TAEDEL402A Lecture 3: Week 3
8 May 2018
School
Course
Professor
WEEK 3: NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Why do we need a needs assessment?:
• Training may be incorrectly used as solution to a performance problem.
• Training may have the wrong objectives, content or methods.
• Training will not deliver expected learning, behaviour change or financial results.
• Money will be spent on training that is unrelated to business strategy.
Causes and Outcomes of a Needs Assessment:
Performance Gap: a gap between what an organisation
expects to happen, and what actually occurs
Who participates in a needs assessment?:
• Managers (senior and lower-level).
• Employees.
• Trainers.
• Subject-matter experts (supervisors, managers,
trainers, technical experts, suppliers, customers)
Technique
Advantages
Disadvantages
Observation
Generates data relevant to work environment
Minimises interruption of work
Needs skilled observer
Employees’ behaviour may be affected by being observed
Questionnaires
Inexpensive
Can collect data from a large number of persons
Data easily summarised
Requires time
Possible low return rates, inappropriate responses
Lacks detail
Only provides information directly related to questions asked
Technique
Advantages
Disadvantages
Interviews
Good at uncovering details of training needs
Good at uncovering causes and solutions of problems
Can explore unanticipated issues that come up
Questions can be modified
Time consuming
Difficult to analyse
Needs skilled interviewer
Can be threatening to content experts, who only provide
information they think you want to hear
Focus groups
Useful with complex or controversial issues that one
person may be unable or unwilling to explore
Questions can be modified to explore unanticipated issues
Time consuming to organise
Group members provide information they think you want to
hear
Status or position differences may limit participation
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Training may be incorrectly used as solution to a performance problem. Training may have the wrong objectives, content or methods. Training will not deliver expected learning, behaviour change or financial results: money will be spent on training that is unrelated to business strategy. Performance gap: a gap between what an organisation expects to happen, and what actually occurs. Who participates in a needs assessment: managers (senior and lower-level), employees, trainers, subject-matter experts (supervisors, managers, trainers, technical experts, suppliers, customers) Employees" behaviour may be affected by being observed. Can collect data from a large number of persons. Only provides information directly related to questions asked. Good at uncovering causes and solutions of problems. Can be threatening to content experts, who only provide information they think you want to hear. Useful with complex or controversial issues that one person may be unable or unwilling to explore. Questions can be modified to explore unanticipated issues.
