Session

Needs Assessment

3-1

OBJECTIVES

AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER, YOU

SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

1.

2.
3.
4.

Discuss the role of organization analysis, person

analysis, and task analysis in needs assessment.
Identify different methods used in needs assessment
and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Discuss the concerns of upper-level and mid-level
managers and trainers in needs assessment.
Explain how person characteristics, input, output,
consequences, and feedback influence performance and
learning.

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OBJECTIVES (CONTINUED)
5.
6.
7.
8.

Create conditions to ensure that employees are

receptive to training.
Discuss the steps involved in conducting a task
analysis.
Analyze the task analysis data to determine the
tasks in which people need to be trained.
Explain competency models and the process
used to develop them.

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INTRODUCTION
Effective training practices involve the use of an
instructional systems design process.
The instructional systems design process begins by
conducting a needs assessment.
The example of Texas Instruments shows, before
you choose a training methods, it is important to
determine whether training is necessary.

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Refers to the process used to determine if training

is necessary.
Because needs assessment is the first step in the
instructional design process:
If

it is poorly conducted, training will not achieve the

outcomes or financial benefits the company expects.

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THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

PROCESS

Reasons or Pressure Points

Legislation
Lack of Basic Skills
Poor Performance

Higher Performance
Standards
New Jobs

Who Receives Training

Organization
Analysis
Task
Analysis

Customer Requests
New Products

What Trainees Need to

Learn

What is the Context?

New Technology
Person
Analysis

Who Needs the

Training?

Outcomes

In What Do
They Need
Training?

Type of Training
Frequency of Training
Buy Versus Build
Training Decision
Training Versus Other
HR Options Such as
Selection or Job
Redesign

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
INVOLVES:

Organizational Analysis involves determining:

the

appropriateness of training, given

the business strategy
resources available for training
support by managers and peers for
training

Task Analysis involves:

identifying

the important tasks and

knowledge, skill, and behaviors that
need to be emphasized in training for
employees to complete their tasks

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
INVOLVES: (CONTINUED)

Person Analysis involves:

determining

whether performance
deficiencies result from a lack of
knowledge, skill, or ability (a
training issue) or from a
motivational or work design
problem
identifying who needs training
determining employees readiness
for training

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KEY CONCERNS OF UPPER- AND MIDLEVEL

MANAGERS AND TRAINERS IN NEEDS
ASSESSMENT
Upper-Level Managers
Midlevel Managers
Trainers

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Organizational
analysis

Is training important to
achieve our business
objectives?
How does training
support our business
strategy?

Do I want to spend
money on training?
How much?

Do I have the budget to

buy training services?
Will managers support
training?

Person
analysis

What functions or
business units need
training?

Who should be trained?

Managers?
Professionals?
Core employees?

How will I identify which

employees need
training?

Task analysis

Does the company have

the people with the
knowledge, skills, and
ability needed to compete
in the marketplace?

For what jobs can

training make the biggest
difference in product
quality or customer
service?

What tasks should be

trained?
What knowledge, skills,
ability, or other
characteristics are
necessary?

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

NEEDS ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
Technique

Advantages

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Disadvantages

Observation

Generates data relevant to

work environment.
Minimizes interruption of
work.

Needs skilled observer.

Employees behavior may be
affected by being observed.

Questionnaires

Inexpensive
Can collect data from a large
number of persons.
Data easily summarized.

Requires time.
Possible low return rates,
inappropriate responses.
Lacks detail.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

NEEDS ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
(CONTINUED)
Technique

Advantages

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Disadvantages

Read technical
manuals and
records

Good source of information You may not be able to

on procedure.
understand technical language.
Objective.
Materials may be obsolete.
Good source of task
information for new jobs and
jobs in the process of being
created.

Interview subject
matter experts

Good at uncovering details

of training needs.
Good at uncovering causes
and solutions of problems.

Time consuming.
Difficult to analyze.
Needs skilled interviewer.

THE NEEDS ANALYSIS

PROCESS

Person Analysis
Person Characteristics
Input
Output
Consequences
Feedback

Organizational Analysis
Strategic Direction
Support of Managers &
Peers for Training
Training Resources

Do We Want To Devote Time

and Money For Training?

Task Analysis or Develop a

Competency Model
Work Activity (Task)
KSAs
Working Conditions

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READINESS FOR TRAINING REFERS

TO WHETHER:

Employees have the personal characteristics

necessary to learn program content and apply it on
the job.
The work environment will facilitate learning and
not interfere with performance.

