1. Formative evaluation: using diverse tools in order to refine and improve instructional procedures in distance trainingABSTRACT THE COURSE THE EVALUATION PROCESS The present study emphasized how useful the formative evaluation can be, once it makes it possible to correct global errors verify if the instructional strategies are really leading to the main goal of the training. Besides that, this procedure allows that the high investment in distance learning lead up to the expected results by the organization. Another aspect to consider is the correspondence among the technical results and the pilot-group opinions, suggesting that these data collection techniques are valid and capable of measuring ergonomic, psychological and pedagogical factors involved in the training. Future experience on training evaluation should take into account the process described here, making sure to improve and adapt the open-question-like questionnaire and the Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist. Such materials should constantly be updated and revalidated. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Abbad, G. & Borges-Andrade, J.E. (2004). Aprendizagem humana em organizações de trabalho. In: Zanelli, J.C., Borges-Andrade, J.E. e Bastos, A.V. Psicologia, organizações e trabalho no Brasil. Porto Alegre. ARTMED. Bloom B. S. et al. (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain. New York. David McKay Gagné, R. M., Briggs, L. J. (1974) Principles of Instrucional Design. New York. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. This study summarizes the methodology adopted for the formative evaluation of a distance training program for a company’s pilot-group of consultants. The instructional materials available to learners were technically examined by the researchers. An open-question-like questionnaire was applied to the participating consultants at a interview after the second module of the course. A focal group also took place at such meeting. The learners’ opinions about the training matched the technical evaluation, corroborating the necessity of changing several aspects of the course. The use of qualitative techniques in data gathering caused a valid and precise diagnosis of the problems in the instructional design of the course offered to the pilot-group, leading the organization to important decisions about the training program. Because of the formative evaluation, technical solutions were possible before offering the course to all consultants in the company, preventing it from wasting more time and money. A brief description: $Named “Qualification Course for Internal Consultants”, it was a hybrid training - presential and at distance - offered by the corporative university of a big finance organization to a pilot-group of internal consultants. $The main goal: elaborating an internal consultant project, applied to the consultants work reality, with a strategic focus in technical, human and relational dimensions of consultation. $Divided in five modules: the first four were dedicated to relevant points about organizational environment; the last one focused in practicing all the knowledge acquired during the course through the elaboration of a final project. $The learning material was available in digital and printed versions. REFERENCES University of Brasília - Brazil Institute of Psychology Impacto: Research on Training and Organizations of Work Authors: André WogelTalita CustódioKaren da Matta Lidia ParachinMaria Emília AraújoGardênia AbbadINTRODUCTION Successful organizations are those that provide it’s members with constant acquisition and application of the necessary knowledge, abilities and attitudes to work (Abbad & Borges-Andrade, 2004). Distance Training, Development and Education (TD&E) arise as an interesting alternative for big companies to supply such educational actions to a large number of employees scattered throughout the country and beyond. Considering the strategic value of the continuous learning and of the high investments afforded by the organization in TD&E, it has become essential to evaluate learning systems systematically. One of the ways to do so consists on gathering data continuously during the learning system development process in order to obtain information that validates the system and/or indicates improvement needs. The objective of the present work was to use several measurement and analysis tools on a distance course offered by an important Brazilian finance institution, comparing the technical judge analysis view with the results of a data gathering qualitative strategy focused on the course target-public. Technical Evaluation:  Based on The Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist;  38 items about adequacy of instructional objectives, instructional strategies, evaluation strategies, planning, sequence of content, and information sources (34 items);  Based on Gagné’s Instructional Theory (Gagné, 1974) and Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956);  Going through all the modules and exercises;  Taking notes on what should be improved (storyboard). The formative evaluation allowed the company to improve several aspects from the course, based on its main instructional objectives, avoiding waste of time and money. PRONEX Fubra Open-question-like Questionnaire:  Five questions about:  application of what participants learned;  what aspects of the participant’s work improved because of the training program;  participants’ opinion about the exercises; Focal Group:  Together with the application of the questionnaire; Comparison of the results from the three first steps:  The results from the three steps showed great correspondence;  Data was matched and organized. Reporting results to the Organization of Work:  Exchange of information about the whole instructional design process. Decisions based on the formative evaluation:  The organization of work decided to change many aspects of the course based on the evaluation results. For further information about the analyses results, see the panel Evaluating Reaction to distance training programs: combining quantitative and qualitative methods.  what aspects should be improved in the training program;  what participants would like to learn in the course and haven’t learnt  Content Analysis of the answers