Needs Assessment & Contract Training

1. Information that works! Needs Assessment & Contract Training Julia King Tamang Kingtamang@LERN.org Senior Consultant

2. What a needs assessment is and where the word came from Assessment vocabulary 6 models of NA 4 approaches to NA The ups and downs of the 4 approaches Guidelines for a good NA process The phases of each of the 4 NA approaches 10 key NA competencies for you need The contents of a good NA report The contents of a good curriculum proposal Where to learn more What will you learn this morning?

3. Will we have a break? • You betcha!

4. What is a needs assessment, anyway? • A needs assessment defines • The discrepancy between the desired and actual knowledge, skills, and performance • And it attempts to identify root causes of the gap • And determine whether training is the right intervention.

5. Where did the words come from? • Assessment comes from the Latin root, assessare, meaning “to set a rate or amount”—and thus to impose a tax. • Evaluation comes from the word, evaluer, “to be worthy” (or to have value and valor).

6. Some things we know about needs assessments • Almost no one agrees on the exact definition of needs assessment. • They should come before anybody teaches anything, to anybody, anywhere. • They are done to explore a gap in performance.

7. Some things we know about needs assessments • There is a lot of enthusiasm for the concept of needs assessments and less of it for the actual thing. • Needs assessments often involve some exploration of how people feel about something.

8. Some things we know about needs assessments • They identify • Optimal performance • Actual performance • Attitudes about subjects, skills or technology • The causes and root causes of a problem

9. Some things we know about needs assessments • Most needs assessments collect data with a combination of • In-person and phone interviews • Questionnaires • This is because they • Are relatively easy to administer and analyze • Offer anonymity • Are possible to follow up on • Are less expensive than other collection methods

10. 8 reasons for a company to do a NA • Identify performance problems, and their root causes • Find out who needs training, if any

11. 8 reasons for a company to do a NA • See whether training is the right solution • Get support and commitment for training

12. 8 reasons for a company to do a NA • Collect data that will help in measuring the impact of the program • Help decide scope, method and cost of the training

13. 8 reasonsfor a company to do a NA • Help decide priorities for the short and the long term • Justify the costs of the training

14. 4 reasonsfor YOU to do a NA • You get info to make better decisions • Get buy-in for training • It’s a professional level of service • You get to know the client

15. Needs assessment vocabulary • Gap the difference between the actual state and the desired state • Knowledge what people need to know (subject matter, concepts, or facts) to do a job

16. Needs assessment vocabulary • Skills or abilities the actions needed to perform a job • Competencies knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, motivations, and beliefs needed to perform well on a job

17. 10 key competencies for YOU in NA • 1 understanding of organizational culture and structure, and of how things work in a particular business • 2 understanding of how change works in organizations

18. 10 key competencies for YOU in NA • 3 ability to identify knowledge and skills necessary to do a job, • 4 ability to assess individual’s abilities • 5 ability to use technology for training and evaluation

19. 10 key competencies for YOU in NA • 6 ability to observe and describe behavior with objectivity • 7 ability to collect data and analyze it

20. 10 key competencies for YOU in NA • 8 ability to correctly interpret data and draw sound conclusions • 9 ability to give feedback • 10 ability to design and deliver information in oral and written proposals

21. 4 Unique Approaches to NA • Strategic Needs Assessment • Competency-Based Assessment • Job and Task Analysis • Training Needs Assessment

22. Strategic needs assessments • Performance problems that continue over time and affect core business practices generally require long-term interventions, not quick-fixes. • This exploration can happen before there are problems (as in during change) • Or after the long-term problem is identified.

23. Strategic needs assessments • Focus on • Identifying internal and external factors that affect performance, in the context of business strategy • Identifying performance gaps, as they exist in the context in which the business operates, in relation to business strategy

24. Strategic needs assessments • When to do one • When improvement needs to be linked to business strategy • If an organization needs to undertake long term performance improvement measures • If processes that do not add value need to be identified

25. Upsides Good process for developing long term solutions Solve problems that affect core business practices Downsides Can be time-intensive Costly Strategic needs assessments

26. Strategic needs assessments • Success depends upon • Executive buy-in & participation • Access to people with data • Organizational readiness to change

27. Strategic needs assessments • Phase IAssess the present situation • Phase IIExamine the external environment • Phase IIIExamine the internal environment • 1 Validate business strategy • 2 Document performance • 3 Identify causes of performance gaps

28. Strategic needs assessments • Phase IV Chart the future environment • Phase V Develop performance improvement plan • 1 Assess readiness for change • 2 Select interventions/solutions

29. Competency-based assessment • Workers must be able to do certain things—communicate, interact and problem solve—to do their jobs well. These things are called competencies.

