Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning

Day 1

Presented by Eileen Flanagan & Marcia Nedland

On behalf of NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal

Introductions:

At your table: Introduce yourselfShare ONE expectation for the workshopEach table will then share the TOP THREE

expectations during report out

Training Objectives

ConnectionsSix StepsDesign a Needs Assessment planSpecific data sources, tools & techniquesPlan formats & optionsTools & new ideas DHCR requirements

Agenda

Day 1Opening Session

Overview: DHCR Requirements

Needs AssessmentDesigning approach

Six steps

Practice finding data and interpreting data

Common Pitfalls

Day 2Recap & questions

Strategic PlanningSeven components

Plan Critique

DHCR Requirements

Ground Rules

Be on timeParticipate actively, don’t monopolizeSpeak one at a timeTURN OFF your Cell PhoneNo side orders, pleaseAsk hard questionsHave fun

DHCR Requirements: Needs Assessment

Answer at least these major questions:

1.What housing is needed (based on conditions)?

2.What customer services are needed?

3.What community renewal activities are needed?

DHCR Requirements: Strategic Plan

3-year plan that includes: Summary of needs assessment Mission Outcomes, measures of success and report on

results since last application Strategic goals Programs and services Production goals Resources and potential partners

Strategic Planning

What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?

Write 2-3 thoughts, each on a separate index card.

Each thought should be only a few words.

Write BIG! Use marker if you

have one.

Strategic Planning

What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?

UnderstandableCredibleExplains what you are

going to do and whyManagement toolBasis for measuring

successProcess develops

clarity and alignment

Strategic Planning

What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?

Keeps you focused on outcomes

Tests, affirms, corrects and codifies intuition and theory of change

Keeps you attuned to market forces and customer attitudes

Phases of Planningand Components

of a Plan Document

Phases of Strategic Planning

Strategy

Direction

Understanding

Components of the Plan Document

6. Production Goals

7. Resources

5. Programs and Services

4. Strategic Goals

3. Outcomes and Measures

2. Mission

1. Summary of Needs Assessment

Engaging stakeholders

Needs Assessment

Phases of Strategic Planning

Strategy

Direction

Understanding

Stakeholder

Involvement

Needs Assessment

Systematic

Gap Analysis

External Environment

Opportunities & Threats

Current State

Desired State

Gap

Updating an Existing Plan

Review existing plans

Decide outcomes for next/new plan

Decide what parts to update

Customize your approach

Outside Help?

Help with what?

Be clear about needs

Look for resources – internally, externally

Organizing the Process

Existing studiesBudget & time lineResources Assign tasks & accountability

Examples

Needs Assessment Plan

Needs Assessment Summary

Six Steps to a Useful Needs Assessment

Six Steps

1. General Trends

2. Intuition = Questions

3. Data Collection

4. Refine Questions

5. Data Analysis

6. Data Interpretation & use

Tips before you get started…

Know your geography

Tips before you get started…

Compared to what?

Tips before you get started…

No data is perfect

Tips before you get started…

Look at the whole picture

Tips before you get started…

Don’t get lost in the data

Information scarcity

Information Overload

Step 1: General Trends

Let other people work for you

How do you stay informed?

How do you stay informed?

KnowledgeplexEnterprise Community PartnersNeighborWorks AmericaPlanetizen.comRealtors & Home BuildersGovernment RSS feedsSONH

Step 2: Intuition = Questions

Value what you think you know, test it.

Use what you know, ask questions

Use your knowledge to frame your questions.

Customers: Who? Needs? Where?Competition: Who? What?

Similarities/DifferencesMarket size?Changes in market?TEST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS!

Turn your intuition into research questions

Write down 2-3 research questions that would test your

assumptions – page 34

Tab 8: Resources

Page 104: Common Research Questions

Step 3: Data Collection

Data is only useful if it answers your questions

Data Sources

Brain storm data source ideasPrimary vs. Secondary dataQualitative vs. QuantitativeIn-house customer data

What sources could answer your questions?

Page 35: A few Secondary Data SourcesTab 8: page 93, way too many secondary

data sourcesTab 8: pages 113 & 115, tip sheets on

focus groups and interviews

www.dataplace.org

Step 4: Refine your questions

Data collection often adds new questions

Refining Questions

Do data collection, don’t over-do data collection

Time frame for collection – initial, review, revise needs, collect

Step 5: Data Analysis

Figure out what is meaningful about the data – usually in relation

to your questions

Analysis gives context and meaning to data…

• Comparisons – geographic (peers, regions)

• Change over time

• Spread, range & central tendencies

• Visual tools – maps, charts, graphs

Tab 8: Page 108

SO WHAT? !

Step 6: Data Interpretation & Use

This is the “so what?” phase

Have we learned anything that changes what we believed?

Strengthen: Program designService/product mix ImplementationDelivery techniquesMarketing & outreach

Interpretation Exercise

1:Summary of

Needs Assessment

Understanding

1: Summary of Needs Assessment

The point of this component is to give the reader an understanding of the market forces that are influencing your decisions throughout the rest of the plan document.

010000

20000

3000040000

50000

1990 2000 2007

Population

Households

Understanding

1: Options for Organization

Lead with standard categories 1 2 3 4

Lead with research questions ? ? ? ?

Lead with findings ! ! ! !

Lead with SWOT

Lead with Stories

Understanding

1: Review

Component Planning Process

1: Summary of Needs Assessment

(sometimes called “market analysis”)

Objectives: Identify and understand the needs of the organization’s target populations and geographies. Identify and understand the external opportunities and threats that will affect the organization’s work.

Understanding

1: Review

Component Planning Process

1: Summary of Needs Assessment

(sometimes called “market analysis”)

Potential stakeholder involvement: What are the key questions, some answers, refinement of questions, reactions to initial data, etc.

Understanding

1: Review

Component Planning Process

1: Summary of Needs Assessment

(sometimes called “market analysis”)

Possible formats of stakeholder involvement: Interviews, surveys, focus groups, retreats, planning committee, board and staff meetings, etc.

Understanding

Common Pitfalls of Needs Assessment

Lots of data, no idea what to do with itStarting from scratchDone without linking effortsSurveys…not the only primary sourceDo it to prove it!Do it only for the funderOverwhelmed by data