This document discusses the process of conducting a needs analysis to determine where training may be required within an organization. It involves gathering data from multiple sources, including job descriptions, performance standards, and employee assessments. A comprehensive needs analysis considers the organization as a whole, including goals, resources, climate, and environmental factors. The ultimate goal is to identify performance gaps and determine the most effective ways to address them, such as through training or systems improvements. The needs analysis process requires significant effort but is important for aligning human resource development with organizational priorities.

2.  Figuring out what is really needed
 Not always an easy task
 Needs lots of input
 Takes a lot of work
 “Do it now or do lots more later”
 First step in HRD process

4.  A discrepancy between expectations and
performance
 Not only “performance” needs involved

5.  Performance
 Diagnostic
 Factors that can prevent problems from
occurring
 Analytic
 Identify new or better ways to do things
 Compliance
 Mandated by law or regulation

6.  Focusing only on individual performance
deficiencies
 Doesn’t fix group of systemic problems
 Starting with a “Training Needs Assessment”
 If you know training is needed, why waste
everyone’s time?

7.  Using Questionnaires
 Hard to control input, often high developmental
costs, hard to write properly
 Using soft data (opinions) only
 Need performance and consequence data
 Using hard data only
 Easily measured data is provided, but critical,
hard-to-measure data is missing

8.  Organization
 Where is training needed and under what conditions?
 Task
 What must be done to perform the job effectively?
 Person
 Who should be trained and how?

9.  A broad, “systems” view is needed
 Need to identify:
 Organizational goals
 Organizational resources
 Organizational climate
 Environmental constraints

10.  Ties HRD programs to corporate or
organizational goals
 Strengthens the link between profit and HRD
actions
 Strengthens corporate support for HRD
 Makes HRD more of a revenue generator
 Not a profit waster

11.  Mission statement
 HRM inventory
 Skills inventory
 Quality of Working Life indicators
 Efficiency indexes
 System changes
 Exit interviews

12.  The collection of data about a specific job or
group of jobs
 What employee needs to know to perform a
job or jobs

13.  Job descriptions
 Task analysis
 Performance standards
 Perform job
 Observe job
 Ask questions
 Analysis of problems

14.  Develop job description
 Identify job tasks
 What should be done
 What is actually done
 Describe KSAOs needed
 Identify potential training areas
 Prioritize potential training areas

15. 1. List tasks 1. Observe behavior List four characteristics of behavior
Classify behavior
2. Select verb Knowledge of action verbs
Grammatical skills
3. Record behavior State so understood by others
Record neatly
2. List subtasks 1. Observe behavior List all remaining acts
Classify behavior
2. Select verb State correctly
Grammatical skills
3. Record behavior Neat and understood by others
3. List knowledge 1. State what must be known Classify all information
2. Determine complexity of skill Determine if a skill represents a series of acts that must be
learned in a sequence
Job title: HRD Professional Specific duty: Task Analysis
Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and Skills Required
SOURCE: From G. E. Mills, R. W. Pace, & B. D. Peterson (1988). Analysis in human resource training and organizational development (p. 57).
Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Reprinted by permission.

16.  Determines training needs for specific
individuals
 Based on many sources of data
 Summary Analysis
 Determine overall success of the individual
 Diagnostic Analysis
 Discover reasons for performance

17.  Relied on heavily in person analysis
 Hard to do
 Vital to company and individual
 Should be VERY confidential
 Based too often on personal opinion

19.  Determine basis for appraisal
 Job description, MBO objectives, job standards,
etc.
 Conduct the appraisal
 Determine discrepancies between the
standard and performance
 Identify source(s) of discrepancies
 Select ways to resolve discrepancies

20.  There are never enough resources available
 Must prioritize efforts
 Need full organizational involvement in this
process
 Involve an HRD Advisory Committee.

21.  HRD cannot become a slow-acting
bureaucracy!!
 HRD must respond to corporate needs
 HRD should be focused on “performance
improvement,” and not just “training”