Needs Assessment

What is a needs assessment?

A needs assessment is an assessment process that identifies the gap between current learner performance and expected learner performance. It helps determine whether or not training programs are the right solution to fill those gaps. Organizations collect data on employee performance, analyze it, and determine what—if any—training is needed to help employees meet expectations. 

Example: Three months after introducing new software for our call center employees, our L&D department conducted a training needs assessment to uncover any lingering knowledge or skill gaps. 

Why conduct a training needs assessment?

Organizations use needs assessments to reveal the root cause of employee performance gaps. If more training is deemed the solution, all key stakeholders—managers, instructional designers, learner focus groups, and leadership—are involved in the process to help align learning objectives with expected outcomes. 

Needs assessments can also reveal that knowledge and skill gaps don’t exist, but other obstacles—like employee motivation, outdated software, or a distracting environment—are the real problem. This saves organizations time and money by avoiding unnecessary training costs. The assessment process also establishes a baseline, which L&D departments can then use to measure training impact later on.