Compares fine arts and the art of training design. Suggests ways to design programs creatively to transform people's performance: (1) break the rhythm; (2) combine apples and oranges; (3) get out of order; (4) toy with success; and (5) put on a good show. (JOW)

Describes the American Society for Training and Development's Benchmarking Forum, a cooperative venture among companies with strong financial and organizational commitments to employee training. Participants will identify training's best practices and generate comparative data to set a standard for their individual efforts. (Author)

Displays responses from 540 organizations plus other recent surveys that show how much training is provided at what cost, types of courses provided, training staff, outsourcing, technological delivery methods, and human performance practices. Also looks at whether measures show that training is linked to performance. (JOW)