The Importance of a Needs Assessment

There are many differing factors that can contribute to dissatisfaction among consumers. When looking into ways to solve this dissatisfaction it is important to take a step back and evaluate all of the areas that consumers interact. Then you need to look for what is working well and what isn’t working well. Identifying these factors provides important information that will translate into a needs assessment. Supporting the ability of the company and learning design team to cooperatively identify key areas where improvement needs to happen.

In regards to the learning scenario, CrowTech Systems appears to have areas of concern outside of their identified communication concerns. There are also a variety of technical issues. These include outdated software, a system lag during peak service times, and frequent disruptions due to system outages and crashes. There was also a concern among employees that the customer service department is understaffed, leading to some employees juggling tasks that may not be one of their roles within the company, and an extensive backlog that delays effective response times with customers.

A needs assessment would evaluate the situation the company is facing. By implementing data collection and performance monitoring/measuring, the needs assessment can more accurately identify what is needed to reach the desired results of the organization (Stefaniak, J. E. (2020). Having an indepth hard copy of all areas that are affecting customer service provides the company with important information on what needs to be focused on to move forward and increase the satisfaction rate of the consumer base. It also shows how to better support staff in being able to meet these needs effectively.

In the case of CrowTech Systems, it is very obvious that there are much larger issues than just poor communication. Building effective communication can always be beneficial in the field of customer service and this is the assessment CrowTech Solutions determined as the cause of the performance gap. There are other areas that they should put their resources in that will provide much better results towards improved customer relations. A needs analysis would provide a deeper look into the causes of the performance gap that CrowTech Solutions are facing. It would identify the system issues that service representatives are contending with. Struggling with system crashes and the system being down makes it impossible for service representatives to get any work done. Thus, contributing to the backlog that service representatives are then faced with and ill equipped to handle as they are juggling multiple roles while also being understaffed. There is also the issue of the software CrowTech Solutions uses being outdated and unable to handle the current volume of support coming in. Having these areas pinpointed for CrowTech Solutions not only makes them aware of the larger issues contributing to the performance gap, but also gives them information that will help them invest their resources effectively and innovatively.

As a learning designer my role is to communicate the findings of the needs assessment to the entity that has hired me. I will need to meet with multiple stakeholders. This provides information on the situation from multiple viewpoints. I will also need to gather data from various sources to develop a more in depth understanding of the situation. I will need to ensure that all information gathered that relates to the situation is included in the final needs assessment. I will then need to present the findings and any other information that may impact the organization as it pertains to the situation creating the performance gap. Ultimately I will need to gather any data or information that pertains to the current performance gap and the desired performance wanted by the organization. I must maintain consistent communication with the designated point of contact and establish a plan to follow while the needs analysis is taking place. I must then be able to identify and validate the expressed and actual needs in relation to the performance gap and make recommendations that will support the organization's ability to close said gap and achieve their desired performance rate.

As a learning designer I would first complete the steps of the need assessment. I would begin by identifying the problem. While the organization will provide me with a performance gap they do not always have a completed needs assessment. Identifying the problem is important when trying to determine a fix. I would then Identify the needs of the organization. This can sometimes mean identifying a need that is different from what the organization originally attributed as the cause of the problem. I would then identify data sources that can be used to support the identified problem and needs of the organization. Data collection begins after identifying the data sources. Collection of data can not only support the identification of the previous steps, but can also be used when implementing the building of learning and instructional modules that will be utilized to help bridge and eventually close the performance gap. I would then complete a data analysis. This step provides a better understanding of what is causing the performance gaps and supports the identification of what recommendations will be presented to the client. Lastly, I would present my recommendations to the client and explain key factors that came into play when making said recommendations. Being a learning designer would then let me move from the analysis and assessment phase into the implementation phase. I would then shift my focus from gathering information to using that information to create learning modules that support better equipping staff for the required skills, or depending on the recommendations, support staff in learning and understanding new/updated software for the company.

There are many different steps that may be taken when conducting a needs analysis and assessment. Both rely fully on the client's willingness to complete them. While as a learning designer I understand the need and would advocate for both being done, not all organizations are willing to take the extra steps required. Creating an ineffective final product for reaching the desired performance levels.

References:

Stefaniak, J. E. (2020). Needs assessment for learning and performance: Theory, process, and practice. Taylor & Francis Group.