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5/12/2011
1
Training Needs Assessment
Needs assessment is performed to determine what training will successfully address any skill
deficits. – Cornell, Technology Training Services
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Why Conduct a Training Needs Assessment?
• To determine what training is relevant to employees’ jobs
• To determine what training will improve performance
• To determine if training will make a difference
• To distinguish training needs from organizational problems
• To link improved job performance with the organization’s goals and bottom line.
Indicators of training needs
Market Analysis
Customer Complaints
Unsatisfactory customer survey ratings
Missed objectives and targets
New facilities or technology
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Needs Analysis
A needs assessment is the process of identifying performance requirements and the "gap" between what performance is required and what presently exists.
What Is a Training Needs Assessment (TNA)?
• A TNA is the process to determine whether training to address a performance gap is necessary.
• Training might be appropriate when the performance issue is a “can’t do” issue:– Poor performance (resulting from a knowledge or
skill deficiency).– Lack of basic skills (reading, writing, technology,
math skills).– Policies requiring new knowledge or skills.– New technology.– A customer request for new products or services.– New jobs.
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When Is Training NOT the Best Intervention?
• Training is not the best intervention when the performance issue is a result of:– Recruiting, selection or compensation
problems.
– Policies and procedures issues.
– Insufficient tools, equipment or resources.
– Physical setting problems.
– A lack of motivation (job-person fit; person-org fit); a “won’t do” issue.
The ASK Concept
• If we follow the GAP concept, training is simply a means to use activities to fill the gaps of performance between the actual results and the expected results.
• This GAP can be separated into 3 main themes
1.Attitude
2.Skills
3.Knowledge
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Assessing Training Needs
Three-step process (Goldstein, 1991)
1) Organizational Analysis
2) Task Analysis
3) Person Analysis
Organizational Analysis• Identifies what types of training may be needed
for large segments of the organization
– New products/services
– Changes in laws or regulations
– Introduction of new technology
• Assess the organization’s objectives and gaps in knowledge or skill that may prevent the accomplishment of the organization’s goals.
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Organizational Analysis• Assess organizational training implications
across a variety of levels and functions within
the organization due to the introduction of new
computer hardware and software to perform
previously nonautomated tasks.
• Determine changes in management
techniques, equipment, or tools needed to
implement a new “focus on customer service.”
• Gain information on how well customer
requirements are currently being met
Assessing Training Needs
2) Task Analysis– What are the employee characteristics
(KSAs) necessary to perform various aspects of the job?
– What are the likely KSAs needed with the introduction of new products and services?
– Usually based on a job analysis
– Direct training toward enhancing those KSAs that are critical to job performance.
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Job/task Analysis (continued)
If lack of performance is due to:
–Deficiency in knowledge or
–Deficiency in skill
Then training is the solution!
Job/task Analysis (continued)• Assess workforce skills for short- and long-term
staff planning.
• Gain information obtained through analyzing critical
positions: Knowledge, skills, and abilities required for
the job.
• Level of performance required of the worker.
Products or services resulting from the work
Equipment, materials, and tools used in performing
the work. Physical or environmental conditions of the
job.
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Person Analysis• Identifies specific individuals who lack
knowledge or skill
• Identifies if the individual has the ability and motivation to learn
• If the individual lacks ability and/or motivation, the organization must seek other solutions such as reassignment or termination
ORGANIZATION NEEDS Job Needs Individual Needs
Occur at the highest level in
the organization where
broad, cross-cutting, cross-
functional guidance is
established, new directions
are set, and/or budget and
resource decisions for
training are made.
ISSUES
• Turnover and absenteeism
• Customer requirements
• Diversity and cultural
issues
• Safety record
• Efficiency
• Quality
• Productivity
• New technology
Focus on what
competencies
and characteristics are
required for job groups
critical to accomplishing
the organizational
mission.
ISSUES
• Workforce trends
• Occupational forecasts
• Recruitment
• Hiring
• Training and Retraining
EXAMPLES
Assess workforce skills
for short- and long-term
staff planning.
Focus on the specific
knowledge, skills,
abilities, and attitudes
required by each
employee. Individual
needs should be viewed
within the context of the
strategic goals of the
organization in order to
ensure professional
growth and development
of employees within
established career
paths.
