Introduction to Needs Assessment f or Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs)

1. Introduction to Needs Assessment for Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) A SILC Congress Mini -Workshop January 9, 2012 Houston, Texas Facilitator: James W. Altschuld altschuld.1@osu.edu

2. Agenda and Goals • Innovative way of learning about who you are • Who am I • General Goals Provide an overview of Needs Assessment (NA) Some hands-on exposure to a few techniques Interaction and discussion as much as possible Have some fun as we go along • Agenda Session 1 (10:45 – 12:00PM) Background/concepts with embedded activities Session 2 (1:15 – 2:30) Three phase model of NA and activities Session 3 (2:45 – 4:00) Some discussion of NA techniques and one demonstration with group

3. What is an Altschuld? • Impossible name, a sneeze if said fast • Horrible plague for 27 years of students but emeritus, thankfully according to some • Charming, likeable person (biased opinion) • Wealthy, teaches/evaluates for the fun of it • Developed/taught evaluation sequence at OSU & educational research • Research & evaluation in education, business, & government agencies • 41+ years of experience • Grandfather of Andrew (14) & Lindsay (11) • Still involved in evaluation (1 project, 3 pending, consultancies) • Many publications, others on drawing board • Prior books on NA (1995, 1999), a NA Kit (5 books 2009 – 2010), a new NA book in contract Still trying to figure out what I want to do when I’m all grown up!!!

4. Session 1:Definitions, Background and Issues Need is the measurable discrepancy between “what is” or the present state of affairs in regard to the group and situation of interest and the “what should be” or desired state of affairs (W & A,1995). Issues • measurable discrepancy is key • needs not solutions (premature closure on solutions) • verb versus noun concept (misuse of the word) • ‘desired’, ‘likely to occur’, ‘ought to occur’, etc. • wish and want lists • many types of needs

5. More Terms and Concepts Needs Assessment is a systematic set of procedures undertaken for the setting needs-based priorities and making decisions about organizational improvement & allocation of resources (W & A, 1995). Issues • context for the NA • readiness for an assessment • NA is an organizational activity • political aspects to the activity • systems concept and how to think about it

6. Advantages, Disadvantages, and Tie to Evaluation • Directed use of limited resources • ID strengths and weaknesses • In-depth thought about problems • Better program planning & evaluation • Identify causes of needs & problems • As a result locate/select more suitable solution strategies • Builds consensus organizations • Brings values to the surface • Priorities based upon specified criteria • Understand risks in not rectifying needs • Key step in program planning but tied to evaluation • At the start of programs but note cyclical NA • Organizational learning & change Advantages

7. Disadvantages/Tie to Evaluation Disadvantages • Costs • Time • Too broad or two narrow • Goes against action grain • Too analytical • Other • Leads to clearer goals & more focused solutions • ID solutions & causal variables underlying problems • Outcome variables with potential performance standards • Process variables • Due to causal analysis where the process might fail we see where to conduct process evaluation • Good NA leads to better program accountability & evaluation Relationship to Evaluation

8. General Examples of “What is,” “What should be,” and “What is likely” A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

9. General Examples of “What is,” “What should be,” and “What is likely” cont’d. A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

10. General Examples of “What is,” “What should be,” and “What is likely” States, cont’d. 2 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

11. General Examples of “What is,” “What should be,” and “What is likely” States, cont’d. 3 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

12. Types of Needs A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

13. Types of Needs, cont’d. A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

14. Types of Needs, cont’d. 2 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

15. Types of Needs, cont’d. 3 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

16. Dilbert

17. Break • Questions, Comments, Issues, etc. • Opportunity for you to ask questions and raise issues

18. Some Hands-on Exercises • Time for you to get into ideas (activities are in handout packet) • The Case of the Pokey Elevators • Concerns-needs-solutions (time permitting) • How quickly a simple concept becomes complex

19. SILC Type Needs Generated by Altschuld

20. Session 1 Main Activity Divide into small groups • Group 1 • Each person generates 3 recipient level needs, • Then group discusses each other’s ideas (variety of needs, similar and unique ones, clusters of needs, how would SILC learn about them, etc.) • Groups 2 and 3, similar procedures for Levels 2 and 3 needs • Reconvene as large group

21. Goals for Session 2 • See what group did this past Summer • Understand the 3 phase model • Provide an overview of the methods • Focus on getting started especially in regard to the NAC • Generating ideas for your own NA • Questions/comments

22. Problems/Issues - Level 1 Generated by Summer Group

23. Level 1, cont’d.

24. Problems/Issues - Level 2

25. Level 2, cont’d.

26. Level 2, cont’d. 3

27. Problems/Issues - Level 3

28. Level 3, cont’d.

29. Level 3, cont’d. 2

30. Relationships of Three Levels of Target Groups to System and External Influences External resources External resources Societal values, goals, influences Societal values, goals, influences External opportunities, constraints External opportunities, constraints External laws, requirements Level 3 System Resources External laws, requirements Level 3 System Resources Level 2 Service Providers Level 2 Service Providers Level 1 Service Receivers Level 1 Service Receivers A. Service Receivers Inside the System B. Service Receivers Outside the System Figure 4 Two Schemas Showing the Relationships of the Three Levels of Target Groups to the System and to External Influences (W & A 1995)

