Evidence and finance
Measure L&D ROI the way award judges and CFOs both trust
L&D ROI for AEA Awards is a before-and-after (or cohort) comparison of a business metric that learning could plausibly move, with costs and assumptions stated. Completions, smile sheets, and “hours delivered” are not ROI.
A definition judges will accept
MENA CHROs lose budget arguments when L&D reports activity. Judges reject those same files. The fix is not a 40-page Phillips model; it is one causal story: we spent X, we changed this practice, metric Y moved from A to B in N months, and here is why other explanations are weaker.
Metrics and isolation
Acceptable metrics include time-to-productivity, first-time-right, safety incidents, sales ramp, customer CSAT linked to skill, promotion from within, and localization of targeted roles. Convert to money only when the finance partner has signed the formula.
Isolation can be a control group, a prior-year cohort, or a phased rollout. Honesty about limits scores higher than fake precision. Use this page as your evidence brief, then attach the same numbers to a single AEA Awards category.
How to build an award-ready ROI brief
- 1
Name the business metric
Pick one number operations already reports. Write the definition in one sentence.
- 2
Capture the baseline
Export the pre-program period from the system of record. Keep a screenshot of the query.
- 3
Attribute the intervention
Describe who learned, what practice changed, and how managers reinforced it.
- 4
Report the change
Show after versus before (or versus a control) with dates. Note remaining caveats.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a full ROI percentage? +
No. AEA Awards accepts robust operational metrics. A signed ROI percentage is a bonus, not a gate.
What if we only have Level 1 survey data? +
Do not enter yet. Partner with HRIS or operations for one outcome metric, even if the sample is a single business unit.
Can qualitative evidence count? +
Yes, as support (manager quotes, learner artifacts) — not as a substitute for a metric.
Is Kirkpatrick required? +
No. Use any evaluation language your board already understands. Judges care about causal clarity.
Can we convert time saved into money? +
Yes, if finance signed the hourly rate and you state the assumption. Unsigned salary math looks invented.
2027 cycle
Register your interest before nominations open on 20 October 2026
AEA Awards is the MENA Learning & Development benchmark. Leave your details and we will remind you when the entry window opens.