1. Chapter -5(five) Training Needs Assessment
Focus Group Discussion in Training
Mozammel Haque Neogi
Raymond A Noe
Employee Training and Development,4th Edition
Effective Training: Strategies, Systems and Practices, 3rd Edition P. Nick Blanchard and James W. Thacker
Dr.B. Janakiram
Training & Development

2. Definition of Training Needs Analysis/ Assessment: (1 of 3)
Training: A systematic learning process for enhancement of individual’s inherent potentialities to attain a specific goal. Training need: “Information or skill areas of an individual or group that requires further development to increase the organizational productivity of the individual or group.” ( Certo, 1989:266)

3. Definition of Training Needs Analysis/ Assessment: (2 of 3)
Assessment: Assessment is a process to identify and measure the information and skill areas of an individual or a group or a project or an organization relating to the expected status, which covers validation and evaluation.

4. Definition of Training Needs Analysis/ Assessment: (3of 3)
Training Needs Assessment (TNA): Training needs assessment is meant to identify the actual information and skill areas of an individual or group relating the gap or weak areas, which is needed to be developed immediately for achieving the organizational goal.
It covers validation, feasibility and evaluation in terms of job performance.

5. Why is Needs Assessment Necessary?
Training may be incorrectly used as a solution to a performance problem.
Training programs may have the wrong content, objectives, or methods.
Trainees may be sent to training programs for which they do not have the basic skills, prerequisite skills, or confidence needed to learn.

6. Why is Needs Assessment Necessary? (cont.)
Training will not deliver the expected learning, behavior change, or financial results that the company expects.
Money will be spent on training programs that are unnecessary because they are unrelated to the company’s business strategy.

7. Analysis Phase Input Process Output Resources Operational/Task
Expected
Performance
(EP)
Person Analysis
Actual
(AP)
Organizational
Objectives
Environment
Identify Performance Discrepancy (PD)
PD = EP < AP
And Causes of PD
Non
Training
Needs
TRIGGER
Actual Organizational
Performance
(AOP) < Expected
Organizational
Performance (EOP)

8. The TNA Model
The first part of the model is the triggering event that initiates the tna. For example, when a key decision-maker suggests that there is a performance problem now or in the future, a TNA is triggered.
The next step in the TNA model is the input, which consist of an organizational analysis, an operational analysis, and a personal analysis. The organizational analysis is an examination of an organization’s strategy, its goal and objectives, and the systems and practices in place to determine how they affect employee oerformance.

9. The TNA Model
An operational analysis is the examination of specific jobs to determine the requirements, in terms of the tasks required to be done, and the KSAs required to get the job done. It is analogous to a job analysis, or a task analysis, as it is sometimes called. A person analysis is the examination of the employees in the jobs to determine whether they have the required KSAs to perform at the expected level.

10. The TNA Model
In the process phase, the operational analysis provides information on expected performance. Expected performance(EP) is the level of performance expected in a particular job. The person analysis provides information on actual performance by an individual on a particular job. When actual performance is lower than expected performance, then a more specific performance gap is the difference between expected performance and the employee’s actual performance.

11. The TNA Model
The “output” phase is your conclusion as to whether the PG indicates either training or non-training needs, and in some cases, both. So, as you can see from the model, a TNA is conducted when a key decision-maker in the company notes an organizational performance gap( AOP is , or will be, less than EOP). A reactive TNA focuses on current performance problems( the OPC currently exists). A proactive TNA focuses on anticipated or probable performance problems in the future.

12. Provide Proper Feedback
Model of Process When Performance Discrepancy Is Identified – Part 1 of 2
Performance Discrepancy
YES
YES
Is it worth fixing?
KSA
Deficiency
Reward/ Punishment Incongruence
Inadequate
Feedback
Obstacles in
the System
Choose Appropriate Remedy
YES
Change
Contingencies
Provide Proper Feedback
Remove
Obstacles

13. Performance discrepancy is worth fixing AND is due to a KSA deficiency
Model of Process When Performance Discrepancy Is Identified – Part 2 of 2
Performance discrepancy is worth fixing AND is due to a KSA deficiency
Choose
Appropriate
Remedy
Change
Contingencies
Provide
Proper
Feedback
Remove
Obstacles
Job Aid
Training
Practice
Change the Job
Transfer or Terminate

14. The Framework for Conducting A TNA
Organizational Analysis
Task/Operational Analysis
Person Analysis

15. Organizational Analysis
Organizational analysis involves looking at the internal environment of the organization-influences that could affect employee performance- and determining its fit with organizational goals and objectives. It is this analysis that provides identification of PD at the organizational level.

16. Organizational Analysis
An organizational analysis should be able to provide information about the following:
The mission and strategies of an organization,
The resources and allocation of the resources, given the objectives,
The factors in the internal environment that might be causing the problem and
The effect of the preceding factors on developing, providing, and transferring the KSAs to the job if training is the chosen solution to the PG.

