Needs Assessment – “A Compass for Effective Design"
As an instructional designer, you will no doubt be familiar with systematic approaches to design such as ADDIE or SAM and you'll also know that analysis is a critical first step in the design cycle as prescribed by these models. This article is all about the work that needs to be done to ensure that training is actually needed, who needs it, and the outcomes or objectives that it will address.
An effective needs assessment will also help you evaluate why any gaps exist (gap analysis). This requires a clear outline of what is the expected performance of learners in a certain course or work environment, for example, and then by comparing that to what is currently observed with respect to individual performance, gaps can be surfaced which define the "need" in needs assessment. Knowing the gaps help to identify solutions and which of those solutions could be addressed through learning.
By employing various assessment tools such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups, learning professionals can also gather valuable insights into the unique needs and preferences of learners. This information serves as the foundation upon which tailored learning programs are built, fostering engagement, and maximizing the impact of educational efforts.
"Needs assessment is thus first and foremost a communicative task that benefits greatly from creative techniques that address wicked problems.(Panke (2016)."
Ideas on how to approach the process:
“People First” Approach.
This has always been my "north star" when designing or consulting on any project! After all, it will be actual humans engaging with and benefiting from your efforts! Once you’ve determined that a gap exists and you start to build the requirements for your training, it is important that you take a people-first approach as you define what should be done, who will be involved, and what the desired outcome(s) will be.
Training Evaluation
To address the identified gap, you’ll want to start working on answering the following before proceeding to build the training requirements:
Why does the gap exist? Is the gap there because of a deficiency related to attitude, knowledge, or skills, or is the business target itself even achievable?
Is training (learning & development activities) the right solution? If you’re trying to move a metric that isn’t well-defined or impossible to achieve, then training isn’t going to help.
What other factors might need to be considered? Sort of a rhetorical question, there are always other factors! For example, what are the available resources and budget for preparing and delivering a learning solution? Or, Is this a large-scale change and how ready will impacted stakeholders be to embrace this change? There will be lots to consider in this category!
Training Requirements - Audience
Once you decide that some kind of training or learning activity is required to close the gap, it’s time to consider the roles and responsibilities of the people who will be involved in your solution. These considerations can also make it easier to decide if your training solution is best developed in-house or externally (note that the language used below is corporate-centric but can easily be adapted for other industry profiles).
Who?
Is the training solution role-specific? If it is, this will make deciding on who will need, and even who will deliver, the training very easy! If the training solution includes multiple roles or transcends departments, you will have to identify and visualize who needs to be involved in the training.
Where?
Training activities need to take place as close to the workflow as possible. Participants will benefit more from experiences that allow them to learn and practice when conditions are as close to where they will actually use the skills and knowledge as possible.
How?
What will be the easiest way for your target audience to participate in the training? Consider things like: access to technology, scheduled work hours, etc. Thinking about this now will be valuable when the time comes to decide on delivery methods.
Impact Analysis
Once you’ve identified a gap in skills, behaviour, or knowledge that can be addressed by training (learning activities) and a good idea of who, where, and how, people will participate, it’s time to evaluate the impact of the training – what result is expected by the stakeholders? This step is crucial to determining (& writing!) learning outcomes.
This involves consideration of the behaviour, skills, and knowledge that will be developed or changed and how those changes will ultimately impact organizational strategies or objectives. It might be helpful to begin by considering any risks involved if the training doesn’t happen or the intended outcomes aren’t achieved. A verifiable learning outcome makes evaluation of a learning or training program/activity that much easier as well!
Try framing your training objective(s) with an impact focus. For example, “Meeting (strategic goal) will require all employees to utilize brand Z technology in order to continue to meet sales targets.”
Summary
There are many templates and processes to help guide the work during a needs analysis phase but they all share some key steps as outlined in the table below – and be ready to iterate as you will likely notice some cyclic processes will evolve (and that’s ok!):
Overview of Needs Assessment Process (slightly) modified for this article from the original outlined by Stefaniak (2021).
Needs Assessment Step | Description |
|---|---|
Understanding the Current State: Identification of Problem | This step is typically completed in consultation with a client (or the individual(s) requesting instructional design services). During this phase, the purpose of the needs assessment (the problem) is identified for the instructional designer to begin gathering data to address the gap in performance. |
Gathering Insights: Identification of Data Sources | Once the problem to be explored has been identified, the instructional designer must identify data sources that will help them better understand the situation. The instructional designer must gather data that will help them explore the situation from multiple angles. Examples of data sources include, but are not limited to task analyses, direct observations, focus groups, interviews, document analysis, reviewing existing work products, and surveys. |
Gathering Insights: Data Collection | This phase involves the instructional designer gathering data based on the data sources identified in the previous step. |
Decision Making: Data Analysis | Once data collection is complete, the instructional designer begins to analyze all data to identify patterns and factors contributing to the problem identified at the beginning of the assessment. Depending on the findings from the data collection and analysis phases, the problem may be modified to be more consistent with the actual situation as depicted by the data. |
Recommendations: Tailored solution(s) | Upon identifying patterns contributing to the problem, the instructional designer makes a list of recommendations to present to their client. These recommendations are typically prioritized according to the severity of need and level of urgency. |
As a professional in the education and development sphere, needs assessment can be the compass to help direct your work. By understanding the unique needs of your audience and stakeholders, you will find it easier to design targeted and impactful learning experiences that bridge gaps and contribute significantly to individual and organizational growth.
In the dynamic world of learning, the strategic use of needs assessment is not just best practice, it is an indispensable tool for success!
QUESTION for the GROUP:
What are your own processes and tools to support the needs analysis stage?