30. Competency-based assessment • Focus on • Identifying the competencies necessary for high performance • Creating a “picture” of all the competencies needed to do a certain job well

31. Competency-based assessment • When to do one • When competencies must be identified • When a model is needed for recruiting, developing or promoting employees

32. Upsides Establishes difference between high and low performance Provides clear info on what the job really is and gives people clear expectations for their job Can be used to standardize training & development Downsides Time-consuming because it requires so many people to be involved Costly Requires good project management skills Competency-based assessment

33. Competency-based assessment • Success depends upon • An insider champion • People must see what’s in it for them if they participate • Creation of a simple model • Creation of a model that works with existing performance management systems

34. Competency-based assessment • Phase IDevelop a project plan • 1 Establish parameters • 2 Identify key players • 3 Develop a work plan • Phase IIConduct behavioral interviews • 1 Get preliminary information • 2 Get behavioral information

35. Competency-based assessment • Phase IIIConstruct competency model • 1 Create a competency dictionary • 2 Create a competency model • Phase IVAssess gaps • 1 Identify gaps • 2 Analyze results • Phase VImplement the model

36. Job and Task Analysis • This is the process of gathering, ordering and reporting the tasks related to any job function or function. • These job requirements are linked to training needs.

37. Job and Task Analysis • Focus on • What jobs entail • What is expected of people • Establishment of criteria for performance measurement • Use of this information in career planning

38. Job and Task Analysis • Use this when • Job descriptions must be developed • You want a performance management system • Jobs must be redesigned • When creating training for highly technical or specialized jobs

39. Upsides When people redesign their own job, you get buy-in Supervisors get an accurate list of what’s needed to perform in a job Helps distinguish between skills for entry level vs. expert in the same job MORE Upsides Helps establish skills & knowledge benchmarks for how people move up Helps in overall HR development of people in an organization Job and task analysis

40. Downsides Does not take into account any external factors that affect performance Takes time & commitment MORE Downsides Costly Job and task analysis

41. Job and task analysis • Critical success factors • Management support • The availability of human resources and money • A stable environment (not good in transition – who knows then what their job is?) • Communication about what is being done and how it will impact people

42. Job and task analysis • Phase IPrepare • 1 Identify high performers • 2 Prepare job analysis questionnaire • 3 Prepare materials • Phase IIConduct a job task analysis work session • 1 Refine job responsibilities • 2 Identify job tasks • 3 Identify training requirements

43. Job and task analysis • Phase IIIImplementing the job training plan

44. Training needs assessment • You can identify where a lack of knowledge or skills indicates a need for training. • You can then create training that addresses those specific deficits, to improve performance.

45. Training needs assessment • Use this when • New business opportunities arise • A new technology must be implemented • People take on new job responsibilities • Jobs are redesigned • Downsizing occurs • The organization is experiencing rapid growth

46. Upsides Ensures training is developed based on identified needs Relatively easy to implement Downsides Lacks the rigor of the other assessment models Training needs assessment

47. Training needs assessment • Phase IGather preliminary data • Phase IIPlan • Phase IIIPerform training requirements analysis • 1 Develop tools • 2 Conduct the analysis

48. Training needs assessment • Phase IVAnalyze the data • Phase VPrepare the report

49. Training needs assessment • The final report • Executive summary • Goals or objectives • Overview of data collection methods • Findings or conclusions • Recommendations • Appendix

50. Training needs assessment • When you suggest solutions (training or otherwise) • Tailor presentation to the organization • Verify budget constraints in advance • Present recommendation in a matrix based on • Cost, urgency, availability of resources, and general feasibility