Needs Analysis

I found a Q&A Article online today that I found very interesting in that it gave me a thought about Needs Analysis in the corporate world.

The person asking the question was a newly promoted mamager who was inquiring about a Training Analysis tool that would help identify what training was needed for their direct reports. He did not feel that they were doing their job effectively and decided that training was the solution to his problem. Yet another case of training seen as babysitting! I will give the person credit on 2 accounts:

a. They had just been promoted
b. They were looking for help and knew to analyze the situation

It made me think about the terms Needs Analysis and Training Analysis. I find that they get interpreted incorrectly and misused.

I believe that a Needs Analysis should be used to determine a performance gap. Once done, training should be one of the possible solutions to bridge the gap from where the learner is to where they should be.

From here on in I am only referring to this a Performace Gap Analysis. I think it gives better representation to what the new manager was looking for.

There is still the need for Training Analysis but this should be conducted ultimately for the benefit of the Training Organization to identify training goals.

Inaugural Post

So, I have created this blog as a means for Trainers and Instructional Designers of all levels, to share information and feedback about their experiences in the training industry.

I welcome you to share links, stories, and tools that you use as a Trainer or Instructional Designer. Consider it a bridging of ideas, if you will.

Ken

ps. I have never blogged anything, so please excuse the rudemetry setup.