31. Three-Phase Plan for NA Figure 5 Three-Phase Plan for Needs Assessment W & A (1995). Planning and Conducting Needs Assessments: A Practical Guide. SAGE Publications

32. The Needs Assessment Model(Phases and Key Steps) Al& K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

33. The Needs Assessment Model (Phases and Key Steps): Phase 1 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

34. The Needs Assessment Model (Phases and Key Steps): Phase 2 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

35. The Needs Assessment Model (Phases and Key Steps): Phase 3 A & K (2010). Needs Assessment: An Overview, Book 1 in the Needs Assessment Kit.

36. An Overview of Needs Assessment Methods* *Other versions of this table could be devised. Table is an adaptation from Witkin & Altschuld (1995) by Altschuld & Kumar (2010)

37. An Overview of Needs Assessment Methods*, cont’d. *Other versions of this table could be devised. Table is an adaptation from Witkin & Altschuld (1995) by Altschuld & Kumar (2010)

38. An Overview of Needs Assessment Methods*, cont’d. 2 *Other versions of this table could be devised. Table is an adaptation from Witkin & Altschuld (1995) by Altschuld & Kumar (2010)

39. An Overview of Needs Assessment Methods*, cont’d. 3 *Other versions of this table could be devised. Table is an adaptation from W& A 1995) by A & K (2010)

40. Common Issues in Getting Started • Focusing • Organization doesn’t really understand need or NA • Going too narrow or too broad • Getting organized • Establishing NAC • Internal facilitator too close to org. • External facilitator not knowing the org. • Linking eventual NA into decision-making • If other orgs. are to be involved, pinpointing ways to go about process Clarifying the field of vision and gaining a clear perspective are absolutely essential!

41. Needs Assessment Committee (NAC) Considerations • Purposes  • Membership • Characteristics • How selected • Size • What is required of members • Role of facilitator to keep it going • Feedback to NAC • Technical skills (think about member selection)

42. NAC Considerations, cont’d. Other Features • Costs • Phase I decisions factored into meetings • Products • Many examples of summaries in the Kit Some Pitfalls • Critical mass • Development of group chemistry • Momentum

43. What might a NAC do? • Identify sources of information • Provide ideas about potential areas of need • Watch however for bias • Ask for ideas across all NAC members • Suggest content for instruments • Perspectives/vernacular of different groups • Review methodology • Make suggestions about data collection instruments • Critique methods being used • Provide technical expertise • Suggest what might be important information for decision-makers

44. What might a NAC do? cont’d. • Offer ways to tie into decision-making • Make suggestions for how to change membership for Phase 3 • Pilot test instruments • Role play scenarios particularly decision-making ones • Presenting a credible public face to the activity • Doing formal NA presentations to decision-makers NOTE: they are not the decision-makers but provide information via the NA for decision-making

45. Who might be additional members of the NAC NOTE: all NAC members should be open to new ideas • Some ideas • Ties to oversight boards • Community leaders • Ties to or influence with decision-makers • Staff members who provide service (Level 2) • Staff members who support service providers (Level 2) • Individuals with expertise in area of study • A few persons with business or financial perspectives

46. Who might be additional members of the NAC, cont’d. • Librarians or those able to access information or databases • Experienced personnel in other agencies (education, social service, etc) • Suppliers of services to local independent groups • Consumers of services being provided • Perhaps a good generalist who adds a different view of things • Others that you might know of or feel would add meaningful ideas to the NA

47. Overview of NAC Activities in the Three Phases Altschuld, J., & Lepicki, T. (2010). Purposes and models of educational evaluation: needs assessment. Chapter in Baker, E., Peterson, P., & McGaw, B. (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Education, 3rd Edition. Oxford: Elsevier.

48. Overview of NAC Activities in the Three Phases, cont’d. Altschuld, J., & Lepicki, T. (2010). Purposes and models of educational evaluation: needs assessment. Chapter in Baker, E., Peterson, P., & McGaw, B. (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Education, 3rd Edition. Oxford: Elsevier.

49. Overview of NAC Activities in the Three Phases, cont’d. 2 Altschuld, J., & Lepicki, T. (2010). Purposes and models of educational evaluation: needs assessment. Chapter in Baker, E., Peterson, P., & McGaw, B. (eds.) International Encyclopedia of Education, 3rd Edition. Oxford: Elsevier.

50. Break • Questions, Comments, Issues, etc. • Opportunity for you to ask questions and raise issues