the organization’s strategic direction and drive success.

Impact and Result

  • Understand the current state and alignment of L&D by uncovering the strategic direction of the organization, scanning the external environment and speaking with key players to understand their needs.
  • Outline the organization’s desired future state, identify the differences between the current state and this future state, and translate these gaps into clear strategic goals.
  • Identify and prioritize activities to achieve strategic goals, then develop an action plan and communicate with key players.

Create a Learning and Development Strategy Research & Tools

2. Define the future state of L&D

Define future state of L&D.

3. Build L&D Strategy

Identify and prioritize activities to achieve goals.

4. Implement and evaluate

Communicate and implement the L&D strategy and develop a plan for continuous monitoring.


Create a Learning & Development Strategy

An active membership is required to access McLean Academy
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This program has been approved for continuing professional development (CPD) hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA).

SHRM Certification Logo

McLean & Company is recognized by SHRM and can award Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.

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HR Certification Institute's® (HRCI®) official seal confirms that McLean & Company meets the criteria for pre-approved recertification credit(s) for any of HRCI’s eight credentials, including SPHR® and PHR®.

How to complete this course:

Use these videos, along with the Project Blueprint deck above, to gain an understanding of the subject. Start with the Introduction, then move through each of the Course Modules. At the end of each Module, you will be required to complete a short test to demonstrate your understanding. You will complete this course when you have completed all of the course tests.

  • Number of Course Modules: 5
  • Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Learning Outcome

Learners will be able to explain the process of creating a Learning & Development strategy, with a focus on creating and implementing a framework that will guide current and future critical learning initiatives.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Recognize the value of having an L&D strategy.
  • Learn how to analyze the organization to understand L&D gaps and needs.
  • Define the ideal future state of L&D using an L&D framework.
  • Create an action plan to implement the L&D framework.

Course Modules

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Introduction: Create a Learning and Development Strategy

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Module 1: Analyze Your Organization to Understand L&D Needs

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Module 2: Define the Ideal Future State of L&D

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Module 3: Standardize Your Approach for Measurement and Governance

Now playing

Academy L&D Strategy: Module 4: Create an Action Plan to Implement the L&D Framework


Workshop: Create a Learning and Development Strategy

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Define a Vision for L&D

The Purpose

  • Define L&D vision.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • A vision for the L&D team

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Conduct SWOT analysis.

1.2

Identify insights for learning.

1.3

Create a vision for L&D.

  • Vision for L&D

Module 2: Define Objectives and Metrics

The Purpose

  • Define objectives and metrics and identify priority learners.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Clear objectives, metrics, and key employee groups identified

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Define L&D objectives and identify strategy metrics.

  • Objectives and metrics
2.2

Review and prioritize employee groups.

  • Identified key employee groups
2.3

Determine employee profiles and characteristics.

Module 3: Define the L&D Framework

The Purpose

  • Define the L&D framework.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Determined primary learning needs, core delivery methods and a developed governance map

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Determine primary learning needs.

  • Primary learning needs
3.2

Select core delivery methods.

  • Core delivery methods
3.3

Create a governance map.

  • Governance map

Module 4: Identify Outcomes and Initiatives

The Purpose

  • Identify outcomes and initiatives for L&D programs.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • Prioritized initiatives for employee groups

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Identify key initiatives.

  • Prioritized initiatives to realize L&D framework
4.2

Examine learning infrastructure.

4.3

Review and confirm the prioritization of initiatives.

Module 5: Develop an Initiative Roadmap

The Purpose

  • Develop a high-level roadmap of strategic L&D action items.

Key Benefits Achieved

  • A completed roadmap of strategic L&D initiatives

Activities

Outputs

5.1

Assess L&D capabilities.

5.2

Create a roadmap of strategic L&D action items.

  • High-level Gantt chart of L&D initiatives


Transform your learning and development function from reactive to strategic.

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 6 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Complete a current-state analysis
  • Call 1: Assess the effectiveness of the current L&D approach by reviewing each of the L&D components.
  • Call 2: Review results of your current-state assessment and identify pain points and strengths.

Guided Implementation 2: Define the future state of L&D
  • Call 1: Define the future state of L&D and identify gaps between current and future state.

Guided Implementation 3: Build an L&D strategy
  • Call 1: Translate gaps into L&D goals and identify activities to attain goals.
  • Call 2: Prioritize activities and create an action plan and roadmap for each activity.

Guided Implementation 4: Implement and evaluate
  • Call 1: Develop a communications plan and plan for continuous monitoring.

Contributors

  • Veronica Ambrosini, Talent Management & Organizational Design Expert
  • Jan-Willem Bouwmeester, Group Manager Learning & Development, Maser of Science, Royal De Heus Group
  • Siobhan Calderbank, Director of Learning & Development, Intelex Technologies
  • David Hayden, L&D Consultant, CIPD
  • Bill Goggin, Director, Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University
  • Stephanie Kerr, Director of Organization Effectiveness, Harley Davidson Motor Company
  • Lisha van Leeuwen, Leadership and Team Excellence Leader, Roche
  • Brett VanderHoek, Manager, Talent, Tolko Industries
  • Dr. Iris Ware, Chief Learning Officer, City of Detroit
  • Linda White, Vice President of Global Learning & Development (retired), Scotia Bank

Several anonymous contributors were also interviewed.