Learning and development leaders from across industries gathered for an insightful webinar hosted by Cognota, featuring Rebecca McDougall (VP of Customer Success and Education), Ryan Austin (CEO of Cognota), and Catherine Aldana (two-time ROI Institute Practitioner of the Year). The discussion centered on one of L&D’s most pressing challenges: proving business impact through effective measurement and evaluation.
Learning Insights and Context
Rebecca McDougall opened the session by highlighting the stark reality facing L&D teams today. Despite organizations investing $370 billion globally in training programs, more than 80% of L&D teams have no formal ROI calculation capability whatsoever. This measurement gap isn’t just a reporting challenge, it fundamentally undermines L&D’s credibility and strategic influence within organizations.
The webinar introduced findings from Cognota’s new white paper, “The Evaluation Gap in L&D,” based on extensive research through their LearnOps Maturity Assessment. This assessment, completed by hundreds of organizations across industries, reveals that measurement consistently ranks as the weakest capability area for L&D teams.
The LearnOps Framework Foundation
Ryan Austin presented Cognota’s comprehensive LearnOps framework, which measures teams across five critical stages: Alignment, Planning, Execution, Measurement, and Optimization. He emphasized that Learning Operations brings together best practices, people, and processes to help teams work systematically and strategically.
The framework draws parallels to other mature business functions like RevOps for revenue teams and DevOps for software development. Austin explained that LearnOps enables teams to “work smarter, not harder” by creating systematic approaches to learning and development operations.
Particularly relevant to the measurement discussion, Austin highlighted how planning for measurement upfront transforms evaluation from an afterthought into a core program component. Teams that define success criteria during initial planning phases find measurement becomes significantly easier to execute.
Sobering Measurement Maturity Data
The webinar revealed concerning maturity levels across four key evaluation capabilities :
- Effectiveness Measurement (moving beyond completions to verify objectives): 55% maturity
- Actionable Narratives (turning data into business insights): 40% maturity
- Business Variable Impact (connecting learning to executive KPIs): 20% maturity
- ROI Calculation (applying consistent financial models): Under 20% maturity
Ryan Austin noted the surprising disconnect between L&D leaders’ confidence (25-30% report feeling capable of measuring success) and the actual depth of their measurement capabilities revealed through detailed assessment.
Catherine Aldana’s ROI Expertise Perspective
Catherine Aldana brought valuable insights from her extensive ROI Institute experience, explaining why measurement remains such a challenge for L&D teams. She identified several key barriers, including limited data access, uncertainty about impact chains, and historical credibility issues around ROI discussions.
Aldana emphasized that measurement confidence often comes from success with lower-level metrics, but teams struggle when asked to demonstrate actual business impact. She highlighted the importance of understanding the full chain from learning activities to business outcomes, using the example of job mobility programs that ultimately reduce turnover costs.
A particularly powerful insight came when discussing negative ROI results. Aldana explained that ROI can be negative while still representing a successful program, provided teams can articulate the intangible benefits and strategic value. The key is thoroughly documenting the narrative around behavior change, participant engagement, and measurable intangible benefits.
Five Critical Roadblocks Identified
The research identified five systematic barriers preventing L&D measurement success :
- Fragmented tools and manual processes create data silos that make comprehensive storytelling nearly impossible
- Over-reliance on activity metrics keeps focus on “smile sheets” rather than business outcomes
- Limited access to business data becomes a major obstacle when L&D operates in isolation
- Cultural hesitancy around ROI stems from historical credibility issues and fear of negative results
- Inconsistent standards prevent systematic approaches and benchmarking
Ryan Austin emphasized that these aren’t just technical challenges but often reflect deeper partnership and cultural issues within organizations.
The Business Partnership Solution
Both speakers stressed that measurement success flows from strong business partnerships rather than technical solutions alone. Austin shared the cardinal rule: align every major initiative to one of the organization’s top three strategic priorities. Programs that don’t connect to CEO-level objectives will always struggle for resources and attention.
Catherine highlighted how platforms like Cognota enable teams to collect success enablers and barriers in real time, providing immediate credibility with business stakeholders. This real-time measurement capability allows for program adjustments and demonstrates L&D’s commitment to business outcomes.
Real-World ROI Examples
The webinar featured a compelling case study from McDonald’s Hamburger University. When ROI analysis revealed negative returns on their massive training investment, the CEO’s response was telling: “This is really insightful data. We’re going to continue the investment because it’s too important to our franchise strategy and brand”.
This example illustrates that executives value business partners who can provide decision-making data, regardless of whether every program shows positive returns. The capability to measure and articulate business impact builds trust and strategic influence.
Technology as an Enabler
The discussion highlighted how modern learning operations platforms can eliminate traditional measurement barriers through automation and integration. Cognota’s evaluation capabilities were showcased as examples of how technology can transform assessment processes from weeks-long manual surveys to real-time strategic insights.
However, Austin cautioned that technology alone isn’t sufficient. Success requires combining systematic evaluation capabilities with business storytelling skills and stakeholder partnership development.
Practical Next Steps for Attendees
The webinar concluded with actionable recommendations for L&D teams ready to advance their measurement capabilities:
Start with stakeholder alignment using frameworks like the ROI Institute’s V-Model to gather expectations before program design
Build measurement into program planning by defining success criteria and data collection methods upfront
Invest in systematic evaluation platforms that automate data collection and generate executive-ready insights
Develop business impact storytelling skills that translate learning outcomes into executive language
Key Takeaways
The webinar reinforced that L&D’s measurement challenge represents both the field’s biggest obstacle and greatest opportunity. Teams that master business-focused evaluation position themselves as indispensable strategic partners, while those that remain focused on activity metrics risk strategic marginalization.
The session emphasized that measurement excellence requires both systematic processes and strong business partnerships. Technology can accelerate capabilities, but success ultimately depends on L&D’s ability to align with business priorities and communicate impact in executive terms.
For teams ready to advance their measurement maturity, the path forward involves strategic alignment, systematic evaluation capabilities, and continued development of business partnership skills. The tools and frameworks exist, the opportunity now lies in implementation and execution.
Watch the full recording or book your demo to see LearnOps in action.