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND
LEARNING:

Personal Characteristics
Ability

and skill
Attitudes and motivation

Input

Understand

need to perform
Necessary resources (equipment, etc.)
Interference from other job demands
Opportunity to perform

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND
LEARNING: (CONTINUED)

Output

Standard

to judge successful performers

Consequences
Positive

consequences/incentives to perform
Few negative consequences to perform

Feedback

Frequent

and specific feedback about how the job is

performed

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SELF-EFFICACY

Self-efficacy is the employees belief that she can

successfully perform her job or learn the content of
the training program.
The

job environment can be threatening to many

employees who may not have been successful in the
past.
The training environment can also be threatening to
people.

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EMPLOYEES SELF-EFFICACY
LEVEL CAN BE INCREASED BY:

Letting employees know that the purpose of the

training is to try to improve performance rather
than to identify areas in which employees are
incompetent.
Providing as much information as possible about
the training program and purpose of training prior
to the actual training.

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EMPLOYEES SELF-EFFICACY
LEVEL CAN BE INCREASED BY:
(CONTINUED)
Showing employees the training success of their
peers who are now in similar jobs.

Providing employees with feedback that learning is

under their control and they have the ability and
the responsibility to overcome any learning
difficulties they experience in the program.

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TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK

ENVIRONMENT ENHANCES
TRAINEES MOTIVATION TO LEARN:
Provide materials, time, job-related information, and other
work aids necessary for employees to use new skills or
behavior before participating in training programs.
Speak positively about the companys training programs to
employees.
Let employees know they are doing a good job when they
are using training content in their work.

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TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK

ENVIRONMENT ENHANCES
TRAINEES MOTIVATION TO LEARN:
(CONTD)

Encourage work-group members to involve each

other in trying to use new skills on the job by
soliciting feedback and sharing training
experiences and situations in which training
content was helpful.
Provide employees with time and opportunities to
practice and apply new skills or behaviors to their
work.

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TO DETERMINE IF TRAINING IS
THE BEST SOLUTION, ASSESS
WHETHER:

The performance problem is important and has the

potential to cost the company a significant amount
of money from lost productivity or customers.
Employees do not know how to perform effectively.
Perhaps

they received little or no

previous training or the training was
ineffective.
(This problem is a characteristic of the
person)

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TO DETERMINE IF TRAINING IS THE

BEST SOLUTION, ASSESS WHETHER:
(CONTINUED)

Employees cannot demonstrate the correct

knowledge or behavior.
Employees

were trained but they

infrequently or never used the training
content on the job. (This is an input
problem.)

Performance expectations are clear (input) and

there are no obstacles to performance such as
faulty tools or equipment.

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TO DETERMINE IF TRAINING IS THE

BEST SOLUTION, ASSESS WHETHER:
(CONTINUED)

There are positive consequences for good

performance, while poor performance is not
rewarded.
Employees receive timely, relevant, accurate,
constructive, and specific feedback about their
performance (a feedback issue).
Other solutions such as job redesign or
transferring employees to other jobs are too
expensive or unrealistic.

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IS TRAINING THE BEST

SOLUTION?

If employees lack the knowledge and skill to

perform and the other factors are satisfactory,
training is needed.
If employees have the knowledge and skill to
perform but input, output, consequences, or
feedback are inadequate, training may not be the
best solution.

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TASK ANALYSIS

Task analysis results in a description of work activities,

including tasks performed by the employee and the
knowledge, skills, and abilities required to complete the
tasks.
Task analysis should only be undertaken after you have
determined from the organizational analysis that the
company wants to devote time and money for training.

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STEPS IN A TASK ANALYSIS

Select

the job(s) to be analyzed.

Develop a preliminary list of tasks
performed by the job.
Validate or confirm the preliminary
list of tasks.
Identify the knowledge, skills, or
abilities necessary to successfully
perform each task.

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COMPETENCY MODELS

A competency refers to areas of personal

capability that enable employees to successfully
perform their jobs by achieving outcomes or
successfully performing tasks.
A

competency can be knowledge, skills,

attitudes, values, or personal
characteristics.

A competency model identifies the competencies

necessary for each job as well as the knowledge,
skills, behavior, and personality characteristics
underlying each competency.

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COMPETENCY MODELS ARE

USEFUL FOR TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT IN SEVERAL WAYS:
They

identify behaviors needed for effective

job performance.
They provide a tool for determining what
skills are needed to meet todays needs as
well as the companys future needs.
They help determine what skills are needed
at different career points.
They provide a framework for ongoing
coaching and feedback to develop employees
for current and future roles.
They create a roadmap for identifying and
developing employees who may be
candidates for managerial positions.

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