PARTNER* for Training Success: ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
The second step in the PARTNER* model is ANALYSIS: Determine the needs and wants of the different stakeholders. Identify the gaps and prepare to address them.
When following the PARTNER* model, the first step (PICTURE) should have answered the “where” questions … “where is the organization going?”, and “where does the organization want to be?” It is not unlike planning a trip and pulling out the map to pin point a destination. ANALYSIS then is like determining where we are currently located on the map.
So what steps or considerations are involved in analyzing the needs and wants of the organization? And how will you identify the gaps? Be sure to consider the following:
Who – When you begin analyzing needs and wants, determine up front who you will be including in the process. Joseph Schwab, an educator who developed a program design approach based on curriculum deliberations, believed that the lead curriculum-making specialist should have input from all concerned parties. In the world of corporate learning and development, that would mean subject matter experts, learners, trainer-facilitators, organizational leader(s), and human resource representatives. He did caution subject matter experts will frequently want to control the curriculum making process or will discount input from others, so a strong and focused curriculum lead is required. Schwab’s approach is sound and ensures that all involved parties have a voice.
Unique Issues – Having completed the PICTURE step, you should be aware of the organization’s unique challenges that arise from issues like culture or geography. In the ANALYSIS stage, you must also consider and be aware of unique skill or process issues and constraints. Are there health and safety issues, legal constraints, or ethical considerations? What role does the learner take in relation to these? How about the organization’s leadership?
Competency Maps – Have competency maps been developed for the different internal roles? A competency map is an outline, or listing of skills and traits required to successfully fulfill the requirements of a particular position. If competency maps are available, great! Review them to ensure that they are current and reflective of the positions that exist. If competency maps are not available, consider completing them as part of the ANALYSIS process.
Questions – Through this entire process, you will be asking yourself (and possibly others) questions. Be sure to keep a running list of those questions somewhere where you can refer to it. Review the list and determine which questions are important in helping to determine where the organization currently is (remember the map analogy above?).
Methods/Media – Reach out and engage with individuals at all levels within the organization that will be effected by and involved with any training initiatives. There are a variety of ways to do this:
- Paper surveys
- One-on-one interviews
- On-line surveys, using tools like Survey Monkey
- 360 or modified 360 feedback instruments
- Exit interviews
- Roundtables
- Focus groups
One note of caution … it is often tempting to take as gospel the anecdotal input provided by the organizational leadership, and make decisions based on only their input. Leadership team input is only one part of a thorough analysis or needs assessment step.
Roll Out – When preparing to undertake a needs assessment, consider how to position it. Depending on its purpose, consider having a senior member from the leadership team provide an introduction of the process to all those who will be participating. This could be a simple as an e-mail/memo or voicemail blast, or it could be as elaborate as an all-hands meeting. Attaching as much credibility to this process will help to ensure that you get the information needed to help make the necessary recommendations.
Evaluation – The final step in the ANALYSIS process is to collect, document, and present your findings (even if you are only presenting those finding to yourself). This is where you will be able to confidently say, “this is where we are, and this is where we want to (or need to) be.” In some cases you may learn that the organization and its people are where they need to be, or are very close to it; in other cases it will be quite obvious that a significant gap exists. From here, we will move on to the READY stage in the PARTNER* model and begin the process of determining how to get from “here to there”.
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 3 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
1. PARTNER for Training Success
3. ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
PARTNER for Training Success: Look at the Big PICTURE
The first undertaking in the PARTNER* model is to take a look at the big PICTURE … the context; the overarching objectives; the who’s who in the company, trainer, learner triumvirate. Take a step back and critically look at:
History – Where has the organization come from? Understanding where it has been, how it has grown, and the challenges that it has faced and overcome will help you to develop an appreciation for the culture that exists today.
Mission; Vision; Values. – Are the mission, vision, and values congruent with where the organization has been, where it is, and where it wants to go? As a developer of training, being clear about the organization’s raison d’être will be a key component of any program. Integrating the organization’s mission, vision, and values into your training initiatives, whether internal or external, is important.
Culture – How would you characterize the organization’s culture? Having and demonstrating a learning culture means that organizational leaders walk the talk, clearly value their people, and demonstrate this through investing in them. If appropriate, and positive, the company’s cultural milieu should be integral to every training initiative developed internally (and should be customized into any external or off-the-shelf initiatives brought inside).
