Melanie Martinelli, a seasoned L&D practitioner and CEO of the Institute for Transfer Effectiveness, challenges common training metrics that prioritize satisfaction over real impact. She explains the concept of 'learning transfer' as the application of skills in the workplace. Listeners learn about her 12 levers of transfer and how to conduct a transfer audit to identify barriers. Melanie shares insights on prioritizing impactful changes, the importance of realistic practice, and a compelling case study showing that context often trumps fancy design.
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insights INSIGHT
Most Training Fails To Transfer
Only 10–30% of what people learn in training is applied profitably on the job.
Melanie Martinelli highlights this gap to argue L&D must focus on transfer, not just engagement.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Audit Programs With The 12 Levers
Use the 12 Levers as a diagnostic lens to identify the biggest transfer barriers for each program.
Target the highest-impact levers you can influence instead of trying to fix everything at once.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Start With A Transfer Audit
Run a transfer audit to spot which levers (motivation, opportunity, practice, etc.) pose the largest obstacles.
Then design pre/post supports specifically to remove those obstacles for that program.
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Your learners loved the course… and then nothing changed. In this episode, Jess talks with Melanie Martinelli (Institute for Transfer Effectiveness) about why L&D's obsession with "great training" often fails at the only thing that matters: on-the-job application. You'll unpack the 12 Levers of Learning Transfer, learn how to run a quick transfer audit, and hear a case study where a clunky old e-learning outperformed a shiny new one. All because the ecosystem mattered more than the content.
Jess and Melanie discuss
Why L&D "falls in love with the solution" instead of diagnosing the real performance problem
The difference between learner satisfaction and business impact (Level 1 vs. Level 3)
What "learning transfer" actually means: application back on the job
The 12 Levers of Transfer (trainee, training design, and organizational factors)
How to use a "transfer audit" to find the biggest barriers for that specific program
Why you shouldn't try to pull all 12 levers at once (perfectionism kills transfer)
Active learning vs. active practice—and why practice gets cut first
Designing for constraints: what to do when training time is limited
Why investing in "before and after" support beats polishing course content
The "Certificate of Implementation" tactic that drives supervisor support
About Melanie Martinelli
Melanie Martinelli combines her entrepreneurial spirit with her 20 years of experience in L&D to help build memorable & results-based learning experiences. In her role as CEO of the Institute for Transfer Effectiveness and Founder of Going Beyond Training, she applies strong business acumen, rich practical experience across cultures & a deep understanding of what makes learning transfer happen to support her clients in being more strategic in their L&D initiatives.
Introducing the L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Blueprint
Want to know how your L&TD team can stop reacting to requests and start operating as a true strategic business partner? The L&D Strategic Business Partner Team Assessment and Development Roadmap shows you exactly where your team is today and provides a clear, practical path to change how you work, build credibility with leaders, and deliver measurable business impact. Learn more and reach out to Jess Almlie to bring this tool to your team.
L&D Must Change 