17. Job/Task/Operational Analysis
When an OPG is identified, an operational analysis is conducted in conjunction with the organizational analysis, to fully understand the nature of the OPG. The operational analysis determines exactly what is required of employees for them to be effective. The typical technique for obtaining the task and KSA data that is required to meet expected job performance standards is the job analysis.

18. Job/Task/Operational Analysis
HR employees need to know how to conduct an effective job analysis. The following steps are useful in doing this.
What is the job?
Where to collect data?
Who to ask?
Who should select incumbents
How many to ask
How to select
What to ask about

19. Person Analysis
Assessment of the person(for the required KSAs) is identified for the proactive or reactive TNA, so the information presented earlier on person analysis is applicable.
Performance deficiency
Is performance substandard?
Are current employees capable of training?
Can performance be improved through training?
Issue of whether to train, replace, motivate
Target population – values, education, prior knowledge, motivation

20. Data Sources for Organizational Analysis – Part 1 of 3
Data Source Recommended
Training Need Implications
Example
Organizational Goals,  
Objectives and Budget
Where training emphasis can and should be placed.
To maintain a quality standard of no more than 1 reject per thousand  
Goal is to become ISO certified and 90,000 dollars has been allocated to  this effort 
Labor Inventory
Where training is needed to fill gaps caused by retirement, turnover, age, etc.
Thirty percent of our truck drivers will retire over the next four years

21. Data Sources for Organizational Analysis – Part 2 of 3
Data Source Recommended
Training Need Implications
Example
Organizational Climate Indices
These may help focus on problems that have training components
Grievances
Items related to productivity are useful in determining performance deficiencies
Seventy percent of grievances are related to behaviors of 6 supervisors
Absenteeism
High absences in clerical staff
Accidents
Accident rate for line workers increasing

22. Data Sources for Organizational Analysis – Part 3 of 3
Data Source Recommended
Training Need Implications
Example
Analysis of Efficiency Indices
Cost of labor
Can help document difference between actual performance and desired performance
Labor costs have increased percent in the last year
Changes in System or Subsystem
New or changed equipment may present training problem
The line has been shut down about once per day since the new machinery was installed.
Waste has doubled since using the new cutting tool

23. What Do You Ask and Of Who – Part 1 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask
Mission Goals and Objectives
What are the goals and objectives of the organization
How much money has been allocated to any new initiatives
Is there general understanding of these objectives
Top management
Relevant department managers, supervisors and incumbents
Social Influences
What is the general feeling in the organization regarding meeting goals and objectives
What is the social pressure in your department regarding these goals and objectives productivity
Top management
Relevant department managers, supervisors and incumbents

24. What Do You Ask and Of Who – Part 2 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask
Reward Systems
What are the rewards and how are they distributed?
Are there incentives, are they tied to the goals and objectives?
What specifically do high performers get as rewards?
Top management
Relevant department managers, supervisors and incumbents
Job Design
How are the jobs organized?
Where does their work/material/ information come from, where does it go when done?
Does the design of the job inhibit workers from being high performers?
Relevant supervisors and incumbents, perhaps relevant department managers

25. What Do You Ask and Of Who – Part 3 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask
Job Performance
How do employees know what level of performance is acceptable?
How do they find out if their level of performance is acceptable?
Is there a formal feedback process?
Are there opportunities for help if required?
Relevant supervisors and incumbents
Methods and Practices
What are the policies/ procedures/rules in the organization.
Which if any inhibit performance
Relevant department managers supervisors and incumbents

26. Data Sources For Task/Operational Analysis – Part 1 of 3
Sources for Obtaining Job Data
Training Need Implications
Practical Concerns
1. Job Descriptions
Outlines the job’s typical duties and responsibilities but is them not meant to be all inclusive
Often inaccurate due to time constraints or job knowledge.
 2. Job Specifications
List specified tasks required for each job.
May be product of the job description and suffer from the same problems
  3. Performance Standards
Objectives of the tasks of job, and standards by which they are judged.
Very useful if available, and accurate, but often organizations do not have formal performance standards

27. Data Sources For Operational Analysis – Part 2 of 3
Sources for Obtaining Job Data
Training Need Implications
Practical Concerns
4. Perform the Job
Most effective way of determining specific tasks, but has serious limitations in higher level jobs
Easy, short cycle type jobs are a possibility.
5. Observe Job—Work Sampling
Most effective way of determining specific tasks, but has serious limitations in higher level jobs
Useful again for very short cycle jobs. Be aware of the impact of being observed can influence behavior

28. Data Sources For Operational Analysis – Part 3 of 3
Sources for Obtaining Job Data
Training Need Implications
Practical Concerns
6. Questions directed to the job holder and the supervisor.
Most often used method the job holder and his supervisor have different perspectives and information
7. Review Literature concerning job in professional journals practitioner journals other industries
Useful for determining specific issues related to the job and what is being done by others and what the results are
Need to be sure information is relevant to your organization