Leadership – Do you see a culture where the leaders not only talk high principles but also live them? Do you see people who make noises about their teams needing certain skill sets and leadership philosophies not drinking from the same cup? In short, do you see an organization that walks the talk? As much as those of us in the learning world want to say that it’s all about the learner, we can never forget that the learner will seldom get what they need without the support of the organization’s leaders.
Org-chart – Reviewing the org-chart will help you to identify the structure and resources available, and if necessary, to note any constraints that you may be working with. Determine where learning and development as an organizational activity fits. Is it a stand alone department that has a seat at the organizational leadership team table or is it a sub-group that reports to HR or IT? Clearly the answer to this question will necessarily color learning and development goals and objectives.
Stakeholders – Who are the stakeholders? Is the organization a not-for-profit, a sole proprietorship, a limited partnership, or a publically traded company? Is there an employee ownership component? Is there a union? What role do all of the different stakeholders play? What influence do they have on the day to day operations of the organization? Does the C-level team within the organization consider the shareholders a key component of the structure and consider the delivering of profit to shareholders as trumping all else? Yes, lots of questions. Knowing the answers will help you ensure that the needs of the learners and the stakeholders are addressed.
Metrics – If the organization operates in an environment that has very focused metrics and runs a by-the-numbers shop, be sure to investigate just what that means. Are costs and margins razor thin as a result of the industry that the organization is involved in? Does this result in tight controls and little flexibility? Or are the key metrics viewed in a more holistic manner, meaning that they are an important part of the whole, but not the only factor considered when training initiatives are advanced?
Budget – How much will be available in money and other resources? Through the process of investigating some of the issues mentioned above, it will become apparent as to what type of monetary and resource constraints you will be working with. Up front you should know if you will be operating on a shoestring budget, a negotiable as required budget, or the best of all possible worlds, an unlimited budget. Knowing these broad parameters at the beginning of any program development is important, because going in on a wing and a prayer will likely lead to failure and frustration. The sooner you can hone in on a number, the better you will be able to sell those to whom you report on the program itself. There should be little room for ambiguity here.
Are there other areas or issues that should be examined as part of the big PICTURE? Let me know.
* The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template.
This is post 2 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
1. PARTNER for Training Success
3. ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
PARTNER for Training Success
My blog entry from November 23/09 introduced a model that I designed to address the needs of individuals or teams that had little background in the design and delivery of training programs. The PARTNER model’s purpose is to provide an easy to follow, step-by-step process that will result in a program that will, at the very least, have a much better chance of succeeding and in providing a positive LROI (Learning Return on Investment).
The PARTNER model (Picture, Analysis, Ready, Train, Nurture, Evaluate, and Revisit) looks at each step in the development, design, delivery, and follow-up process and breaks it down into a simple to follow template. This blog post will be the first of a series of posts that will explore each step and it’s application.
To recap PARTNER …
“P”icture: Look at the big picture; the context; the overarching objectives; the who’s who in the company, trainer, learner triumvirate
“A”nalysis: Just what are the needs and wants of the different stakeholders? Identify the gaps and prepare to address them
“R”eady: Define your objectives and write them down; design your program(s); prepare for an effective delivery through facilitator preparation (e.g. train-the-trainer initiatives)
“T”rain: Deliver the training; know the context and required delivery method (classroom, e-learning, experiential, on-the-job, mentorship, coaching, etc.); always consider the needs of the learner
“N”urture: Coach the application of learning; have a before, during, and after training learner plan; use different tools as applicable and appropriate (e.g. learner contracts)
“E”valuate: Know your objectives before you begin; understand what LROI is and why it is the cornerstone of your entire training program; use a proven evaluation model and work it to fit your needs (e.g. Kirkpatrick, Phillips)
“R”evisit: It’s not over until it’s over; measuring success means using all of the feedback generated from all the stakeholders to further refine and modify your program as required; engrain the concept of learning as vital to the work culture
This is post 1 of the PARTNER Model … view the others by following these links:
1. PARTNER for Training Success
3. ANALYSIS of Needs, Wants, and Identifying Gaps
Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
Malcolm Knowles, one of the recognized founders of modern adult learning theory, states that adults must believe that their learning will have a personal benefit. Organizations typically have set goals and objectives that are at the forefront of all business planning. These two fundamentals do not need to be mutually exclusive. Within the context of the organization’s objectives, learners should have input into the process of determining what e-learning courses they will take. They can be determined through a process of consultation between organizational learning leaders and e-learners themselves.
