This document discusses training needs assessment and techniques. It covers: 1. Training needs assessment involves analyzing organizational, task, and person factors to determine what training is needed. Key steps are organizational analysis to assess business strategy and resources, task analysis to identify required skills, and person analysis to identify who needs training. 2. Common needs assessment techniques include interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, observation, and documentation review. Each has advantages and disadvantages for collecting different types of data. 3. The needs assessment process involves determining organizational support for training, analyzing person characteristics like readiness to learn, analyzing job tasks and skill requirements, and identifying performance gaps that training can address.

1. UNIT-II
SUBJECT: MBA/3305/H - MANAGEMENT
OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT.(MTD)

2. TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
 Training Functions
 Training Needs Assessment
 Action Research
 Organizational Objectives and Training

3. TRAINING FUNCTIONS:
Lecture - 1

4.  Training function covers many bases.
 Training involves from –
New employee orientation to leadership
training
What training can do?

5. According to,
Society of Human Resource Management
(SHRM),
The functions of Training are -
 Retain employees and
 Creates a productive workforce.

6. 1. TO CONDUCT ORIENTATION:
 Orientation prepares the employees for
new roles, and get used to, to the company.
 Employees who undergo an orientation
process feel more connected to their job.
 The length of orientation sessions are
varying by the employees' positions in the
company.

7. 2. TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE:
Compliance training is highly recommended by the
Department of Labor.
This encompasses –
 workplace violence,
 sexual harassment,
 drug and alcohol, and
 safety in the workplace.
Offering this type of training puts employees on
alert, and helps the company avoid costly
lawsuits.

8. 3. TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP:
 This Training prepares employees for
the challenges of management, and
begins the succession planning process.
 Succession planning helps fill high-
level positions by molding current
employees. Retirement is inevitable,
and some positions are difficult to fill.

9. 4. CAREER COUNSELING:
 Counseling employees is an effective
way to determine their career goals, and
can help them remain a part of the
organization for years to come.
 Companies that offer career
counseling show they care about their
employee's future. It is an important
component of succession planning.

10. 5. RESEARCH:
A large component of the HR training
function is research.
Skill development programs are ever-
changing. Conducting research should
be an on-going training activity.
 It will assure the programs are fresh
and relevant.
 Assessing the needs of incumbent
employees will better shape them for
future success.

11.  Training and development is potentially a
powerful strategic function.
 It can make a major contribution to
organizational, group and individual
effectiveness, efficiency, growth and
success.

12. Maintaining Training standard is useful
to:
• A specialist who sees the management of
training and development as a career
route
• A manager for whom a period managing
training and development activities is part
of a career path
• A senior practitioner operating as a
consultant in a training organization.

13. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EXCELLENT TRAINING FUNCTION
1. A clear vision of the goal and mission of training
2. Activities tightly linked to organizational objectives
3. Line management commitment and involvement
4. Excellent management practice within the training
function
5. An emphasis on reality and practicality

14. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EXCELLENT TRAINING FUNCTION
6. Use of multiple sources to assist them
7. Consistency of delivery
8. A strong sense of urgency
9. The achievement of critical mass – real impact
10. Thorough evaluation of results and attribution of
outcomes

15. THANKS

16. LECTURE -2
Training Need Assessment

17. INTRODUCTION
 Effective training practices involve the use of
an Instructional systems design
process
 The instructional systems design process begins
by conducting a needs assessment
 Before choosing a training method, it is
important to determine:
 What type of training is necessary? and
 Whether trainees are willing to learn?

18. WHAT IS TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT?
 Refers to the process used to determine whether
training is necessary or Not?
 As 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 i.e.
training will be failure.