ISSUES
• Career paths
• Individual development
plan (IDP)
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Define the problem
DESIRED PERFORMANCE (Optimals)
- ACTUAL PERFORMANCE (Actuals)
= POSSIBLE TRAINING NEED
Describe Discrepancy
Key stages for TNASTAGE A
What is the job under review and what are the main duties? What are the high-level skills required? To what standards are people expected to do the job? Are they currently meeting these standards?
STAGE BIdentify key people or stakeholders involved.
STAGE CConsider the best means of finding out what B know now, plus what they feel they will need to know, to achieve A.
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Key stages for TNA cont…
STAGE DAnalyze data, using valid systematic methods, and match against what skills are required to find the gaps in the present knowledge or skill – this will identify a training need.
STAGE EPresent to management or relevant party with plan of how to meet identified need.
Response to exercise
• Accidents report
• Sick leave report
• Product quality control report
• Wastage report
• Efficiency report
• Machinery out-of-order report
• Staff discipline report
• Staff enquiries & complaints
• Customer complaints
• Quality of product report
• Market needs & trends
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A training need exists when there is a gap between what isrequired of an employee to perform their work competentlyand what they actually know.
Data Collection Methods
• Interviews
• Surveys/Questionnaires
• Focus Groups
• Observation
• Existing Data
• Tests
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All Effective Training Begins With Needs Assessment. The Training Needs Survey Measures What Skills Employees Have, What They Need, And How To Deliver The Right Training At The Right Time.– American Society Of Training And Development
Interview Method• Face-to-face interviews allow you to explore topics in
depth, probe answers and follow up new information. Such interviews are usually 'semi-structured', so although you cover key areas, there is no formal list of questions.
• Both face-to-face and telephone interviews are also useful when you need more background information about an area. Imagine that customer complaints have risen and you are wondering if the call centre staff require more training. In-depth interviews will help you explore the reasons for the complaints, current working practices and skill gaps
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Benefits of interviews:
Inexpensive to conductNot much material is required other than the observers
time and the interview plan
Interviewer can clarify
questions
Watch the participants body language to determine if
they understood what you were asking
Variety of perspectives can
be elicited
Probing for understanding is possible during an
interview
Can be very useful way to
build rapport with
audience/participants
Be open to what they have to say
Can generate broad and deep
data about system
Probing further when an interesting point is made
allows you to vary your approach and explore ideas you
had not considered
Interviewer can receive
additional information in the
form of nonverbal clues
Watch the interviewee’s body language for
understanding, interest, restlessness, etc. Tailor your
interview appropriately to gain the most information
possible while maintaining rapport
Limitations of interviews:
Inexpensive to conductNot much material is required other than the
observers time and the interview plan
Interviewer can clarify questions
Watch the participants body language to
determine if they understood what you were
asking
Variety of perspectives can be
elicited
Probing for understanding is possible during an
interview
Can be very useful way to build
rapport with
audience/participants
Be open to what they have to say
Can generate broad and deep data
about system
Probing further when an interesting point is made
allows you to vary your approach and explore
ideas you had not considered
Interviewer can receive additional
information in the form of
nonverbal clues
Watch the interviewee’s body language for
understanding, interest, restlessness, etc. Tailor
your interview appropriately to gain the most
information possible while maintaining rapport
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A focus group is an interactive exchange between a interviewer/facilitator and a group of people. Typically the discussion is guided by the facilitator according to a preplanned set of questions.Focus groups are also useful when an in-depth exploration of an area is needed. Focus groups typically involve 8-10 fairly homogenous people (e.g. with similar roles). Information from focus groups can be used as the starting point for a well-designed wide-scale TNA survey.
