ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how recognizing the potential value of applying learning science—and even having point examples of the value of applying evidence-based approaches (“learning engineering”)—still does not address how to make such practices stick at scale. What is known about the increasing value (and rate of change) of better skills for almost all people over time is that this definitely has to happen at scale to not leave people behind (economically, socially, emotionally) for decades. A way to move a large organization from varied, traditional approaches to learning to a more evidence-based learning engineering approach involves a series of phases. First, provide exposure to key learning development people to the possibilities and promise of evidence-based approaches—things they did not know mattered—and get a few examples done with early adopters. Second, as interest begins to build, manage and deliver education to these same learning development folks across the whole organization in a consistent way to share language, ideas, and even evidence-based processes. Third, with these key professionals ready to help, get the whole organization to mobilize effort behind the changes over time required, especially including the general managers who allocate effort and resources across all the activities of the organization. Finally, establish strong evaluation practices and cycles to make this new way of focusing on evidence-based learning measurement and success “the way we do things around here.”