19. CAUSES AND OUTCOMES OF
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Reasons or “Pressure
Points”
Outcomes
What is the Context?
•Legislation
•Lack of Basic Skills
•Poor Performance
•New Technology
•Customer Requests
•New Products
•Higher Performance
Standards
•New Jobs
•What Trainees Need to
Learn
•Who Receives Training
•Type of Training
•Frequency of Training
•Buy Versus Build
Training Decision
•Training Versus Other
HR Options Such as
Selection or Job
Redesign
•How Training Should Be
Evaluated
Who Needs the
Training?
In What
Do They
Need
Training?
Organization
Analysis
Task
Analysis
Person
Analysis

20. 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
 Person Analysis – Involves:
 Determining whether performance deficiencies result from a
lack of knowledge, skill, or ability or from a motivational or
work design problem
 Identifying who needs training
 Determining employees’ readiness 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

21. KEY CONCERNS OF UPPER- AND MIDLEVEL MANAGERS AND
TRAINERS IN NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Upper-Level Managers Midlevel Managers Trainers
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?

22. THANKS

23. LECTURE - 3
Needs Assessment Techniques

24. NEEDS ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
Interviews
Focus
Groups
Documentation
Observation Questionnaires

25. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF NEEDS
ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES (1 OF 3)
Technique Advantages 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
Only provides information
directly related to questions
asked

26. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF NEEDS
ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES (2 OF 3)
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 analyze
Needs skilled interviewer
Can be threatening to small
organizations
Difficult to schedule
Few organizations/ Employee
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 organize
Group members provide
information they think you want
to hear
Status or position differences
may limit participation

27. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF NEEDS
ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES (3 OF 3)
Technique Advantages Disadvantages
Documentation
(Technical Manuals
and Records)
Good source of information
on procedure,
Objectives
Good source of task
information for new jobs and
jobs in the process of being
created
You may not be able to
understand technical language
Materials may be obsolete

28. The Needs Analysis Process

29. THE NEEDS ANALYSIS PROCESS
Do We Want To Devote
Time and Money For
Training?
Person Analysis
Person Characteristics
• Input
• Output
• Consequences
• Feedback
Task Analysis or Develop a
Competency Model
• Work Activity (Task)
• KSAs
• Working Conditions
Organizational
Analysis
• Strategic Direction
• Support of
Managers, Peers &
Employees for
Training Activities
• Training Resources

30. THANKS

31. LECTURE - 4
NEED ANALYSIS PROCESS

32. WHAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT DOES?
Needs assessment analyze present problems
and future challenges to be met through training
and development.
Organizations spend vast money on training and
development (6% to 15% of the budget or
30 days to 58 days training annually)
So, before committing such huge resources,
organizations that implement training programs
without conducting needs assessment may be
making errors.

33. 1. ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT
The first step in the training process in an organization
assessment i.e. Study about objectives and strategies of
the organization
1. What business are we in?
2. At what level of quality do we wish to provide?
3. Where do we want to be in the future?
It is only after answering these related questions that the
organization must assess the strengths and weaknesses
of its human resources.

34. 1. QUESTIONS TO ASK IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
 How does this program align with the strategic
needs of the business?
 How might the training content affect our
employees’ relationship with our customers?
 What might suppliers, customers, or partners need
to know about the training program?
 Should organizational resources be devoted to this
program?

35.  What do we need from managers and peers for this
training to succeed?
 What features of the work environment might
interfere with training?
 Do we have experts who can help us develop the
program content and ensure that we understand
the needs of the business as we develop the
program?

36.  Will employees perceive the training program as:
 an opportunity?
 reward?
 punishment?
 waste of time?

37. 2. PERSON ANALYSIS –
READINESS FOR TRAINING REFERS TO WHETHER:
 Whether Employees have the personal characteristics
necessary to learn program content and apply it on the job?
 Whether the work environment will facilitate learning and not
interfere with performance?

38. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING:
 Person Characteristics
 Ability and skill
 Attitudes and motivation
 Input
 Understand need to perform
 Necessary resources (equipment, etc.)
 Interference from other job demands
 Opportunity to perform

39. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING: (2 OF 2)
 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

40. PERSON ANALYSIS: SELF-EFFICACY
 Self-efficacy - the employees believe that they can
successfully perform their 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 who have not received training or formal
education for some length of time

41. EMPLOYEES’ SELF-EFFICACY LEVEL CAN BE INCREASED BY:
 The purpose of the training is to try to improve performance
rather than to identify incompetent areas.
 Providing as much information as possible about the training
program and purpose of training prior to the actual training
 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

