Needs assessment is the step in the comprehensive nine step LESSON PLANning Process:
Step 1. Look at the Training Needs.
All of the following actions are essential if the training needs assessment is going to be effective and result in a useful training program.
Identify the Performance Issue and Its Impact
a. Identify the performance issue to address. For example, a skill gap may exist or an attitude that needs to be adjusted to result in more favorable behavior.
b. Identify how this issue impacts the organization. Obviously, if it has no impact, it is difficult to make a case for it as a priority. If it does impact the organization, ROI will be easier to measure.
Determine if Training is Appropriate
c. Determine if training is the appropriate remedy. For example, sometimes a manager proposes a training program instead of taking action to address employee behavior.
d. Identify the target audience. Therefore, this requires knowing who is actually involved and responsible.
e. Identify the general content that needs to be covered. This is just high level. The specific key content will be identified later in the lesson planning process.
Assess the Participants’ Receptivity and Knowledge Level
f. Determine the participants’ receptivity to this content. If they are not receptive, it will require breaking down negative transfer barriers.
g. Assess their skill or knowledge level in this content area. Don’t waste precious training time teaching them what they already know.
h. Identify why this training is important to them from their perspective. Training is marketing. We need participants to buy in, based on what’s in it for them.
i. Identify the amount of time available for training. This will certainly put limitations on the amount of content that can be covered.
Identify Pre- and Post-Training Reinforcement
j. Identify pre- and post-training reinforcement necessary and available to the participants. Training shouldn’t occur in a vaccuum. The participants should know what the training is about and why they should care before they attend the training. Their managers should follow up after the fact on action planning done in the training. They should also monitor performance to ensure new learning is retained and applied.
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