Now I’m not suggesting that e-learners should have carte-blanche when it comes to making e-learning course selections, but rather that learners should be actively involved in the process of negotiating what courses to take, outside of those required as a matter of principle or prerequisite. Learners should be involved in the process of designing their curriculum to know that their learning will have personal benefit (for more on this perspective, see the December 24, 2009 entry: Let the Learner Play a Role in your Program Design).
The outcome of this process will be determined through those consultations and could take the form of roundtable discussions, surveys, one-on-one interviews, or a combination of two or all three approaches. The more that the organization embraces and respects the learner’s needs, the more success any corporate learning initiative will have.
This is post 7 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
An effort needs to be made by any organization that is going to introduce e-learning to ensure that a strategy exists allowing online e-learners to take courses during working hours and that the organization’s leaders and managers support learner’s efforts. This should include more than a tacit approval to take e-learning courses during working hours; it should include individual learning plans that take into account scheduling challenges and time demands.
Perhaps all e-learning orientation programs should contain a module on e-learning time management. Considering the six levels being discussed in this model, an e-learning time management module could easily be introduced during the in-class orientation program and promoted internally.
This is post 6 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
Support from the E-learner’s Manager
Recently, an impartial study conducted at a given multi-national organization revealed that employees enrolled in e-learning felt little support from management for accessing e-learning during working hours. In fact, the implied message was that e-learning, while being provided by the organization as a way to develop professional skills so employees could be better at what they do, should be completed on the employees own time (at home, on lunch hour, etc.). It was clear that learners were discouraged before they even began the e-learning process; the organization is interested in supporting employee learning by investing in an e-learning program, yet the message that learners receive seems to be inconsistent with that objective. Trust mechanisms have to be built into the online learning experience. A learner should have the confidence that his/her manager supports and encourages e-learning efforts.
Managers, with the support of the organization, need to be willing to let their people learn. Working with their teams, time can be structured into the schedule to allow for their employees involved in e-learning initiatives to take a regularly allotted time to devote to e-learning. An example could be every Tuesday from 11:00 am to Noon … this way, both employee and employer can contribute to e-learning, with the employee choosing to invest some of his/her own time over lunch as an add on to the one hour prior to lunch. A simple activity plan with built in check points will ensure that a schedule like this works and is followed.
The objective is for both managers and employees to see and experience the benefit of providing paid time to develop skills that will assist moving the team and organization forward.
This is post 5 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
An In-Class Orientation for E-learners? Really?
One of the key challenges to overcome when implementing an e-learning curriculum is what is known as the “if you build it they will come” philosophy (remember the 1989 movie Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner?). Just because your organization has invested in an e-learning option, doesn’t mean that it will succeed. A few posters here and there, perhaps a brief online tutorial, will not automatically make it a resounding success; learning, whether in-school or in-corporation, is about connecting with the learner.
An in-class orientation, where possible, should be the preferred method of preparing new e-learners for success. While it may seem counter-intuitive to roll out online e-learning by first having an in-class orientation workshop, such an undertaking will allow for e-learners of similar backgrounds (i.e., familiarity and comfort with computers and the online world) to work with the organization’s e-learning Champion to approach e-learning positively and with a plan for success. If the organization has administered a survey or undertaken one-on-one interviews with prospective e-learners, and if an e-learning Champion or Champions have been identified, the in-class orientation should be an integral step in preparing for organizational and learner success.
Armed with data about who is at what level when it comes to using computers … believe it or not, there are still many people that know how to use the software required for work, and no more … bring people together with similar computer backgrounds for your e-learning in-class orientation. Walk them through the why’s and wherefore’s of the e-learning program, and then help them to actually log-in and complete a short one module e-learning offering. Be patient, answer questions, and be supportive. The objective is to work with users to set goals and objectives that are achievable and will allow all e-learners to feel successful. Success will breed success and excitement; discouragement will breed failure and discontent, resulting in resources being wasted needlessly.
