The document summarizes key aspects of needs analysis, task analysis, and learner analysis that are important for instructional design. It discusses how needs analysis identifies what change is needed and who it impacts. Task analysis determines the skills and knowledge needed to complete a task. Learner analysis understands the target learners' abilities and needs. Different models and approaches to each analysis are described to guide identifying performance gaps and designing effective instruction.

1. Needs Analysis,
Task Analysis and
Learner Analysis
By: Jake Gordon

2. Needs Analysis
• Instruction is motivated by a need for change
• Externally motivated: i.e. the need to meet a
particular standard in education or train
workers in a specific skill
• Internally motivated: i.e. address a problem or
increase learners understanding of a subject
area

4. Guiding Questions for a
Needs Analysis
• Some important questions are:
• What is the change being
requested/demanded/required?
• Who is being asked to change (target learners)?
• What is currently being done?
• Where will this change need to take place?
• What is the timeline for change?

5. Formal vs. Informal
• Formal Needs Analysis involves gathering information from
multiple sources and gathering information in multiple ways
including: interviews, observations, reviewing materials, surveys,
etc.
• Informal Need Analysis: first-hand experience of the learning
needs

6. Mager’s Approach to
Needs Analysis
• Heuristic to help instructional designers
determine what someone is currently doing
and what they need to be doing
• Provides a flow chart for conducting analysis
and provides a guide to key questions

7. Mager’s
Performance
Analysis

8. Morrison, Ross and Kemp’s “Needs
Assessment”
• A flow chart for conducting performance.
• Provides a more technical plans for conducting a
needs assessment .
• 4 phases: Planning, Collecting Data, Analyzing the
Data, Preparing final report.
• They also have two other Needs Analysis
methods: Goal Analysis and Performance
Assessment examines whether the performance
can should be remedied for instruction

10. Task Analysis
• Systematic process used by instructional
designers to determine what a learner needs
to learn or accomplish by participating in
instruction.

11. Different Models of Task
Analysis
• Content analysis
• Subject matter analysis
• Learning task analysis

12. Morrison, Ross and
Kemp on Task Analysis
• Defines the content requires to solve the
performance problem or alleviate a
performance need
• Forces the educator to work through the
individual students and identify subtle steps
• Forces the designer to view the content from
the learners’ perspective

13. Dick & Carey on Task
Analysis
• The process of identifying the skills and
knowledge that should be included in
instruction.
• What exactly would learners be doing if they
were demonstrating that they already could
perform the goal?

14. What Should Task
Analysis Answer?
• What is the task that a learner needs to be able to accomplish or
perform?
• What are they key components of this task (what are the skills
and knowledge learner needs in order to complete or perform
the task)?
• How will you determine whether a learner is able to complete the
task?

15. Learner Analysis
• Learner analysis is understanding the target
learners and determining in advance what they
can and will do is an essential part of any
instructional design.
• Instructional designers and educators must
conduct evaluation for a group of learners

16. Different Approaches to
Learner Analysis
• Mager
• Dick & Carey
• Smith and Ragan

17. Learner Analysis for
Instructional Design
• Who are the intended learners for the instruction?
• What common traits do members in the learning group possess?
• What are the differences among the learners?
• What are the achievements and general ability levels of the learners?
• How do the learners feel about the organization/institution providing the
training?