42.  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 company’s training programs to
employees
 Let employees know they are doing a good job when they
are using training content in their work

43. PERSON ANALYSIS:
WHEN 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

44. LECTURE - 5
3. Task Analysis

45. 3. TASK ANALYSIS
 Task analysis includes –
 Description of work activities,
 Tasks performed by the employee
 Knowledge, skills, and abilities required to complete the
tasks
 It should only be undertaken after determined from
the organizational analysis that the company
wants to devote time and money for training

46. STEPS IN A TASK ANALYSIS
1. Select the job(s) to be analyzed
2. Develop a preliminary list of tasks performed by the job
3. Validate or confirm the preliminary list of tasks
4. Identify the knowledge, skills, or abilities necessary to
successfully perform each task

47. KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN CONDUCTING A TASK ANALYSIS
1. Task analysis should identify both what employees are
actually doing and what they should be doing on the job
2. Task analysis begins by breaking the job into duties and
tasks
3. Use more than two methods for collecting task information
to increase the validity of the analysis

48. 4. For task analysis to be useful, information needs to be
collected from subject matter experts (SMEs)
SMEs include:
 Job incumbents
 Managers
 Employees familiar with the job
5. In deciding how to evaluate tasks, the focus should be on
tasks necessary to accomplish the company’s goals and
objectives

49. Scope of Needs Assessment

50. SCOPE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT
a. Time constraints can limit the length and detail
obtained from needs assessment
b. The scope of the needs assessment depends on
the size of the potential “pressure point”
c. You will be able to anticipate training needs if you
are attuned to the:
i. Business problems
ii. Technological developments
iii. Other issues facing the organization

51. HOW SHOULD A TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED?
 Know the objectives of the organization towards training
 Decide on the data needed and how to collect it
 Prepare and execute a project plan
 Turn the data into usable information
 Isolate performance improvement potential
 Develop and execute learning or change solutions

52. USEFUL TOOLS:
 Surveys
 Individual Interviews / Focus Groups
 Existing Standards / Procedures
 Statistics / Records
 Past suggestions
 Meetings, Reports, and Newsletters

53. CASE-1
 Your sales director complains that her
representatives are not making their monthly
quotas. She is convinced they need more
sales training to address this issue and asks
you to design something by the end of the
week.
 What would you do?

54. STEPS
1. Discuss the role of a training needs
assessment to address performance issues.
2. Discuss the reasons to complete a training
needs assessment.
3. Discuss the three steps to conduct a training
needs assessment: organization,
person/learner, and task analysis.
4. Describe the methods available to collect
needs assessment data.
5. Design a needs assessment plan based on a
performance issue.

55. CASE-2
Perform the training need assessment for
Final year students in M.B.A. program.
Considering their immediate need to face
interviews and to enter into corporate world.

56. THANKS

57. LECTURE-6
Action Research

58. ACTION RESEARCH REFERS TO…
 “Professionals studying their own practice in order
to improve it.
 Applied to training, it involves gathering and
interpreting "data" to better understand an aspect
of your training that interests or concerns trainee.
 Action research is an important recent
development in the broad territory of "trainers'
professional development.“

59. DEFINITION : ACTION RESEARCH
 Action Research is an inquiry-based
research conducted by trainers that follows
a process of examining existing practices,
implementing new practices, and
evaluating the results, leading to an
improvement cycle that benefits both
trainees and trainers and organization as
well.

60. Models for Action Research :
1. Kurt Lewin’s Action Research
2. Carr & Kemmis approach:

61. KURT LEWIN’S ACTION RESEARCH
Involves a spiral of steps, ‘each of which is composed of a circle
of planning, action and fact-finding about the result of the action’
/ Inspection

62. CARR & KEMMIS APPROACH:
“Action research is simply a form of self-
reflective enquiry undertaken by participants
in social situations in order to improve the
rationality and justice of their own practices,
their understanding of these practices, and
the situations in which the practices are
carried out.”

