The Kirkpatrick model evaluates training across four levels: Reaction (did they like it), Learning (did knowledge change), Behaviour (did they act differently) and Results (did a business outcome move). It was introduced by Donald Kirkpatrick in 1959.
What it is
Around 78% of organisations run Level 1 evaluation; roughly half attempt Level 2. Very few reach Level 4, because attribution at that level is genuinely hard.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model, developed by James and Wendy Kirkpatrick, adds required drivers and emphasises planning evaluation before delivery rather than after.
Why it matters
It is the shared vocabulary of training evaluation. Even where the methodology is dated, the four levels give stakeholders a common frame for distinguishing 'people enjoyed it' from 'people changed'.
A common confusion
It was designed for instructor-led classroom training six decades before streamed content. Level 1 in practice means a post-session survey, which returns a score rather than a position — it cannot tell you that everyone left during section 4.
Related
See also phillips roi model, learning analytics and content effectiveness. See the full glossary for the rest, or the guide to measuring training effectiveness for the wider context.
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