Project overview
Context
A European technology company (DACH region, ~800 employees) had an L&D function of three people supporting a growing workforce. Training decisions were made reactively — business units requested courses, L&D built them, nobody measured outcomes. The LMS contained 140+ courses of varying quality, with no clear ownership or currency policy.
The Head of L&D was preparing to make the case to the executive team for additional headcount and budget. She needed an evidence-based strategy document — not a wish list — that connected learning investment to business outcomes.
The challenge
- No shared definition of what "good L&D" looked like within the organisation
- Fragmented stakeholder expectations — different business units had contradictory priorities
- LMS content inventory was a liability, not an asset — no content audit had ever been done
- L&D team had no structured intake or prioritisation process — everything was urgent
- Executive team sceptical of L&D ROI — previous strategy documents had been ignored
- Three-person team trying to do the work of six — without clarity on what to stop doing
Our approach
Stakeholder interview programme (Weeks 1–3)
Structured 45-minute interviews with 12 stakeholders — four business unit heads, four line managers, the CHRO, the CFO, and two L&D team members. We used a consistent interview framework to surface priorities, pain points, and current perceptions of L&D value. No assumptions — everything data-driven.
L&D function and LMS audit (Weeks 2–4)
We assessed the L&D team's current capability, workflow, and time allocation. We audited the LMS — cataloguing all 140+ items by relevance, accuracy, usage data, and ownership. Result: a clear content portfolio recommendation (keep, update, retire, commission).
Strategy design (Weeks 4–7)
We synthesised stakeholder input and audit findings into a draft strategy covering: four priority learning domains aligned to business objectives, a governance model for intake and prioritisation, an LMS rationalisation plan, a Kirkpatrick-aligned measurement framework, and a 3-tier team capability model.
Executive validation workshop (Week 8)
A 2-hour structured workshop with the executive team — not a presentation, a working session. We stress-tested the strategy against their business priorities and incorporated their input directly into the roadmap. This session was the difference between a document that got filed and one that got funded.
Final strategy and handover (Weeks 9–10)
Final strategy document, 18-month roadmap with quarterly milestones, and an implementation playbook with 90-day quick wins. Handover session with the L&D team to walk through execution responsibilities and where to start.
Deliverables
- Stakeholder interview synthesis report (12 interviews, key themes, priority matrix)
- LMS content audit (140+ items) with keep/update/retire/commission recommendations
- L&D function maturity assessment with benchmarks
- L&D strategy document — four priority domains, governance model, measurement framework
- 18-month curriculum roadmap with quarterly milestones and owner assignments
- Governance model — intake process, prioritisation criteria, project management template
- Kirkpatrick-aligned measurement framework with data collection plan
- Executive presentation deck (used in board meeting)
- Implementation playbook with 90-day quick wins and longer-horizon initiatives
Outcomes
- Executive team approved the strategy in the validation workshop — no further revision required
- Budget case for one additional L&D headcount approved within 6 weeks of strategy completion
- LMS reduced from 140+ items to 68 active, current, owned courses within the first quarter
- Intake process implemented — L&D team reported 40% reduction in "urgent" ad-hoc requests
- Head of L&D reported feeling "strategically positioned for the first time" in three years in the role
Tools & frameworks used
Related service
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