6 Easy Steps to an Effective

Needs Assessment

Khursheed Yusuf
 Agenda

• What is a Needs Assessment?

• Why Are Needs Assessments Important?
• 6 Easy Steps to an Effective Needs Assessment
• Summary

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

What Is A Needs Assessment?

A systematic process of:

 Asking questions
 Comparing answers
 Making informed decisions
about what to do to improve
human or organizational
performance

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 Agenda

• What is a Needs Assessment?

• Why Are Needs Assessments Important?
• 6 Easy Steps to an Effective Needs Assessment
• Summary

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

Why Are Needs Assessments Important?

• A needs assessment is the first step in the training

process and is critical for a successful program.
– Determines that training is the best solution and identifies
what training is required to fill a particular skill gap.
• Get Leadership Buy-In
• Key leaders should agree upon which are Analyze

the most important competencies needed

to push the business strategy forward.

Implement Evaluate Design

Develop

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

Why Are Needs Assessments Important?

• A needs assessment is most appropriate when:

– Training is requested for a performance issue
– New information systems & business processes are introduced
– Organization mandates training

• There can be a number of possible

causes of poor performance that do
not include a lack of knowledge/skills:
– Unclear strategy
– Mismatched talent
– Insufficient resources & systems
– Insufficient processes or support

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

Why Are Needs Assessments Important?

• Conduct a needs assessment to determine:

– Whether training is required
– Causes of poor performance
– Content & scope of training
– Desired training outcomes & measurement
– Gain management support

• Analysis should be based on your overall training

goal but should consider factors such as:
– Time
– Money
– Resources

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 Agenda

• What is a Needs Assessment?

• Why Are Needs Assessments Important?
• 6 Easy Steps to an Effective Needs Assessment
• Summary

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 1 Perform a “Gap” Analysis

• Compare the performance of your organization/people

against existing standards, or set new standards.
• Examine the current situation.
• Determine current state of skills/knowledge/abilities.
- Uncover strengths and weaknesses
- Uncover gaps between high/low performers
- Determine success barriers

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 1 Perform a “Gap” Analysis
• Determine the desired or necessary situation.
- Conditions for success
• Focus on necessary job tasks & standards.
- Required skills, knowledge & abilities
- Identify critical tasks, don’t just observe current practices
- Actual needs vs. perceived needs

• The “gap” between the current and the necessary

will identify your needs, purposes and objectives.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 2 Identify Priorities & Importance
• The “Gap” analysis should have produced a list of needs for:
– Training & development
– Career development
– Organizational development
– Other interventions
• Examine those needs in view of their importance to your
organizational goals, realities and constraints.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 3 Collect Appropriate Data
• Determine who you should ask.
– Start with senior-level management
– Front line managers
– Employees performing the job role

• Develop the right questions to ask.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 3 Collect Appropriate Data

• Senior/Front Line Management

– What operational/business results do you expect?
– What is hindering results?
– What are ideal job roles/responsibilities?
– What tools/resources are currently in place?
– What would an ideal curriculum look like?

• Workers
– What is your current/desired level of performance?
– What would help you perform at a higher level?
– What learning opportunities would you like to see offered?

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 3 Collect Appropriate Data

• Provide examples of external & internal factors.

• Acknowledge gaps between what management feels

is occurring and what the employee feels.
• Use anonymous questions to allow for honest
answers.
• Interview employees from various
departments & levels of your organization.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 4 Analyze Data Effectively
• Tabulate the results to get a clear picture of action steps.
– Training needs assessments don’t begin with a solution in mind
– Taking time to review & organize results is critical

• Organize the results to determine performance objectives

andinstructional objectives.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

# 5 Provide Appropriate Feedback

• Identify causes of performance problems.

- Explain the performance requirements
- Report if they are being met
- Explain what training solutions are required
- Explain how solutions can be accomplished

• For every identified need, ask:

- Are employees doing their job effectively?
- Do they know how to do their job?
 # 5 Provide Appropriate Feedback

• Determine the next step – is training required?

• “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
• If training or interventions are required it is important to
share those to improve performance/move in new directions.
– Share strategic planning/organizational restructuring needs
– Talk about performance management & effective team build ing
ideas.

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 6 Develop An Action Plan

• Use analysis results as the basis for training

design, development and evaluation.
• Identify and analyze causes.
– Determine general and specific causes
of high priority needs.
Analyze
– Identify the items that are controllable
with training.
• What is the need?
• What is the cause? Implement Evaluate Design

• What are the consequences?

• Difficulty to correct
• Criticality
Develop

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 6 Develop An Action Plan

• What do I want to be able to do as a result of learning

achieved from implementing this training plan?

• Determine learning activities/strategies/methods.

– What activities will you undertake to reach learning
objectives?

• Document/Evidence & evaluation of learning.

Analyze

Implement Evaluate Design

Develop

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 # 6 Develop An Action Plan

• S.M.A.R.T.E.R
– Specific
– Measurable
– Acceptable
– Realistic to achieve
– Time-bound with a deadline
– Extending your capabilities
– Rewarding to you

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 Agenda

• What is a Needs Assessment?

• Why Are Needs Assessments Important?
• 6 Easy Steps to an Effective Needs Assessment
• Summary

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf

 Summary

• #1 Perform a “Gap” analysis

• #2 Identify Priorities and
Importance
• #3 Collect Appropriate Data
• #4 Analyze Data Effectively
• #5 Provide Appropriate Feedback
• #6 Develop An Action Plan

Human Resource Development by Khursheed Yusuf