Needs Assessment as a First Step of Training Design

By Abid “Momand”

What Need Assessment is?

Before you choose to arrange or provide a training opportunity for employees; it is very much important to assess the needs of the training.

It is the first step of the training design process and It is a systematic process of determining whether training is necessary or not.

So it can be defined as: The process of generating information whether

training is necessary, who need to be trained, and for what task training is needed.

Importance of Needs Assessment

As first and essential step of training it needs to be carefully conducted if it’s not properly carried out it may cause one of the following problems:

Training may be incorrectly used as a solution to a performance problem.

Training may have the wrong content, objectives, or methods.

Training will not deliver the expected learning, or behavioral change.

Money will be spent on unnecessary training program.

The Needs Assessment Process Needs assessment is basically consist of three elements and

after the proper analysis of these three components the company will reach to expected point.

The below are the elements to be examined:

Organizational Analysis Person Analysis Task Analysis

Organizational Analysis

Organizational Analysis involves: The determination of whether training

supports the company’s strategic direction or not;

Support of mangers for training activities Training resources (Budget, Time, and

Expertise)

Person Analysis

Person Analysis helps to:

Identify employees who needs training; Determine employees’ readiness for training Spot the deficit point in employees

performance

Person Analysis ProcessThe factors that influence a person motivation, performance and learning makes the process of person analysis:Person characteristics

Basic skillsSelf-efficacyAwareness of training needs and goals.InputThe instructions tells to employees that what, how and when to performOutputRefers to the expectation of learning and performance standards

Task Analysis Task analysis is the description of work activities,

including tasks performed by employee and the knowledge, skills and abilities required to complete the job.

For the better performing of a job an employee must have specific level of : Knowledge ( facts or procedures regarding

performance). Skill ( competency in performing). Ability (physical and mental capacities to perform). Others ( facilitated working condition, safety

considerations).

Cont….

Task analysis should identify both what employees are actually doing and what they should be doing on the job

Task analysis begins by breaking the job into duties and tasks.

And it should be undertake after the organizational analysis which determine that company wants to devote time and money for training because it is time consuming.

Determining Whether Training is the Best Solution

Simply, If employee lack the knowledge and skill to perform a job

and the other factors are satisfactory, training is needed. if poor performance results from faulty equipment,

training can not solve this problem but repairing will. If poor performance results from lack of feedback or

motivation then employees may not need training but their manager may need training on how to encourage and to give performance feedback!

In conclusion; Needs Assessment is a formal step in designing of

an effective training program; consist of three essential elements including organization, person and task analysis.

In order to maximize the productivity, efficiency and performance of employees this is the first step to be taken.