This is post 4 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
Develop On Site E-learning Champions
Do you remember the first time that you baked a cake (or drove a car, built a deck, installed a piece of software, etc.)? Were you on your own or was there someone there to show you, assist you, help and support you, encourage you? If that example doesn’t resonate with you, think of a time when you were doing something for the first time and you weren’t sure what to do. How about the time you purchased that print server for your home office, invested four hours trying to get it working, another two hours on the phone waiting for a technician, and then after connecting with someone, having it up and running in just ten more minutes. Do you recall your feeling of frustration, and then finally relief when you had someone to turn to?
With E-learning it’s not a whole lot different. If you’ve taken the time to understand who your e-learners are, and if you have identified those individuals that may be a risk as a result of their lack of experience with computers and online environments (lots of people still don’t have Facebook pages), having a go-to person available for them to turn to can make the difference between a frustrating experience that will discourage them from trying again, to a good experience that will have them excited about exploring all the e-learning options available to them.
Even the best designed e-learning programs cannot compensate for a helping hand that is responsive and capable of assisting new learners when needed. Having an in-house E-learning Champion lets learners feel that their company supports their online e-learning efforts and helps to develop the confidence necessary to be successful with e-learning courses in the future.
E-learning Champions can come in all stripes. They can be a dedicated resource or other e-learning users that have volunteered to take the lead and assist others. The important thing is to ensure that some process is in place to support new e-learners. In addition to be being a point of contact for e-learners, E-learning Champion(s) can also make their presence known through the marketing and promotion of e-learning programs to goal-setting with learners and encouraging learner strategies for success.
This is post 3 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
Understand the E-learner
Any organization that commits to undertaking an e-learning component as part of their learning and development strategy must make an effort to understand their learners. Unfortunately, it seems that many organizational leaders are sold on new e-learning technology as a way to reduce the investment in their training budget while frequently the needs of the learner seem to be ignored.
It would be foolhardy and potentially costly to overlook the fundamentals of adult learners as advanced by Malcolm Knowles, namely:
- Adults need to know why they are learning something; they must believe it will have a personal benefit;
- Adults have lifetime experiences that should be tapped and built upon;
- Adults learn best from hands-on, problem-solving approaches to learning; and
- Adults will expect to apply new knowledge and skills immediately, which will aid retention.
Understanding your corporate learners is important if you are to effectively work with Knowles’ fundamentals.
The process to start understanding learners can be accomplished by having prospective e-learners complete a short questionnaire or even through a one-on-one interview setting with an organizational e-learning champion. If the survey option is used, follow up with those that self-identify through their responses that they would be at risk in an e-learning environment. Questions requesting information about age, educational background, organizational tenure, and familiarity and comfort with computers and e-learning should be asked. Understanding the employees that will be participating in a company sponsored e-learning curriculum is no different than taking the time to understand employees that will be participating in in-class, on-the-job, or other training avenues. As a training leader (facilitator of learning), it is your responsibility to play a key role in delivering a positive LROI (Learning Return on Investment). In this case you can do that by making the effort to understand the e-learner.
This is post 2 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
A Model for E-learning Success
Frequently, discussions about e-learning in corporate training environments attract the attention of executives interested in addressing escalating training costs and in using technology to train employees. The implied E-learning promise is that training efficiencies will go straight to the bottom line while revenue growth resulting from training will go straight to the top line.
While true that training efficiencies can be realized from the use of e-learning in corporate environments, it is also true that there can be significant up-front investments required of organizations wanting to pursue custom E-learning initiatives. The price of failure could be high, and as a result, future training initiatives could be given a rough ride.
If employees do not perceive E-learning as a positive development, a consequence is that they may disengage from the learning process. If the bottom line investment in E-learning initiatives is high, the cost of learner disengagement to an organization has the potential to be significantly higher.
Over the next few blog posts, I am going to explore an E-learning Success Model that can be used by organizations considering E-learning as a component of their overall learning and development strategy.
The six strategies of the model that will be discussed individually are:
- Understand the e-learner
- Have an on site e-learning champion
- Provide an in-class orientation for all e-learners
- Support from the e-learner’s manager
- Time provided to e-learners during working hours
- Learners should play a role in choosing their own e-learning courses
This is post 1 of 7 of the E-learning Success Model … view the others by following these links:
- A Model for E-learning Success
- Understand the E-learner
- Onsite E-learning Champions
- In-Class Orientation for E-learners
- Support from the E-learner’s Manager
- Provided time to E-learners during Work Hours
- Let E-learners Have a Role in Choosing their E-learning Courses
