Learning agenda worksheet

Start by listing decision points and turning them into the learning issues needed. Focus on questions useful for the next decision rather than increasing their number.

When to use this worksheet and what completion involves Fictional completed example

EvalCompass Worksheet

Learning agenda worksheet

Method: Learning Agenda

Start by listing decision points and turning them into the learning issues needed. Focus on questions useful for the next decision rather than increasing their number.

Basic information

Record the program and scope of the learning agenda.

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Program or organization name: Community consultation program (fictional)
Period covered: October–December 2026 (fictional)
Main decision-makers: Management meeting
Date and participants: September 2026 / staff A and B (fictional)

Reason for this entry: Specify the decision-maker and period covered.

Program or organization name

Period covered

Main decision-makers

Date and participants

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Record the program and scope of the learning agenda.

Specify the decision-maker and period covered.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Follow each field’s heading to record the program name, focus, period, and other details. Leave undecided matters clearly marked as unresolved.

Read the full fictional example

Decisions and learning questions

Organize questions needed for the next decision.

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Decision point	Decision timing	What needs to be known	Learning question	Intended users
Pilot evening reception hours	December meeting	Reasons people cannot attend during current hours	Would evening appointments reduce access barriers?	Operations staff
Revise information text	October meeting	Wording that is misunderstood	Can readers understand the reception conditions?	Communications staff

Reason for this entry: Connect questions to specific choices.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Decision point	Decision timing	What needs to be known	Learning question	Intended users

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Organize questions needed for the next decision.

Connect questions to specific choices.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

Assign evidence collection

Decide whether existing data suffice or new research or evaluation is needed.

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Learning questions	Existing evidence and data	Additional methods needed	Responsible person	Deadline
Would evening appointments reduce access barriers?	Appointment records by time of day	Interviews with non-users	Staff member A	End of November
Can the reception conditions be understood?	Current information text	Comprehension test of draft	Staff member B	Mid-October

Reason for this entry: Separate existing data from additional collection.

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Learning questions	Existing evidence and data	Additional methods needed	Responsible person	Deadline

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Decide whether existing data suffice or new research or evaluation is needed.

Separate existing data from additional collection.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Keep the information in each row aligned. Scroll wide tables horizontally to see every column.

Read the full fictional example

Priority notes

Describe priorities based on impact, urgency and feasibility.

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

Priority 1 is resolving misunderstandings in the information, in time for next month's revision. Priority 2 is evening appointments: hear from people unable to attend as well as existing users before deciding on a pilot.

Reason for this entry: Explain rankings by urgency and decision impact.

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

Describe priorities based on impact, urgency and feasibility.

Explain rankings by urgency and decision impact.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Use the example as a reference and record what you have established about your own program. Distinguish assumptions and unchecked matters from confirmed facts.

Read the full fictional example

Completion check

Completed example for this section (fictional)

This fictional example is for explanation. Adapt it to your own program. Your entries will not change.

☑ Checked: Learning questions are connected to specific decisions
☑ Checked: Identified questions answerable from existing data
☑ Checked: Priorities are explicit
☑ Checked: Defined the meeting, timing and users for considering findings

Reason for this entry: This records conditions as a plan and does not mean research has been completed.

Learning questions are connected to specific decisions
Identified questions answerable from existing data
Priorities are explicit
Defined the meeting, timing and users for considering findings

Writing tips and explanation for this section

About this section

This records conditions as a plan and does not mean research has been completed.

View the method explanation

Writing tips

Read each item and check those you have confirmed. Do not use the fictional example’s checkbox states as findings about your own program.

Read the full fictional example

Before writing, check when to use the worksheet and what completion involves

Learning agenda worksheet is a worksheet for applying Learning Agenda in meetings or individual work. For the overall duration of the method, use “Planning example, not a universal standard duration: half a day–2 days, including a stakeholder workshop and prioritization” as a reference, adjusting for scale and resources. Fill in what you know provisionally and leave unresolved matters as questions to check next.

