Evaluation guidelines for training in water and sanitation

HRD, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) consists of three interrelated functions: planning, training, and management. A wide range of organizational strategies and activities are related to one or more of these three functions, including education and training; recruiting, hiring, and promotion policies; supervision and management; benefits; HRD planning; and occupational welfare. This document provides a systematic "how to" approach for evaluating the effectiveness of training activities in the water supply and sanitation sector. The guidelines primarily focus on training results: how to evaluate skills gained in a training program and how to evaluate the impact of those skills in the workplace. The ultimate purpose of the guidelines is to improve and sustain water and sanitation services. As noted, this document primarily focuses on one HRD function: training. As an evaluation tool, it will contribute to the water supply and sanitation sector in three specific ways: (1) help ensure that scarce resources are effectively deployed to deal with priority problems; (2) contribute to better designed and implemented training activities; and (3) contribute to other aspects of institutional upgrading that are essential for improving the delivery of sector services. The guidelines are not meant to be prescriptive. They do not, for example, specify generic indicators that should be used in evaluating all training activities. Because training can cover a wide range of skills and disciplines, a wide variety of indicators may be found appropriate or useful. Such indicators should be established during the developmental phase of each training activity. (Author abstract, modified)