Which step is typically performed first when implementing a new L&D program?

• A. Rollout
• B. Pilot
• C. Stakeholder alignment
• D. Evaluation

Answer: (C)

Aligning with stakeholders early establishes sponsorship, clarifies what success looks like, and secures the resources and governance needed for the program. When you bring in leaders, managers, HR, IT, and the people who will be affected, you define the scope, agree on measurable outcomes, and assign ownership. This creates a solid foundation so the design and development can be aligned with real business needs and constraints, reducing resistance later on. Without this alignment, later steps like piloting, rolling out, or evaluating can falter due to competing priorities, lack of buy-in, or unclear success criteria. Once stakeholders are aligned, you can proceed to test a small version through a pilot, then roll out more broadly, and finally evaluate impact against the agreed metrics.