Some of the most useful learning takes place while people are involved in solving real work problems and issues. Learning - of individuals, and subsequently, of the organisation - is the process that makes the creation and application of knowledge meaningful. But in many organisations people keen to learn are offered only a static textbook or expert driven program that does little to encourage new thinking and learning.

Action Learning

Action learning is different from mainstream training, education and professional development. In action learning the main objective is to learn how to ask appropriate questions in conditions of risk and ‘stretch’. It is a continuous process of learning and reflection in which people (colleagues) are brought together to find solutions to problems and, in doing so, develops both the individuals and the organisations.

Action learning is derived from adult learning models which show that adults learn best when they are engaged in real-life projects and can reflect upon their experiences. Adult learners are self-directed, and ready to learn when they see the need in their work. Thus, their learning is purposeful. Learning is a social process; people learn with and from others, and adults have a lifetime of experience to contribute.

The Process

The key components of the action learning process are:

1.	Individuals are part of an action learning set of 6-10 people who meet regularly over several months. Typically, these meetings occur fortnightly to monthly and are facilitated by a consultant to assist the group with its reflection and discussion processes.
2.	Individuals have a learning project that they want to work on – alone or in groups eg. Implementing recommendations from a review, trialling initiatives, developing certain competencies, or involving staff.
3.	Individuals take responsibility for their projects and their own learning, thereby developing the skills and capacity for learning.

Therefore action learning is an iterative, experiential process, involving a cyclical process of learning. The elements of the cycle are:

The success of this action learning process is in the ability of its members to think outside of their usual paradigms and to collectively reflect and create new understandings of issues and new actions to address those issues.

The Benefits of Action Learning

The benefits of action learning are generally described as:

1.	It gets people to work on solving real work problems (often long-standing problems that could not be solved by simple training) as part of their job.
2.	Participants structure a learning plan tailored to meet their own needs, thus saving time and expense.
3.	Participants do not need to spend large amounts of time off the job.
4.	Participants learn about themselves, how they interact with others, and learn to be reflective managers and learners. This connects well with organisational change programs, as change in organisations begins with individuals.
5.	Action learning develops the individuals’ capacity to engage with change.
6.	It empowers participants by encouraging them to take charge of their own problems.
7.	The transfer of learning is increased since participants are able to take immediate action.
8.	The learning has significant influence on the wider organisation, and assists the development of quality-focused outcomes and a culture of continual improvement.

A crucial component to the success of any action learning program is an appropriate needs diagnosis and establishment of the parameters and goals of the program, prior to selecting individuals to participate in the action learning sets. Designed Interventions will work with your organisation to ensure the action learning does meet your current needs and, when implemented, that it has the highest chance of being maximally effective.