Whenever you have undertaken some CPD activity, compare it against your personal development plan and consider whether it met your objectives.
No matter which CPD route you follow, it is important to evaluate whether your learning activity was effective.
Was it relevant to you and will you apply it in the workplace? Does it bring benefits to you as an individual, or to your clients, team or organisation?
Carefully evaluating whether learning has been useful and relevant will not only help you to consider whether it meets your CPD needs: it will also help you to ensure that learning remains effective and relevant to you going forward, ultimately benefiting your career.
Questions to think about when evaluating your CPD:
- Did your activity meet your needs?
- Can you apply your learning in the workplace, for example by satisfying your clients’ needs?
- Has there been a positive impact on your business?
For more information on evaluating your learning, look at the resources in the Keeping Evidence section.
Once you have completed your CPD activity, take the time to reflect on you approach. This is also a good time to identify whether you have completed your CPD activity and, if so, make your CPD declaration.
Questions to think about when reflecting on your CPD
Would you do anything differently next time?
Are there additional learning needs you’ve identified which you can take into the next cycle?
Are there parts of the cycle you will reconsider next time (how you approached your planning, activity, or evaluation?).