63. DONALD SCHON APPROACH:
 Philosopher, researcher, professor of MITmade
significant contributions to the theory and practice
of learning. Concerned with professional learning,
learning processes in organizations, and with
developing critical, self-reflecting practice
Donald Schon has written a book :
The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals think
in Action

64. WHAT IS REFLECTION?
 Latin “reflectere” : To bend back
 Involves “shuttling back and forth between
thinking and action”
A reflective thinker is aware of his/her own knowledge
and lack of knowledge and recognizes that there may not be
only a single correct solution to a problem or interpretation of
a situation, knowing that this understanding may change, as
he/she gains more information and insight into the matter.

65. STEPS IN REFLECTION:
 1. Knowing in Action - The sorts of
knowledge we reveal in our intelligent action –
publicly observable, physical performances
like riding a bicycle and private operations like
instant analysis of a balance sheet. In both
cases, the knowing is in the action. We reveal
it by our spontaneous, skillful execution of the
performance…”
 Knowing in action: knowing more than we can
say, the capacity to do the right thing (tacit knowledge).

66. 2. REFLECTION IN ACTION
 Reflection takes place in the midst of action
 Capacity to respond to surprise through
improvisation on the spot
 Involves a surprise (an unexpected outcome/
behaviour that challenges one’s knowing in action),
a response to surprise …conducting an action
experiment on the spot by which we seek to solve
the new problems …
 This is not method but art and a talent.

67. 3. REFLECTION ON ACTION
 Pausing after an activity to see how it went –
what went well, what did not, what could be
changed;
 We develop sets of questions and ideas
about our activities and practice.

68. A professional developed a framework for trainers-
Based on Action Research.
Action Research Process
EXPLORE
(Develop)
PRACTISE
(Check)
PERFORM
(Action)
PLAN
Quality
Training
Enquiry
Reflection
Process
Product
Habits

69. TRAINER A.R. (ACTION RESEARCH) REFLECTS IN -
 Teaching effectiveness
 Classroom management & discipline
 Use of information technology
 Training Material innovation
 Assessment methodologies
 Development of trainee

70. KEY EFFECTS OF ACTION RESEARCH
ON THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINERS
 “Trainer research will force the re-evaluation
of current practices and will significantly
influence what is known about organization,
job, organizational culture, objectives of the
organization etc.
 Through the process and products of
action research trainer will do –
‘T0 leave a mark on their trainee, and
leave a mark on their profession.’

71. THANKS

72. LECTURE - 7
Organizational objectives
&
Training

73. OBJECTIVES ARE ESSENTIAL
 Training cannot DESIGNED without objectives
 Objectives are your Legal CONTRACT with the
organizations
 Everything you do in your session MUST support
the accomplishment of the objective.

74. IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING OBJECTIVE
 The objective is NOT how you are going to do it,
but what will be the Outcome or result when
training is completed.
 Training success and training impact cannot be
evaluated without objectives.
 What the participant will be able to know
(knowledge), do (skill), or value (attitudes)
after successfully completing instruction.
This is called as “KSA” or “ASK” model.

75. A-B-C’S MODEL OF TRAINING OBJECTIVES
A – Audience (by specific job title)
Not “students, participants, or audience”
B – Behaviour desired in observable and
measurable way
C – Cognition under which the task is
performed (optional)

76. TRAINING EXPECTATIONS
 Money and time is invested hence
Expectations are high.
 Productive work time lost hence
Expectations are high
 Return on Investment (ROI) is calculated to
measured.

77. PROBLEMS OF TRAINING NOT ALIGNED WITH
CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
Mr. Laborde states –
 Many classic training programs fail because they
are inevitably focused on what the trainer—or
management—wants.
 Training program managers are given a budget
and a mandate to spend these funds in training
that cover specified topics.
 Management and trainees frustration with the
results often does become a contentious subject
of disagreement.

78. CHANGE THE FOCUS: IMPROVE THE RESULTS
 “Focus on learning more than on training.”
Admitting that transferring knowledge to trainees’ brains is
not akin to recharging a battery.
 Knowledge is developed by the person, not by the
trainer.
It requires the employees’ efforts and energy.

