Assessing HRD
Chapter 4
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
Why Do Needs
Assessment?
Question:
Why is needs assessment
information critical to the
development and delivery of an
effective HRD program?
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
What is a Need?
A discrepancy between
expectations and performance
Not only performance needs
involved
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
Need of HRD
Ultimately the goal of HRD is to
improve an organizations
effectiveness
Solving Current Problems
Increase in customer complaints
Preventing anticipated problems
Such as shortage of skilled technicians
Including as participants those
individual that can benefit most.
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
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)
Product Development Model
(PDM)/Imdtructional System Design
Analyze
Design
Develop
Produce Pilot
Evaluate
Deliver
Improve
By permission: Doty, W.B. (1997) Product Development
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
The HRD Process: A DImE
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
Process Model to the
PDM/ISD Model
HRD Process Model
Assess
Design
Implement
Evaluate
PDM/ISD Model
Analyze need
Design training
Develop
Produce pilot
Evaluate pilot
Deliver training
Improve
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
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)
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)
10
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
Werner
& DeSimone (2006)
11 is
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)
12
Strategic/Organizational
Analysis
A broad, systems view is needed
Need to identify:
Organizational goals
Organizational resources
Organizational climate
Environmental constraints
SWOT Analysis
13
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)
14
Sources of Strategic
Information
Mission statement
HRM inventory
Skills inventory
Quality of Working Life indicators
Efficiency indexes
System changes
Exit interviews
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
15
Task Analysis / Operation
Analysis
The collection of data about a
specific job or group of jobs
What employee needs to know to
perform a job or jobs to meet these
standards & the KSAOs.
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
16
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)
17
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)
18
Task Analysis Process
Overall Job Description
Conditions under which activities are
performed.
Job Analysis / Job Specification
judgment.
Task Identification
Behaviors performed within a Job.
Major Tasks within the Job
How each task should be performed
The Variability of Performance.
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
19
Task Analysis Process
(Contd)
Identify What it takes to do the Job
KSAOs needed to perform the job
Identify the Areas that Can Most
Benefit from Training or HRD
Prioritize Training Needs.
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
20
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)
21
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)
22
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)
23
The Employee Appraisal
Process
24
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)
25
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)
26
Warning!!
HRD cannot become a slow-acting
bureaucracy!!
The Attack on ISD article (Text p.
133)
HRD must respond to corporate
needs
HRD should be focused on
performance improvement, and
not just training
Werner & DeSimone (2006)
27
