Training Needs Assessment and Training Program Design

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Training Needs Assessment and Training Program
Design

• Ch. 4-5

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Instructional Systems Design Model
Implement Training Program
Prioritize Needs
Design Training Program
Evaluate Training
Assessment Of Training Needs
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What is a training needs assessment?

• Process by which an organizations training and
  development needs are identified
• Performance effectiveness in obtaining goals
• Current or future skills gaps of employees
• Employee preferences for training
• New ways of performing tasks
• Prevention of performance problems
• Mandated training needs (e.g., legal)

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Three Levels of Needs Analysis
Organizational Analysis
Do we want to devote time and money to training?
Person Analysis
Task Analysis
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Strategic/Organizational Analysis

• Where is HRD needed in the organization and what
  are the conditions under which HRD will be
  conducted?
• Organizational Goals Strategy
• Organizational Resources
• Organizational Climate
• Environmental Constraints

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Sources of Information for Organizational Analysis

• Strategic Plan
• Skills Inventories
• Climate Surveys
• Labor-Management Data
• Exit Interviews
• Management Requests
• Organizational Performance Measures

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Task Analysis

• Systematic collection of data about a specific
  job or group of jobs to determine what employee
  needs to be taught to achieve optimum performance
• Job analysis plus identifying areas that can
  benefit from training and prioritizing these areas

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Sources of Information for Task Analysis

• Job descriptions and specifications
• Performance Standards
• Observe Performance on Job
• Review literature concerning job
• Interview job holders and supervisors
• Analysis of operating problems (e.g., downtime,
  waste, repairs/rework, delivery times, quality of
  product/service)

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Person Analysis

• Determination of the training and development
  needs of individual employee
• Summary person analysis determining overall
  success of individual performance
• Diagnostic person analysis
• discovering reasons for persons
• performance (i.e., KSAOs,
• motivation, situational factors)

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Sources of Information for Person Analysis

• Performance appraisal data
• Observation of performance on job
• Interviews or questionnaires
• Tests or simulations or role plays
• Attitude surveys
• Designed situations (e.g., AC)
• Worker diaries
• Developmental or employee initiated needs

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Difficulties in Performing Training Needs Analysis

• Difficult and time consuming
• Managers value action over research
• Temptation to copy other organizations fads and
  fashions in training and new organizational
  programs
• Limited resources in conducting appropriate needs
  analysis
• Failure to start process by identifying
  performance gaps, rather than training needs

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Training Projects

• Develop a short needs analysis questionnaire for
  your training project topic.
• Class members are your training class.
• Suggestions focus on person analysis (i.e.,
  skills, abilities, knowledge deficiencies,
  motivation and desires for training in that
  topical area).
• Send electronically to me before next Mondays
  class and I will make copies for class to
  complete that night.

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Designing Effective Training Programs
Define Training Objectives
Schedule the Program
Develop Lesson Plan
Select methods/ Techniques
Develop/ Acquire Materials
Select Trainer/ Leader
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Defining Training Objectives

• Description of the performance you want learners
  to be able to exhibit before you consider them
  competent
• Effectively stated objectives describe
• Expected performance
• Conditions under which performance will be
  exhibited
• Criteria for determining effective performance

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Example

• You have conducted a needs
• assessment and have determined that IT
• technicians need to improve
• their customer service skills. Write training
  objectives for a customer service skills workshop
  for IT technicians.

Think expected performance, conditions, and
criteria
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Developing and Delivering the Program

• Should you create or purchase a program from a
  vendor (i.e., make vs. buy decision)?
• Consider expertise needed, timeliness, number of
  trainees, subject matter, cost, size of HRD
  staff, and other variables
• If purchasing from vendor, consider
• Cost, credentials, experience and background,
  philosophy, delivery methods, content, actual
  product, expected results, support services, and
  RFP

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Selecting the Trainer

• First, determine if you will use a trainer at all
• Trainer competencies
• KSAOs to design and implement a program
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Can use a variety of instructional techniques
• Can motivate others to learn
• Have respect of organizational members
• If trainer competencies are lacking
• Team trainers, conduct train the trainer
  programs, dont use trainers, develop
  comprehensive training manuals, hire outside
  trainers

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Developing the Lesson Plan

• Lesson plan is guide for actual delivery of the
  program
• Specifies
• Content covered
• Sequencing of activities
• Selection or design of training media and
  exercises
• Timing and planning of activities
• Selection of method of instruction
• Number and type of evaluation instruments to use

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Example Customer Service Skills Training for IT
Technicians

• Will you use a trainer for the workshop? If so,
  describe trainer competencies needed.
• Develop a brief lesson plan for your customer
  service skills workshop.

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Training Methods and Techniques

• On-the- job techniques (OJT) occur in the work
  setting
• Off the job methods classroom instruction,
  conferences, retreats, etc.
• Techniques include lecture, videotapes, role
  plays, simulations, experiential exercises,
  computer-based instruction, videoconferencing,
  self-study, etc.

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How to choose training methods

• Objectives of training program
• Time, money, equipment, space available
• Trainee characteristics and preferences

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Administrative DetailsPreparing Materials and
Scheduling the Program

• Materials to Prepare
• Program Announcements
• Program Outlines
• Training Manuals

Scheduling the Program 1. Should you schedule
during or after work hours? 2. How will people
enroll and register for the program? 3. Is it
mandatory/non-mandatory?