Needs assessment is the first step of the instructional design process and is necessary to determine if training is needed, identify the correct content and objectives of training programs, and ensure training delivers expected results. It involves analyzing the organization, tasks, and individuals to understand performance gaps and training needs. The document outlines who should be involved in needs assessment including subject matter experts, and describes different needs assessment techniques like task analysis, person analysis, focus groups, and organizational analysis.

1. UNIT 2

2. TNA is a systematic method for determining what caused performance to be less than
expected.
Needs assessment refers to the process used to determine whether training is
necessary.
WHY IS NEEDS ASSESSMENT NECESSARY?
Needs assessment is the first step in the instructional design process, and if it is not properly conducted any
conducted any one or more of the following situations could occur:
• Training may be incorrectly used as a solution to a performance problem (when the solution should deal
deal with employee motivation, job design, or a better communication of performance expectations).
• Training programs may have the wrong content, objectives, or methods.
• Trainees may be sent to training programs for which they do not have the basic skills, prerequisite skills, or
skills, or confidence needed to learn.
• Training will not deliver the expected learning, behavior change, or financial results that the company
company expects.

5. WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN NEEDS ASSESSMENT?

10. Focus groups are a type of SME interview that involves a face-to-
face meeting with groups of SMEs in which the questions that are
asked relate to specific training needs. It is important to verify
the results of interviews and observations because what
employees and managers say they do and what they really do
may differ

12. Person Analysis: Person analysis examines those who occupy the jobs to see whether they
possess the required KSAs necessary to do the job.
The individual assessment focuses on a particular employee to discover how well they are
performing.
This type of assessment determines the individual’s existing skills and competencies,their learning
style and capacity for new work.
The individual analysis identifies who within the organization requires training and what kind of
training is needed. 360 degree evaluations are useful as individual assessments as they identify
the employee’s strengths and areas for improvement in regards to competencies, skills and
behaviors.
The individual analysis forms the basis for the creation of a customized training.These
assessments answer the following key development questions:
Does the employee have the necessary skills?
What training is required for the employee to acquire the necessary skills?

13. Task analysis results in a description of tasks performed on a job as well as the
knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform those tasks.
1. A job is a specific work position involving and requiring the completion of a defined
set of related tasks.
2. A task is a specific work activity that is a component of a job.
3. Certain KSAOs, or Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other considerations, are
required to perform each task.
a. Knowledge includes facts, figures, and procedures.
b. Skill is the competency to perform a task
c. Ability refers to the physical and mental capacities required to perform a task.
d. Other considerations include conditions under which tasks are performed, such
as necessary equipment and environmental features, time constraints, safety
considerations, or performance standards.

14. 4. There are four primary steps to a task analysis.
a. A job or cluster of jobs are selected to be analyzed.
b. A preliminary list of tasks performed on the job is developed by interviewing and
observing employees and managers as well as talking with others who have
performed a task analysis.
c. The preliminary list of tasks is validated or confirmed, typically by asking a
group of subject matter experts (SMEs) to indicate
1.) How frequently the task is performed.
2.) How much time is spent performing the task.
3.) How important or critical the task is for successful job performance.
4.) How difficult the task is to master.
5.) Whether performance on the task is required of entry-level employees.
d. The knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform each task are
identified via interviews or questionnaires. Training content and prerequisites can
then be determined.

15. 5. Key points to remember when conducting a task analysis :
a. Task analysis should determine both what employees are actually doing on
a job
and what they should be doing.
b. Task analysis starts by breaking jobs into their subunits of duties and tasks.
c. Use more than two methods for collecting task information to increase the
validity of the analysis.
d. Information should be gathered from subject matter experts (SMEs),
including
job incumbents, managers and other employees familiar with the job.
e. Emphasis should be placed on tasks that are necessary to achieve
company goals

16. Organizational Analysis Organizational analysis involves identifying whether
training supports the company’s strategic direction; whether managers,
peers, and employees support training activity; and what training resources
are available. Provides questions that trainers should answer in an
organizational analysis. Some combination of documentation, interviews,
or focus groups of managers and individuals in the training function should
be used to answer these questions.

17. If you were going to use online technology to identify training needs for
customer service representatives for a web-based clothing company. What
steps would you take to ensure that the technology was not threatening to
employees?
2. Needs assessment involves organization, person, and task analysis. Which
one of these analyses do you believe is most important? Which is least
important? Why?

18. Answer:
Online technology is available to monitor and track employee performance. The use of online
technology in needs assessment is best suited for only a small number of jobs requiring
interactions with customers through the use of a computer or telephone. Also, for online
technology to be effective, managers need to ensure that the information is used to train
and not to punish employees. Otherwise, employees will feel threatened, which will
contribute to employee dissatisfaction and turnover.

19. Delta Forgot to Put Passenger's Wheelchair on Plane to Ireland From NY
(businessinsider.com)