Discussing the role of organization analysis, person analysis, and task analysis in Needs Assessment

Needs assessment helps determine whether training is necessary. There are often pressure points that may suggest that training is necessary. A needs assessment usually involves organizational analysis, person analysis, and task analysis. Needs assessment answers three questions:
Organization – What is the context in which training will occur?
Person – Who needs training?
Task – What subjects should the training cover?
Organizational analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company’s business strategy, its resources available for training, and support by managers and peers for training activities. The nature of the modern business environment makes training important. Rapid change requires that employees continually learn new skills. Growing reliance on teamwork creates a demand for the ability to solve problems in teams, an ability that often requires formal training.
Support of Managers and Peers—the key factors to success are a positive attitude among peers and managers about participation in training activities, willingness to provide information to trainees about how they can apply what they learned, and the availability of opportunities for the trainees to apply what they learned. Person analysis: a process of determining individuals’ needs and readiness for training. It involves answering three questions: Do performance deficiencies result from a lack of knowledge, skill, or ability. Who needs training? Are these employees ready for training? Person analysis helps the manager identify whether training is appropriate and which employees need training. When a problem, such as a performance deficiency, is identified, it is often unclear whether training is the solution. From the manager’s perspective, training should be considered if any of the following is true:
The performance deficiency has the potential to cost the company a lot of money. Employees do not know how to perform effectively. Employees cannot demonstrate the correct knowledge or behavior. Performance expectations are clear, there are no obstacles to performance, and non-performers are not rewarded in some way. There are positive consequences for good performance, while poor performance is not rewarded. Employees receive appropriate feedback.
Other options including tasks (a statement of an employee’s work activity in a specific job) performed by the employee and the knowledge, skill, and behaviors required to successfully complete the tasks. Task analysis: the process of identifying and analyzing tasks to be trained. To carry out the task analysis, the conditions in which tasks are performed are looked at. The equipment and environment of the job Time constraints Safety considerations Performance standards
A task analysis involves selecting the job to be analyzed. Developing a preliminary list of tasks by interviewing and observing employees and their managers. Verifying the importance of the tasks through task inventories or expert committees. A task analysis questionnaire can be used. Identifying the knowledge, skills, or abilities necessary to perform each task-using interview and questionnaires.