Which level of Kirkpatrick's four-level training evaluation model is used to assess the impact on the business, such as financial results or productivity gains?

• A. Reaction
• B. Learning
• C. Behavior
• D. Results

Answer: (D)

This level measures what the training ultimately achieves for the organization, focusing on business outcomes rather than what participants felt or learned or how they behaved on the job. It looks at bottom-line results like productivity gains, cost savings, quality improvements, revenue impact, or other organizational metrics.

Why this is the best fit: while Reaction shows how participants felt about the training and Learning shows knowledge or skill gains, and Behavior shows how they apply that learning on the job, only the final results level demonstrates the actual impact on the business. It answers the question: did the training move the needle on key business metrics?

For example, after a process improvement course, you’d track metrics such as production throughput, defect rate, or overall cost per unit, and compare them before and after the training. Keep in mind this level can be harder to pinpoint to training alone, so careful measurement and, if possible, experimental or quasi-experimental designs help isolate the training’s contribution.

In short, the level focused on business impact and organizational outcomes is the one that captures the Results.