Purpose: The objective of the presented pilot study was to test the applicability of a metric to specifically measure performance improvement via a hands-on workshop about collaborative robotics. Design/methodology/approach: Candidates interested in acquiring basic practical skills in working with a collaborative robot completed a distance learning exercise in preparation for a hands-on training workshop. The candidates executed a test before and after the workshop for recording the parameters compiled in the tested performance index (PI). Findings: The results reflected the potential of the tested PI for applications in detecting improvement in practical skill acquisition and revealed potential opportunities for integrating additional performance factors. Research limitations/implications: The low number of candidates available limited in-depth analyses of the learning outcomes. Practical implications: The study outcomes provide the basis for follow-up projects with larger cohorts of candidates and control groups in order to expedite the development of technology-assisted performance measurements. Social implications: The study contributes to research on performance improvement and prediction of learning outcomes, which is imperative to this emerging field in learning analytics. Originality/value: The development of the presented PI addresses a scientific gap in learning analytics, i.e. the objective measurement of performance improvement and prediction along skill-intensive training courses. This paper presents an improved version of the PI, which was published at the 12th Conference on Learning Factories, Singapore, April 2022.