More Needs Analysis = Less Training

Every single time DSA has created a needs assessment/analysis study for a client, we have lessoned or eliminated the requirements for formal training.

I am sure this has also been your result when you have completed a true needs assessment/analysis study, looking for the root cause of high priority needs.
 

Case in point

Phone rings…I answer …

CLIENT: "I understand you do course development?"

ME: "Yes, we do!"

CLIENT: "Great, I need six two-day courses put together for our sales force."

ME: " Wonderful. Please tell me more about your situation…"

Long story short, I was able to turn the client around from a training request and get an agreement to conduct a needs assessment/analysis before developing any training. The result was only four days of training, highly focused on what their new field sales force really needed and seven, YES seven, categories of non-training recommendations.

So why don’t we do more needs assessment/analysis studies? Below are 5 main themes we heard from interviewing training people from one very large internal training department of a manufacturing company:

1. Internal customers’ current perceptions and expectations of the TRAINING department
2. Lack of knowledge/skills to do needs assessments/analysis
3. Non-Supportive cost model – training department is set up to be paid for people attending training classes
4. Lack of alignment with Needs Analysis as a training department’s organizational goal
5. Job roles misaligned with Needs Analysis – Reinforced for training, lack of internal line manager support and commitment to needs assessment/analysis – they think they already know the needs

Do some of these themes sound a little familiar to you? Click here to see some of our recommendations.

I hope that one or more of these general recommendations will help you to help your organization value needs assessment/analysis studies and to perform them in all appropriate situations.