FOCUS GROUP
Inexpensive Usually only a room, interviewer’s
time, and some drinks or snacks
Input can come from wide range
of people and perspectives
Builds buy-in from as many
sectors as are represented in the
focus group
Participants may have positive
public relations impacts
Participants usually know several
people in the same field that they
talk to regularly
Can clarify different points of
view
Group participation leads to more
exchange
Can really investigate root of
problem
Resulting conversations give
participants different
perspectives
Benefits of Focus groups
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Difficult and time-consuming to analyze, synthesize, and quantify
Advanced planning can help with this, but additional time for analysis must be planned as well
May represent special interests
Interviewer must keep the group on task
Participants may use as “gripe session”
Establishing guidelines at the beginning of the section for returning to the task at hand will allow the interviewer to stop this. Stop it as soon as it starts or it will mushroom
One participant may influence attitudes and opinions of others
Interviewer should assure that all participants speak, and probe participants to give their own opinions
Very difficult to capture all information without taping session
When the group asks to goes off the record, turn off the tape. Have the tape transcribed as soon as possible after the meeting so that the interviewer and note takers can remember the non-verbal communication
Not all people are comfortable being taped
Several note takers can be used if taping is not advisable
Need to transcribe and code information for analysis
Interviewer and note taker should spend time doing this
Focus groups limitations:
Observation
The value of workplace observation is that it captures the real picture. Compared with other data collection techniques, observation is expensive and time consuming and it is important that the observer remains in the field long enough to have observed 'normal' activity. The observer should be experienced and ideally a subject-matter expert.
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Little interruption of work flow or group activity
By being a passive observer, you can see an entire process in action. Additionally, you will not "color" or effect the process by getting in the middle or otherwise interrupting.
Works best with specific skill-based tasks
When observing a process with variable tasks it can be hard to figure out when a step has been missed or a wrong decision is made.
Generates data about actual behavior, not reported behavior
Observation does not mean interpreting what is seen, only reporting it.
The observer can follow action at different points in the system
When observing a specific skill based task the observer can figure out when a step has been missed or a wrong decision is made.
The benefits of observation Method:
The limitations of assessing by observation :
Observer can be seen as a spy
There may be an inherent mistrust of the observer by the participants
Requires process and content knowledge by observer
Without context, you may not understand what you are observing
Data can be skewed by observer’s biases
It can be hard to remain neutral while observing the actions of others, especially if you witness actions that "hit close to home."
Data is not easily quantifiable
The observer should come up with a method to quantify before the observation or data collection begins, such as timing an activity, or counting an activity
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Questionnaires• Questionnaires Are A Survey Instrument
Through Which Individuals Respond To Printed Questions.
• Questionnaires are probably the most widely used method of conducting TNA. As with all approaches, they offer both benefits and limitations.
Easiest to quantify the data Data easily summarized and reported
Time-effective for use with geographically dispersed or large numbers of people
Questionnaires can easily be sent to people through mail or as part of a magazine or other media
Relatively inexpensiveIncurring some costs for a well designed survey will be money well spent for reliable data
Data easily summarized and reported
Questions can be asked in formats (multiple choice, ranking, etc.) that provide for easy tabulation and summarizing.
Opportunity for expression without fear of embarrassment (anonymity)
Anonymity can help provide more truthful and thoughtful answers.
Permit people time to think about answers
While there are insights to be gleaned from spontaneous answers, thoughtful answers will usually be less colored by emotion.
Questions can be used or modified from other instruments
Questionnaires can be compiled from a variety of materials.
Benefits of Surveys:
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Limited provision for unanticipated responses
Insert comment boxes after questions that may have unanticipated answers so that participants can list these.
In general people can express themselves better orally than in writing
Provide a contact name and number for participants who want to express themselves further
Low return rates which can skew data
Introduction letter can reduce this impact. Phone calls to priority participants can increase the return rate.
Difficult to get at root causes or possible solutions
Insert comment boxes after questions that may have unanticipated answers so that participants can list these.
Can be impersonalFollow up the survey with a phone call to ask them if they have any other comments they would like to discuss
Questions may miss true issues. Questions and answers can be interpreted differently.
The pilot run should help reduce this issue, additionally comment boxes and personal follow up will help
Language or vocabulary may be an issue
Ask the editors to watch for this
Survey limitations.
Open-ended can be easier to construct but more difficult to quantify and interpret, Closed-ended can be more difficult to construct but easier to interpret.Use closed-ended if there will be 25 or more questionnaires
Always pilot the questionnaire to find any poorly-worded, vague, or confusing questions, and to assess whether the answers answer the questions properly
Ensure that responses are kept confidential
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Organizational data/Existing Data
• Existing Data Mean Looking At Information Already Gathered By The Organization.
