Assessing HRD

Chapter 4

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 1

Why Do Needs Assessment?
Question:
Why is needs assessment information
critical to the development and
delivery of an effective HRD program?

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 2

Needs Assessment
Figuring out what is really needed
Not always an easy task
Needs lots of input
Takes a lot of work
Do it now or do lots more later
First step in both the ISD and HRD
process models

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 3

Product Development Model
(PDM)
Analyze

Design

Develop

Produce Pilot

Evaluate

Deliver

Improve
By permission: Doty, W.B. (1997) Product Development

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 4

The HRD Process: A DImE

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 5

Comparing the HRD Process
Model to the PDM/ISD Model
PDM/ISD
HRD Process
ModelModel
Assess need
Analyze
Design training
Develop
Produce pilot
Evaluate pilot
Implement
Deliver training
Evaluate
Improve
Werner & DeSimone (2006) 6
What is a Need?
A discrepancy between expectations
and performance
Not only performance needs involved

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 7

Various Types of Needs
Performance
Diagnostic
Factors that can prevent problems from
occurring (see p. 130)
Analytic
Identify new or better ways to do things
Compliance
Mandated by law or regulation

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 8

Traps in Needs Assessment
Focusing only on individual performance
deficiencies
Doesnt fix group of systemic problems
Starting with a Training Needs
Assessment
If you know training is needed, why waste
everyones time?

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 9

Traps in Needs Assessment 2
Using Questionnaires
Hard to control input, often high

developmental costs, hard to write properly

Using soft data (opinions) only
Need performance and consequence data

Using hard data only

Easily measured data is provided, but

critical, hard-to-measure data is missing

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 10

Levels of Assessment
Organization
Where is training needed and under what
conditions?
Task
What must be done to perform the job
effectively?
Person
Who should be trained and how?

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 11

Strategic/Organizational
Analysis
A broad, systems view is needed
Need to identify:
Organizational goals
Organizational resources
Organizational climate
Environmental constraints

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 12

Why Strategic Assessment is
Needed
Ties HRD programs to corporate or
organizational goals
Strengthens the link between profit and
HRD actions
Strengthens corporate support for HRD
Makes HRD more of a revenue
generator
Not a profit waster

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 13

Sources of Strategic
Information
Mission statement
HRM inventory
Skills inventory
Quality of Working Life indicators
Efficiency indexes
System changes
Exit interviews

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 14

Task Analysis
The collection of data about a specific
job or group of jobs
What employee needs to know to
perform a job or jobs

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 15

How to Collect Information
For a Task Analysis
Job descriptions
Task analysis
Performance standards
Perform job
Observe job
Ask questions
Analysis of problems

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 16

A Sample Task Analysis
Process
Develop job description
Identify job tasks
What should be done
What is actually done
Describe KSAOs needed
Identify potential training areas
Prioritize potential training areas

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 17

Task Analysis for HRD Position
Job title: HRD Professional Specific duty: Task Analysis
Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and Skills Required
1. List tasks 1. Observe behavior List four characteristics of behavior
Classify behavior

2. Select verb Knowledge of action verbs

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

Grammatical skills

3. Record behavior Neat and understood by others

3. List 1. State what must be known Classify all information
knowledge
2. Determine complexity of Determine if a skill represents a series of
skill acts that must be learned in a sequence

SOURCE: From G. E. Mills, R. W. Pace, & B. D. Peterson (1988). Analysis in human resource training and organizational development (p. 57). Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley. Reprinted by permission.

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 18

A Task Analysis Application
Question:
You have been asked to perform a task
analysis for the job of dispatcher in a
city police department. Which
method(s) of task analysis do you think
are most appropriate for analyzing this
job?

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 19

Person Analysis
Determines training needs for specific
individuals
Based on many sources of data
Summary Analysis
Determine overall success of the individual
Diagnostic Analysis
Discover reasons for performance

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 20

Performance Appraisal
Relied on heavily in person analysis
Hard to do
Vital to company and individual
Should be VERY confidential
Based too often on personal opinion

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 21

The Employee Appraisal
Process

By Permission: Herbert & Doverspike (1990)

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 22

Performance Appraisal Process
Determine basis for appraisal
Job description, MBO objectives, job
standards, etc.
Conduct the appraisal
Determine discrepancies between the
standard and performance
Identify source(s) of discrepancies
Select ways to resolve discrepancies

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 23

Prioritizing HRD Needs
There are never enough resources
available
Must prioritize efforts
Need full organizational involvement in
this process
Involve an HRD Advisory Committee.

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 24

Warning!!
HRD cannot become a slow-acting
bureaucracy!!
The Attack on ISD article (Text p. 156)
HRD must respond to corporate needs
HRD should be focused on
performance improvement, and not
just training

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 25

Summary
Why is needs assessment so often not
performed in many organizations?

Why should organizations care about

needs assessment?

Werner & DeSimone (2006) 26