Kirkpatrick Level 4 — Evidence Map

Threads twisting into a single strong rope — representing the convergence of learning initiatives into organizational results

Kirkpatrick Model · All Four Levels · Kruze Consulting

Kirkpatrick Level 4 —

Evidence Map

Kruze Consulting · May 2022 – July 2025 · Michelle Deshotels, Director of Corporate Training

What is Kirkpatrick Level 4?

The Kirkpatrick Model is a widely used framework for measuring whether learning produced real organizational results. It evaluates training across four levels:

Level 1 Reaction — Was it relevant and engaging?

Level 2 Learning — Did knowledge or skill increase?

Level 3 Behavior — Did it change how people work?

Level 4 Results — Did the organization measurably improve?

Level 4 requires documented business outcomes — financial, operational, or strategic — linked to learning initiatives. There is no formal certification; achievement is determined by evidence.

In practice, many organizations measure only reaction or basic learning, making documented Level 4 outcomes uncommon.

I didn't set out to achieve Level 4. I set out to build a learning function — not just a place to store information, but a system designed to run and be sustained, and to actually change how people worked. The goal was to get everyone moving in the same direction: make the opaque transparent, make the right thing the easiest thing to do, and make sure nothing lived only in someone's head. When I mapped what I'd built against this framework, the evidence was already there.

Overall Assessment

Kirkpatrick Level 4 — Achieved

All four levels documented with measurable evidence. Verified by direct manager and independent third-party SOC 2 lead — specific mechanisms named, not general correlation.

4/4 Levels
met

2 Independent
verifiers

5 Business
outcomes

Assessment basis: Kirkpatrick Level 4 is not a certification; it is an evidence-based determination. This portfolio presents a Level 4 claim supported by documented outcomes across all four levels, internal metrics, direct manager verification, and third-party SOC 2 lead corroboration. Source: Kirkpatrick Partners, kirkpatrickpartners.com, 2026.

Kirkpatrick Level 4 — Evidence Map

Kruze Consulting · May 2022–July 2025 · Michelle Deshotels

Official criteria: Kirkpatrick Partners, 2026
Evidence: Internal data + stakeholder verification

1

          Reaction
          Favorable, engaging, relevant to work
        

          
        
What it requires›Learners find training favorable
›Learners find training engaging
›Learners find it relevant to their work
›Relevance is the critical indicator — not satisfaction ¹
Evidence·Sustained monthly active usage of 70–80%, based on internal reporting compiled monthly and presented quarterly to executive leadership — including peak operating periods Internal reporting
·40–50 per AI Hangout Session, 80%+ retention Session data
·50% AI curriculum completion before any requirement LMS data
·New hire feedback collected 3× per onboarding cycle Matt, VP Ops
Verdict: Voluntary engagement well above commonly cited LMS participation norms. Industry avg: 20–30%. Kruze U: 70–80%, sustained without a single month below threshold.
2

          Learning
          Knowledge, skills, confidence, commitment acquired
        

          
        
What it requires›Measurable knowledge or skill gain
›Evidence of increased confidence
›Evidence of commitment to apply
›Pre/post or equivalent measurement ¹
Evidence·AI program: 0% → 100% adoption — completion of full training and credentialing path LMS data
·Onboarding: 6 months → 1 week time-to-proficiency (26×) Matt, VP Ops
·Cybersecurity: 65% voluntary participation, employees audit-ready Tatiana Marin
·"Employees comfortable explaining security practices to auditors" ² Tatiana Marin
Verdict: Time-to-proficiency compression and auditor-ready responses are concrete, verifiable evidence of knowledge transfer.
3

          Behavior
          Critical behaviors applied on the job, with support
        

          
        
What it requires›Critical behaviors applied in the work environment
›Accountability and support structures in place
›Performance environment supports transfer
›Measurement before 90 days post-training ¹
Evidence·Kruze U built as single source of truth: 1,000+ resources, 200+ courses, all critical operational content — sustained usage reflects operational dependence, not just training participation Internal reporting
·9 department AI champions as accountability + support network Program data
·Significantly reduced client-facing incidents vs. chronic pre-training issues Matt, VP Ops
·"Documentation practices improved… stronger alignment around sensitive data" ² Tatiana Marin
Verdict: Behavior change verified by two independent sources. Champions network is textbook Kirkpatrick Level 3 support structure.
4

          Results
          Organizational outcomes occur as a result of the initiative
        

          
        
What it requires›Targeted organizational KPIs improve
›Leading and lagging indicators identified
›Contribution to outcomes — not required to be sole cause ¹
›Stakeholder-defined success (Return on Expectations)
›Evidence of performance change contributing to outcomes
Evidence·Operational efficiency: 26× faster onboarding → estimated ~$170K annual value Matt, VP Ops
·Revenue enablement: SOC 2 Type 1 maintained → enterprise sales capability protected Tatiana Marin
·Strategic capability: 100% AI adoption across 170 employees LMS data
·Compliance: "Closed compliance gaps… reduced remediation cycles" ² Tatiana Marin
·Client credibility: SOC 2 "removed a barrier during client due diligence" ² Tatiana Marin
Level 4 — Achieved: Financial, compliance, competitive, and client impact documented. Two independent verifiers with specific mechanisms named — not general correlation.

Sources & citations

1Kirkpatrick Partners. "The Kirkpatrick Model." kirkpatrickpartners.com, 2026 updated model. Level 4 defined as "the degree to which targeted organizational outcomes occur as a result of an experience or initiative and performance support." Contribution — not sole causation — is the standard. There is no formal practitioner certification; achievement is determined by evidence.

2Tatiana Marin, Information Security & Operations Director, Kruze Consulting. Third-party written verification, 2025. Marin led SOC 2 Type 1 certification and provided independent corroboration of training impact on compliance readiness, employee behavior, and business outcomes.

3Matt Ziser, VP of Business Operations, Kruze Consulting. Direct manager verification, 2022–2025. Oversaw all operational functions during the documented period including onboarding, systems performance, and training outcomes.