• Existing information eg reports, work samples, historical data, planning and budget reports, organizational structure charts, evaluations, career development reports that can be reviewed and analyzed.
• Relevant internal organizational data are often easily and quickly available. Companies collect data on sales figures, customer complaints, productivity, call-centre call rates etc.
Can be less time consuming
No need to write and test questions, etc.
Most likely has been reviewed or seen by the senior management
There might be less resistance to change when the data is familiar to the senior management
Makes use of already gathered statistical data
Number crunching and statistical analysis may already have been done
Easier to chart changes over time
Existing data provides a baseline from which to measure improvements
Provides excellent evidence of problem
If deficiencies are noted in employee reviews, reports, etc. it provides additional justification for exploring training or other solutions to fix the problem
Minimum effort or interruption of workers
Workers do not have to be taken away from their jobs for interviewing
Benefits of Existing data:
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Can be out-of-date, e.g., technology needs
Old data can provide incorrect impressions of technical capabilities when compared to similar organizations
May not address specific questions
A problem may exist but current evaluation processes do not reveal the problem
Statistical data may not address people’s perceptions of needs
Wants vs. needs
Causes of problems may not show up
Old technology, faulty equipment, and employee attitudes all could cause problems but may not be addressed in reports
Organizations can be hesitant to share if results reflect poorly on the organization. Reports may be adjusted or “selectively edited”
Organizations may show bias in their self-reporting in order to appease stockholders or stakeholders
Limitations Reviewing existing data:
WHERE CLOSED QUESTIONS ARE USED IN ORDER TO ELICIT "YES" OR "NO" ANSWERS TO A SET OF PRESELECTED QUESTIONS.
INTERVIEW
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Reach a large number of people in a relatively short time
Calling a list of stakeholders can take only a few minutes per call depending on the length of the survey
Relatively inexpensive (can be done with trained volunteers)
Survey must be well designed to assure consistency
Data easy to summarize and report
Answers can be entered directly into a data base
High level of return Reach most of the people on your list
Does not depend on reading proficiency
Volunteers do the reading for the participant
Good for information that requires sequencing
Close-ended questions sequence easily
Interviewers can clarify questions
Assures understanding on the part of the participant
INTERVIEW BENEFITS…
Little provision for free expression or unanticipated responses
Leave space for comments on most questions
Requires substantial time and technical skill to develop
Have your survey edited by an unbiased editor
People tend to want to get the “right” answers
Develop questions that will ask the same thing in a different way to get at the opinion
People will use opportunity to vent or describe their issues
Train the interviewer how to handle this by moving to the next question and noting their concern
The interviewer can influence the respondents
Train the interviewer to be unbiased
People will hurry through answers without thinking about them
The interviewer should stress the participants stake and the importance of the project in the introduction
LIMITATIONS OF INTERVIEWS…
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Tests
• A test means simply an exam that assesses knowledge or skill level.Tests are sometimes used in TNA. Multiple-choice tests are often quick and easy to administer. However, the results are only as good as your test, and test development requires expertise
Benefits of tests Helps participants
recognize a problem
or a deficiency in
knowledge or skills
When participants notice they
cannot answer a question it may
point to the need for training or tools
Individual
performances can
be easily compared,
and results are
easily quantified
Especially on standardized tests such
as multiple choice tests, results can
be reviewed quickly
Easily seen as job
related
Many vocations require regular tests
and assessments
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LIMITATIONS OF TESTS…
Limited availability of
validated tests for
specific situations
Tests that have been field tested for reliability
may not be available for the specific task or
skill being tested
Validity issuesDoes it test knowledge and skills actually
used on job?
Language or vocabulary
can be an issue
Use of jargon or poorly worded questions can
skew results
People can be very
concerned with how test
results will be utilized
Respondents might fear poor performance on
a test might be cause for disciplinary action
Results can be influenced
by attitudes
Adults sometimes resent taking tests, which
typically have a negative connotation
Gather and Analyze Data
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02468
101214
Never
Monthly
Weekly
Daily
To train or not to train?
Calculate cost
Select best
solution(s)
Implement
Select best
solution(s)
Select best
solution(s)