Definition · Training and development
Learning Objectives
Definition
Learning objectives are specific, measurable statements of what a learner will be able to do after training. A good one names an observable behavior, the conditions under which it is performed and the standard it must meet, such as: resolve a billing dispute in the CRM within 8 minutes with no policy errors.
Also called: Training objectives, Learning outcomes, Performance objectives, Instructional objectives
How to write them
The ABCD method is the most common structure:
- Audience: who the learner is (new customer service agents).
- Behavior: what they will do, using an observable verb (process a refund).
- Condition: the circumstances or tools (using the billing system and refund policy job aid).
- Degree: the standard (with 100% accuracy on eligibility checks).
Put together: "After the session, new agents will be able to process a refund in the billing system using the policy job aid, with no eligibility errors on five practice cases." Robert Mager's earlier approach covers the same ground with three parts: performance, conditions and criterion.
The test of a good objective is whether two observers watching the learner would agree it was met.
Verbs to use and to avoid
Avoid verbs that cannot be observed: understand, know, appreciate, be aware of, learn. Replace them with verbs that describe action. Bloom's taxonomy offers verbs by level:
- Remember: list, name, identify
- Understand: explain, summarize, classify
- Apply: use, demonstrate, complete, calculate
- Analyze: compare, diagnose, distinguish
- Evaluate: assess, justify, choose
- Create: design, build, draft
Match the level to the job. Most frontline training should aim at apply, because the goal is doing the task, not describing it. Leadership programs may reach evaluate and create.
Examples for workplace training
- Contact center onboarding: Given a live call simulation, the agent will verify the caller's identity using all three required checks before discussing account details, on every call.
- Recruiter training: Given a job description, the recruiter will write a Boolean search string that returns at least 50 relevant profiles in the sourcing tool.
- Manager training: The new manager will run a 30-minute one-on-one using the company template and record two agreed actions in the HR system.
- Safety: The warehouse associate will complete a pre-shift forklift inspection checklist with no missed items, observed by a trainer.
Why they matter
Objectives drive everything else in instructional design: what content to include, what to leave out, what practice activities to build and how to assess. They also make evaluation possible. If the objective is measurable, you can check it at the end of training and again on the job, at Level 3 of the Kirkpatrick model, which is how you show whether training worked. Write the assessment at the same time as the objective so the two stay aligned.
Common mistakes
- Writing objectives about what the trainer will cover rather than what the learner will do.
- Too many objectives. Three to five for a half-day session is plenty.
- Objectives at the remember level for jobs that require doing.
- Writing objectives after the content is built, to justify it.
Frequently asked questions
What are learning objectives?
Statements describing what a learner will be able to do after training, written so the result can be observed and measured.
How do you write learning objectives?
Use the ABCD method: name the audience, an observable behavior, the conditions and the degree or standard required, and use an action verb rather than understand or know.
What is the difference between training objectives and learning objectives?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Some teams use training objectives for the program's business goals and learning objectives for what each learner must be able to do.
How many learning objectives should a course have?
Usually three to five per session or module. More than that usually means the content should be split.