29. Example of Worker Oriented Approach: Information Input
Note on Rating “Importance to This Job”: 
Rate each of the items in the questionnaire using the "Importance to This Job (1)" scale. Each item is to be rated on how important the activity described is to the completion of the job. Consider such factors as amount of time spent, the possible influence on overall job performance if the worker does not properly perform this activity, etc.
Code Importance to This Job (1)
N Does not apply
1 Very minor
2 Low
3 Average
4 High
5 Extreme
1.____ Far visual differentiation (seeing differences in the details of the objects, events or features beyond arm's reach for example, operating a vehicle, landscaping, sports officiating, etc.)

30. Worker Oriented Approach: Information Input – Part 2 of 2
Code Importance to This Job (1)
N Does not apply
1 Very minor
2 Low
3 Average
4 High
5. Extreme
2.____ Depth perception (judging the distance from the observer to objects, or the distances between objects as they are positioned in space, as in operating a crane, operating a dentist's drill, handling and positioning objects, etc.).
3.____ Color perception (differentiating or identifying objects, materials, or details thereof on the basis of color).
4.____ Sound pattern recognition (recognizing different patterns, or sequences of sounds for example, those involved in Morse code, heartbeats, engines not functioning correctly, etc.)

31. Applying the Job-Duty-Task Method of Job Analysis to the Job of HRD Professional
 Job Title: ___________________ Specific duty: _______________
HRD Professional
Task Analysis
 Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and
Skills Required
_________________ ______________________ __________________________
1. List Tasks 1. Observe behavior List four characteristics of behavior
Classify behavior
2. Select verb Have knowledge of action verbs
Have grammatical skills
3. Record behavior State so understood by others
Record neatly
2. List subtasks 1. Observe behavior List all remaining acts
Classify behavior
2. Select verb State correctly
Have grammatical skill
  3. Record behavior Record so it is neat and understood by others

32. A Comparison of the Outcomes for Worker- and Task-Oriented Approaches to Job Analysis
Job Task-Oriented Worker-Oriented Approach Approach
______________________________________________________________
Garage attendant Checks tire Pressure Obtains information from visual displays
Machinist Checks thickness of Use of a measuring crankshaft device
Dentist Drills out decay from Use of precision teeth instruments
Forklift Driver Loads pallets of High level of eye-hand washers onto trucks coordination

33. Data Sources for Person Analysis – Part 1 of 5
Data Sources for Obtaining Data
Training Need Implication
Remarks
Performance Data or Appraisals
Easy to analyze and quantify for purposes of determining subjects and kind of training needed.
Supervisor ratings are often done poorly as there is no real incentive to do them well, and a lot of good reasons not to
Observation – Work Sampling
More subjective technique.
Done effectively in some situations like customer service where you can monitor behavior
Interviews
Only individual knows what he believes he (she) needs to learn.
Be sure employee believes it is in his best interest to be honest

34. Data Sources for Person Analysis – Part 2 of 5
Data Sources for Obtaining Data
Training Need Implication
Remarks
Questionnaires
Same approach as the interview.
Same concerns as the interview
Tests
a. Job knowledge
b. Skills
c. Achievement
Can be tailor-made or standardized. Care must be taken so that they measure job related qualities.
Care in the development of scoring keys is important and difficult to do if not trained in the process
Attitude Surveys
On an individual basis, useful in determining morale, motivation, or satisfaction of each employee.
Important to use well developed scales

35. Data Sources for Person Analysis – Part 3 of 5
Data Sources for Obtaining Data
Training Need Implication
Remarks
Checklists or
Training Progress charts
Up-to-date listing of each employee’s skills.
Rely on supervisor ratings, see “Performance data or Appraisals”
Rating Scales
Care must be taken to ensure objective employee ratings.
Rely on supervisor ratings, see “Performance data or Appraisals”
Critical Incidents
Observe actions critical to successful and unsuccessful performance.
Rely on supervisor ratings, see “Performance data or Appraisals”

36. Data Sources for Person Analysis – Part 4 of 5
Data Sources for Obtaining Data
Training Need Implication
Remarks
Diaries
The individual employee records details of his (her) job.
Devised Situations
Certain knowledge, skills, and of attitudes are demonstrated in these techniques.
Useful, but again, care in development of scoring criteria is important
Assessment Centers
Combination of several of the above techniques.
Although expensive to develop and operate, these are very good

37. Data Sources for Person Analysis – Part 5 of 5
Data Sources for Obtaining Data
Training Need Implication
Remarks
Coaching
Similar to interview –
one-to-one.
Must choose coaches carefully and train to be most effective
MBO or Work Planning
Provides actual performance data on a recurring basis related to organizational and group or individually negotiated standards.
Good process when implemented properly, and Review Systems are the support of top management