79.  Encourage employees to open their minds,
change their “mental models,” and
perceive learning as good and beneficial for
them.
 Convince employees to embrace learning
resources, be willing to change their views
and be open to increasing their knowledge
base.

80.  Infuse these new attitudes toward training
that matches your organization’s goals and
Training objectives.
 If company hasn’t sufficiently defined its
objectives, take the lead and do so.
 Convey a sense of “we,” not “they,” to your
employees about corporate objectives.
 Have a clear vision of what the organization
wants to be and achieve. Convey this, with
clarity, to your staff.

81.  Mr. Laborde, offers three simple tips and
suggestions to eliminate most training program
problems and help employees to achieve
organizational objectives -
1. Training is a vehicle for employee to develop
skills.
2. Training is a process, not an event.
3. Focus, not on training activities, but on
improved performance and increased
employee knowledge.

82. EXAMPLE 1: OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
 Given a cash flow forecasting spreadsheet,
the financial officer will specify loan
requirements for the next period.
Cash flow forecasting spreadsheet [condition],
Financial officer [target]
Specify loan requirements for the next period
[outcome behavior].

83. EXAMPLE 2: OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
When confronted with a conflict situation the
customer service representative will calm the
client and resolve their problem

84. EXAMPLE 3: OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
Given the geographical coordinates, the
surveyor will locate the construction site
reference point.

85. Teaching/ Training is not the equal of learning,
you can offer your employees the opportunity
to become more valuable to you, the
organization—and, themselves.
Training programs aligned with company
objectives and focused on learning useful
skills will achieve the objectives of the
organization and the individual.

86. THE ROLE OF OBJECTIVES
 To determine behavioral outcomes
 To be a reference point in determining: structure,
content, instructional/learning methods, and
assessment & evaluation design
 A communications tool to explain the course to
students, trainees, other facilitators, examiners,
employers, registrars, and other stakeholders
 A motivational device for students/trainees in setting
expectations and targets
 A framework to help develop student’s/trainee’s
ability for self-assessment
 A selling tool for course marketers

87. Model for writing training objectives

88. BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF LEARNING
In 1956, Bloom developed a continuum of the levels of
learning from the low level, simple, concrete to the higher
level, complex, abstract learning. He theorized six levels:
1. Knowledge - identification and recall of information
2. Comprehension - understanding (not parroting)
3. Application - use of knowledge, concepts, rules,
principles to solve problems
4. Analysis - breaking down the whole into its parts
5. Synthesis - pulling together divergent pieces to
create a new “whole”
6. Evaluation - judgment of value based on criteria or
standards

89. THANKS

90. BLOOM’S BEHAVIORS
LEVEL STUDENT BEHAVIOR
Knowledge  Responds, Absorbs, Remembers,
Recognizes
Comprehension  Explains, Translates, Demonstrates,
Interprets
Application  Solve Problems, Demonstrates, Uses
Knowledge, Constructs
Analysis  Discusses, Uncovers, Lists, Dissects
Synthesis  Discusses, Generalizes, Relates,
Contrasts
Evaluation  Judges, Disputes, Debates, Forms
Opinions

91. THANKS

92. CASE -3
Training of engineering students in an industrial environment is
an alternative to projects undertaken within the institute. The
approach becomes more challenging as it puts them in a new
environment with the generally accepted goal of improving their
application skills. To implement such a scheme requires a
coherent effort from students, faculty members and industry
supervisors. Conduct formal need assessment of engineering
students' training, which forms the basis of training's, evaluation
and effectiveness. The need assessment should include
inherent attributes, generic attributes, technical skills and
students' basic needs of training. Also access the information
related to students' reaction, evaluation and relevance of
training to job prospects. (Generic attributes are qualities,
skills, and abilities that are valued in study, social situations and
employment. They include problem solving ability,

93. CASE - 4
 Ramesh has joined his first job after doing
his MBA. For his own development he
wishes to conduct action research. As HR
manager, how will you help Mr. Ramesh?

94. CASE - 5
 In a Medium scale Industry , most of the
workers are HSSC or ITI qualified. Company
decided to provide training to workers to
improve their performance. You are asked to
do training need assessment. How will you
do it?

95. THANKS