complete a short needs assessment on a work-related problem (current or past) following the four steps of the needs analysis process (concern, importance, consult stakeholders, and data collection) to identify and diagnose a performance need.

1. What is happening that makes you think that there is a training need? I.e. A sales representative is not making their sales quota-the concern is that they are not meeting performance expectations. You can identify a need that is person specific, task/role specific, or at the organizational level.

Write a brief summary of the concern.

What is the performance gap?

2. How is this gap impacting the company/business?

Write a brief summary of the importance of this performance gap.

3. Which stakeholders need to be involved to identify the cause of the performance problem/gap? Who would you need to talk to, involve, or get information from, in order to get their perspective on what is causing the concern?

4. Identify which needs assessment method would you use to identify whether training is indeed the issue. I.e. Would you do a questionnaire, interview, observation, collect reports etc. What form of data collection is required so that you can accurately assess the situation in order to make a recommendation on next steps? State your rationale for the method you choose.

5. Based on your analysis of the need, can training close the performance gap? Did you determine that the actual cause of the concern is related to a lack of training or is there another recommendation that you would make?