Article:

Could training deliver a more lasting impact?

Standalone training courses are an essential pillar of any consultancy’s learning and development strategy. The value these courses provide drives consultant development and overall consultancy growth. When implemented effectively, everyone benefits from investing in training.

However, no matter how great this training is, skills learned fade over time. It’s understandable because when work gets busy and clients demand results, it’s easy to slip back into old habits!

By synergising the EPIC learning journey framework with existing courses, organisations can extend learning and development into a journey that transforms short-term training into deep, sustainable change. Organisations can experience a greater impact from training by implementing this framework, not as a replacement for courses but as an integrated approach to enhance learning and embed it into daily work life.

What is a learning journey?

Learning is a process, something often overlooked by consultancies. Elevation Learning’s Diane Law, an expert in long-term learning, understands the challenges some organisations face with consultant development, and how reconceptualising learning into a journey can transform its impact.

“All too often, I see organisations structure their learning in an episodic fashion. They use all the right tools, but don’t integrate each element into a transformational learning journey.”

A learning journey is a tailored approach essential to ensure an individual’s success. This approach takes the individual on a ‘voyage’, building a path to achieve their broader development goals. A learning journey can span an entire career or focus on a single week’s work.

In this sense, learning should not be viewed as an event. Even the shortest learning journeys have steps and milestones, and connecting activities in a more holistic way is a far more powerful method to develop consultants in the long run.

The EPIC framework

EPIC is a framework for building a learning journey, developed by Diane Law. Each letter represents different learning approaches, ordered from most to least frequently experienced.

E: Experiential – e.g. on-the-job, shadowing, job swaps, special projects

P: People – e.g. feedback, mentoring, peer groups, networks

I: Investigation – e.g. curated articles, videos, manuals, infographics

C: Courses – e.g. formal learning, e-learning, professional qualifications

This framework places greater emphasis on the less-prioritised aspects of learning, wrapping the learning journeys consultants travel in a layer of consistency and replicability.

What does this mean for consultant development?

You might have noticed that courses, often the most visible and utilised learning approach, are the least frequently experienced approach.

This isn’t to devalue the importance of courses for learning. Quite the opposite – they are vital for boosting specific skills and the foundation upon which the learning journey is built.

The EPIC framework:

Offers a way to complement and enhance standalone training consistently, sustainably, and holistically, allowing you to get more out of your investment.
Values the ‘softer’ skills for supporting learning, and is a great example of why AI is unlikely to take over the consulting world any time soon.

A summary of the EPIC framework is available in our Learning Resources.

Building an EPIC learning journey

So, what does this mean in practice? How can you combine the learning journey concept and EPIC framework to develop your consultants in a more enduring way?

Implementing EPIC learning journeys is easier than it might seem. Our four step process for developing the elements of an effective EPIC learning journey is:

Identify key lessons and desired learning outcomes
Create the EPIC learning journey outline, including how all existing learning resources and approaches will be leveraged
Determine your EPIC blend – which will be different for every situation. For example, is it more important to practise a skill in a real-world environment (E) or to obtain feedback on this skill (P)?
Design the EPIC learning journey – including the sequence of activities, estimated time requirements, and most importantly, success measures.

At Elevation Learning, we can design learning journeys as an integral part of our course development and delivery, tailored to each client’s specific needs. For example, let’s say you engage Elevation Learning to deliver a leadership programme, we would structure an EPIC learning journey that incorporates the ‘C’ learning approach and leverages elements of ‘E’, ‘P’, and ‘I’ to best fit your organisation, ensuring sustainable learning.

Conclusion

If this article inspires just one person to view learning as more than a series of isolated interventions, it will have been worthwhile.

At Elevation Learning, we are committed to creating learning journeys that drive long-term effectiveness. You probably already have the road-ready tools to revolutionise your consultant development; with our expertise, these could be integrated into an impactful EPIC learning journey. It’s all about the process. Remember there’s no one correct path.

If you think we can help you with your EPIC journey, feel free to get in touch at info@elevationlearning.co.uk or Contact Us.