Learning and Development Strategy
70-20-10
Learning Model
On-the-job social formal
5
Kirkpatrick + ROI
Phillips added Level 5
1
SCP Principle
Build business case for L&D ROI
Aligning Learning Strategy to Business Outcomes
The SCP connects every learning initiative to a measurable business outcome. The 70-20-10 model frames development as an ecosystem: 70% on-the-job experience, 20% social learning from peers and mentors, 10% formal training programs. The SCP builds a business case showing ROI rather than simply cutting the program when leadership questions the investment. Learning technology (LMS, LXP, microlearning platforms) amplifies reach but never replaces the experiential and social components.
Measuring L&D Impact Beyond Satisfaction
Kirkpatrick's four levels measure reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Phillips added Level 5 to quantify financial ROI. The SCP operates at Levels 3 through 5, measuring whether training actually changed behavior on the job and moved business metrics. Leadership pipeline development demands succession readiness ratios, internal promotion rates, and bench strength as leading indicators of L&D effectiveness.
practice L&D strategy scenarios
SCP-level SJIs on ROI defense, learning measurement, and leadership pipeline design
Practice L&D Strategy QuestionsExam Traps
ROI over smile sheetsL&D is a strategic investment, not a line item to cut
When budgets tighten, the SCP never accepts across-the-board L&D cuts. They present data on leadership pipeline costs, external hiring premiums, and productivity gaps that result from underinvestment in development.
Measure impact, not just participant satisfaction
Level 1 smile sheets tell you nothing about business outcomes. The SCP pushes evaluation to Levels 3 (behavior change), 4 (business results), and 5 (ROI). If you cannot measure it, you cannot defend the budget.
70-20-10 means formal training is only 10% of learning
Most development happens on the job (70%) and through social interaction (20%). The SCP designs ecosystems that support all three channels, not just classroom programs.
Strategic SJI Angle
Budget cuts threaten the leadership development program. The SCP shows ROI data including reduced external hiring costs, faster time-to-productivity for promoted leaders, and engagement impact on teams with developed managers. The trap answer accepts the cut or proposes cheaper alternatives. The strategic response reframes the conversation from cost to investment return.
ROI Not Smile Sheets
Kirkpatrick Level 1 measures reactions. The SCP measures behavior change and business results at Levels 3, 4, and 5.
Defend With Data
When the CFO targets L&D, show the cost of NOT developing. External hiring premiums, turnover, and lost productivity.
L&D is the irrigation system for the organization. It delivers water (knowledge, skills, capability) to every crop (employee, team, function) across the farm.
When the farm faces a dry season, the instinct is to shut off irrigation to save water. But crops wither. Yields collapse. The cost of replanting exceeds what the irrigation would have cost.
The strategic farmer invests in smarter irrigation. Drip systems (targeted development), soil sensors (learning analytics), and drought-resistant seeds (high-potential programs). Better yield per gallon.
The SCP shows the harvest data. Reduced external hiring costs, faster time-to-productivity, higher engagement scores, stronger leadership pipeline. The business case speaks in dollars, not in training hours.
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