When this worksheet is useful

When there are too many issues to evaluate and you want to identify which questions to address first
When integrating priorities for evaluation, research and data use into annual or medium-term plans
When establishing organizational cycles of learning and improvement in grant programs or nonprofits

Participants and preparation

Program managers, field staff, evaluation and data staff, and stakeholders who will use learning. Establish arrangements connecting decisions with field-level questions.

Bring the materials used for decisions, existing data, and differing stakeholder views to help complete the worksheet.

Suggested order

1. Basic informationRecord the program and scope of the learning agenda.
2. Decisions and learning questionsOrganize questions needed for the next decision.
3. Assign evidence collectionDecide whether existing data suffice or new research or evaluation is needed.
4. Priority notesDescribe priorities based on impact, urgency and feasibility.
5. Completion check

Signs the worksheet is ready for review

Learning question list
Evaluation and research portfolio
Annual learning review plan

Cautions for review

Including every stakeholder interest in a long list without priorities
Starting new surveys or external evaluations without taking stock of existing data
Failing to arrange learning reviews, leaving nobody to read the results

Read a completed fictional example (your entries will not change)

Fictional example; not actual results

A fictional illustrative plan for considering the next period's consultation service opening hours.

Basic information

Program or organization name: Community consultation program (fictional)
Period covered: October–December 2026 (fictional)
Main decision-makers: Management meeting
Date and participants: September 2026 / staff A and B (fictional)

Reason for this entry: Specify the decision-maker and period covered.

Decisions and learning questions

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Decision point	Decision timing	What needs to be known	Learning question	Intended users
Pilot evening reception hours	December meeting	Reasons people cannot attend during current hours	Would evening appointments reduce access barriers?	Operations staff
Revise information text	October meeting	Wording that is misunderstood	Can readers understand the reception conditions?	Communications staff

Reason for this entry: Connect questions to specific choices.

Assign evidence collection

Scroll horizontally to view the table

Learning questions	Existing evidence and data	Additional methods needed	Responsible person	Deadline
Would evening appointments reduce access barriers?	Appointment records by time of day	Interviews with non-users	Staff member A	End of November
Can the reception conditions be understood?	Current information text	Comprehension test of draft	Staff member B	Mid-October

Reason for this entry: Separate existing data from additional collection.

Priority notes

Reason for this entry: Explain rankings by urgency and decision impact.

Completion check

☑ Checked: Learning questions are connected to specific decisions
☑ Checked: Identified questions answerable from existing data
☑ Checked: Priorities are explicit
☑ Checked: Defined the meeting, timing and users for considering findings

Reason for this entry: This records conditions as a plan and does not mean research has been completed.

Common errors in judgment

Listing every topic of interest

How to revise: Prioritize by decision impact and evidence gaps.

Reason: Research resources and deadlines are constrained.

Fixing learning questions permanently once defined

How to revise: Update questions and priorities when evidence becomes available.

Reason: Avoid continuing to spend resources on answered or unnecessary questions.

Editorial and checking information

Content updated: 2026-09-13Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)No documented human reviewIncludes fictional examplesEditorial policy and scope of checking Cite this page Report a correction

References and checked sections

The President’s Management Agenda Learning Agenda FY23 Year End Report
U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Section consulted
Introduction: What is the PMA Learning Agenda? (printed p.4)
How it relates to the text
Frame learning issues as questions connecting decision-making and evidence building.
Source checked: 2026-09-13 (includes AI cross-checking)

How to cite this page

EvalCompass Editorial Team. “Learning agenda worksheet”. EvalCompass, updated 2026-09-13. https://evalcompass.jun-nakatani.com/en/worksheets/learning-agenda/

Add the date you accessed the page. Text created by this site is available under CC BY 4.0. Quotations, external materials, and bundled fonts have their own terms of use. When reusing content, credit the source, link to the license, and indicate any changes.

Suggest a correction or improvement to this page

Change history

2026-09-13 — Checked sources for definitions and applicability conditions, and added fictional examples, reasons for judgments and examples for every worksheet field. Revised unverified claims about history and adoption. Also reviewed existing procedures and cautions, and adjusted fixed participant counts and thresholds and generalizations about institutions.