The framework of development needs assessment

• Defining common terms and the role of needs assessment
• Defining four organisational performance needs
• Aligning performance needs with Kirkpatrick’s five stages of evaluation and organisational levels
• Defining ‘development’ and providing an effective development framework within an organisation

The needs assessment process:  8 steps

1. Identifying and agreeing the need: Needs statement

• Answers the question: “what is the need?”
• Clarity and agreement
• Tool: 5 whys
• Needs statement sign off

2. Assessing the context: Context analysis/ Impact statement

• Answers the question: “What impacts will there be or what will be impacted by addressing this need?”
• Context considerations checklist - McKinsey 7Ss
• Stakeholder analysis
• Risk analysis
• Context analysis template
• Impact statement template

3. Determining success criteria: Success measures

• Answers the question: “How will we know the DNA has been successful?”
• Examples of success measures
• Managing conflicting success measures
• Understanding how it will be used, by whom

4. DNA Plan: Needs assessment plan

• Answers the question: “What is the most effective and efficient way to conduct this assessment?”
• Three core components: people, data, things
• Questions to be addressed within plan: who, where, what, when, how much and why
• Types of data: Quantitative vs. qualitative
• Types of collection methods (pros/ cons and how to)
• Needs assessment plan template

5. Data collection: Data collection system

• Organising your data
• Differing options – relevance and value
• Examples

6. Data analysis

• Evaluating data against success criteria/ needs assessment
• Sorting and presenting data
• Managing challenging data results
• Tools
• Examples

7. Communicate outcome: Assessment evaluation

• Presentation options
• Presenting to stakeholders aligned to success measures
• ROI of needs assessment
• Addressing business performance need
• Communication options pros/ cons
• Assessment Evaluation examples

8. Action plan

• Core components of an effective Action Plan
• Clarity of sign off measures

Training needs assessment

• Development vs. Training needs assessment
• Simple  6 step model for training needs assessment