Focusing Learning Strategy on Job Success at U.S. Defense Department (2016 Case Study)

Defense Acquisition University, an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, has designed a new learning strategy that reflects its focus to application of learning for job and organizational success. There are three domains to the Acquisition Learning Model (ALM): foundational learning, workflow learning, and performance learning. ALM was deliberately incorporated to ensure alignment with the business strategy of senior leaders. The goal is to ensure integration of all three to develop qualified professionals who provide services, equipment and systems to meet warfighter requirements involving complex weapon systems in the air, ground, sea and space. Data using evaluations at Kirkpatrick Levels 3 & 4 prove the impact has been strong. The initiative earned DAU a Silver Award for Best Strategy for a Corporate Learning University in the 2016 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards.