Effective Training: Strategies, Systems

and Practices, 3rd Edition

Chapter Four
Needs Analysis
P. Nick Blanchard and James W. Thacker
 Analysis Phase
Input Process Output
Organizational
Analysis
Objectives
Resources
Environment Training
Needs
TRIGGER
Operational/Task Identify
Actual Organizational Analysis Performance
Performance Expected
Performance Discrepancy (PD)
(AOP) < Expected
Organizational (EP) PD = EP < AP
And Causes of PD
Performance (EOP)
Non
Person Analysis Training
Actual Needs
Performance
(AP)
Chapter 4 2
Needs Assessment
 Organizational Analysis
 Task/Operational Analysis
 Person Analysis

Chapter 4 3
Organizational Analysis
 Organizational goals and strategy
 Organizational resources (financial,
facilities, resources)
 Organizational culture/climate
 Environmental constraints

Chapter 4 4
Task/Operational Analysis
 Overall job description
 Task identification
 What it takes to do the job/KSAs
 Areas that can benefit from training
 Prioritizing training needs

Chapter 4 5
Person Analysis
 Performance deficiency
 Is performance substandard?
 Are current employees capable of training?
 Can performance be improved through training
 Issue of whether to train, replace, motivate
 Target population – values, education,
prior knowledge, motivation

Chapter 4 6
Model of Process When Performance
Discrepancy Is Identified – Part 1 of 2
Performance Discrepancy

YES

Is it worth fixing?

YES

KSA Reward/ Inadequate Obstacles in

Deficiency Punishment Feedback the System
Incongruence
YES YES YES YES

Choose Provide Remove

Change Proper Obstacle
Appropriate Contingencies
Remedy Feedback s

Chapter 4 7
 Model of Process When Performance
Discrepancy Is Identified –
Part 2 of 2
Performance discrepancy is worth fixing
AND is due to a KSA deficiency

Choose Change Provide Remove

Appropriate Contingencies Proper Obstacles
Remedy Feedback

Job Aid

Training

Practice

Change the Job

Transfer or Terminate
Chapter 4 8
 Data Sources for Organizational
Analysis – Part 1 of 3
Data Source Training Need Example
Recommended Implications

Organizational Goals, Where training emphasis To maintain a quality

Objectives and Budget can and should be standard of no more than 1
placed. reject per thousand
Goal is to become ISO
certified and 90,000 dollars
has been allocated to this
effort

Labor Inventory Where training is needed Thirty percent of our truck

to fill gaps caused by drivers will retire over the
retirement, turnover, next four years
age, etc.

Chapter 4 9
 Data Sources for Organizational
Analysis – Part 2 of 3
Data Source Training Need Example
Recommended Implications

Organizational Climate These may help focus on

Indices problems that have
training components

 Grievances Items related to Seventy percent of

productivity are useful in
determining grievances are
performance related to behaviors of 6
deficiencies supervisors

 Absenteeism High absences in clerical

staff
 Accidents Accident rate for line workers
increasing
Chapter 4 10
 Data Sources for Organizational
Analysis – Part 3 of 3
Data Source Training Need Example
Recommended Implications

Analysis of Efficiency Can help document

Indices difference between actual
performance and desired
performance
 Cost of labor Labor costs have increased
8 percent in the last year

Changes in System or New or changed equipment The line has been shut down
Subsystem may present training about once per day since the
problem new machinery was installed.
Waste has doubled since
using the new cutting tool

Chapter 4 11
What Do You Ask and Of Who –
Part 1 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask
Mission Goals and Objectives
What are the goals and objectives of Top management
the organization Relevant department
How much money has been allocated managers, supervisors
to any new initiatives and incumbents
Is there general understanding of
these objectives

Social Influences
What is the general feeling in the Top management
organization regarding meeting Relevant department
goals and objectives managers, supervisors
What is the social pressure in your and incumbents
department regarding these goals
and objectives productivity

Chapter 4 12
 What Do You Ask and Of Who –
Part 2 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask

Reward Systems
What are the rewards and how are Top management
they distributed? Relevant department managers,
Are there incentives, are they tied to supervisors and incumbents
the goals and objectives?
What specifically do high performers
get as rewards?

Job Design
How are the jobs organized? Relevant supervisors and
Where does their work/material/ incumbents, perhaps
information come from, where relevant department
does it go when done? managers
Does the design of the job inhibit
workers from being high
performers?
Chapter 4 13
 What Do You Ask and Of Who –
Part 3 of 3
What to Ask About Who to Ask

Job Performance
How do employees know what level Relevant supervisors and
of performance is acceptable? incumbents
How do they find out if their level of
performance is acceptable?
Is there a formal feedback process?
Are there opportunities for help if
required?

Methods and Practices

What are the policies/ procedures/rules Relevant department managers
in the organization. supervisors and incumbents
Which if any inhibit performance

Chapter 4 14
 Data Sources For Task/Operational
Analysis – Part 1 of 3
Sources for Obtaining Training Need Implications Practical Concerns
Job Data

1. Job Descriptions Outlines the job’s typical Often inaccurate due to time
duties and responsibilities constraints or job knowledge.
but is them not meant to
be all inclusive

2. Job Specifications List specified tasks required May be product of the job
for each job. description and suffer from the
same problems

3. Performance Objectives of the tasks of Very useful if available, and

Standards job, and standards by accurate, but often
which they are judged. organizations do not have
formal performance standards

Chapter 4 15
 Data Sources For Operational
Analysis – Part 2 of 3

Sources for Obtaining Training Need Implications Practical Concerns

Job Data

4. Perform the Job Most effective way of Easy, short cycle type jobs are a
determining specific tasks, possibility.
but has serious limitations
in higher level jobs

5. Observe Job—Work Most effective way of Useful again for very short cycle
Sampling determining specific tasks, jobs. Be aware of the impact of
but has serious limitations being observed can influence
in higher level jobs behavior

Chapter 4 16
 Data Sources For Operational
Analysis – Part 3 of 3

Sources for Obtaining Training Need Implications Practical Concerns

Job Data

6. Questions directed to Most often used method the job

the job holder and holder and his supervisor
the supervisor. have different perspectives
and information

7. Review Literature Useful for determining Need to be sure information is

concerning job in specific issues related to relevant to your organization
professional journals the job and what is being
practitioner journals done by others and what
other industries the results are

Chapter 4 17
 Example of Worker Oriented
Approach: Information Input
Note on Rating “Importance to This Job”: Code Importance to
This Job (1)
Rate each of the items in the questionnaire using the
N Does not apply
"Importance to This Job (1)" scale. Each item is to be
1 Very minor
rated on how important the activity described is to the
2 Low
completion of the job. Consider such factors as
3 Average
amount of time spent, the possible influence on overall
4 High
job performance if the worker does not properly
5 Extreme
perform this activity, etc.

1.____ Far visual differentiation (seeing differences in the details of the

objects, events or features beyond arm's reach for example, operating a
vehicle, landscaping, sports officiating, etc.)

Chapter 4 18
 Worker Oriented Approach:
Information Input – Part 2 of 2
Code Importance to
2.____ Depth perception (judging the distance from This Job (1)
the observer to objects, or the distances between N Does not apply
objects as they are positioned in space, as in operating 1 Very minor
2 Low
a crane, operating a dentist's drill, handling and
3 Average
positioning objects, etc.). 4 High
5. Extreme
3.____ Color perception (differentiating or identifying
objects, materials, or details thereof on the basis of
color).
4.____ Sound pattern recognition (recognizing different patterns, or
sequences of sounds for example, those involved in Morse code,
heartbeats, engines not functioning correctly, etc.)

Chapter 4 19
 Applying the Job-Duty-Task Method of Job
Analysis to the Job of HRD Professional
HRD Professional
Job Title: ___________________ Task Analysis
Specific duty: _______________
Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and
Skills Required
_________________ ______________________ __________________________

1. List Tasks 1. Observe behaviorList four characteristics of behavior

2. Select verb
3. Record behavior
Classify behavior
Have knowledge of action verbs
Have grammatical skills
State so understood by others
Record neatly

2. List subtasks 1. Observe behaviorList all remaining acts

Classify behavior
2. Select verb State correctly
Have grammatical skill
3. Record behavior Record so it is neat and
understood by others
Chapter 4 20
 A Comparison of the Outcomes for
Worker- and Task-Oriented
Approaches to Job Analysis
Job Task-Oriented Worker-Oriented
Approach Approach
______________________________________________________________
Garage attendant Checks tire Pressure Obtains information
from visual displays

Machinist Checks thickness of Use of a measuring

crankshaft device

Dentist Drills out decay from Use of precision

teeth instruments

Forklift Driver Loads pallets of High level of eye-hand

washers onto trucks coordination

Chapter 4 21
 Data Sources for Person Analysis –
Part 1 of 5
Data Sources for Training Need Remarks
Obtaining Data Implication
Performance Data or Easy to analyze and Supervisor ratings are
Appraisals quantify for purposes often done poorly as there
of determining subjects is no real incentive to do
and kind of training them well, and a lot of
needed. good reasons not to

Observation – Work More subjective Done effectively in some

Sampling technique. situations like customer
service where you can
monitor behavior
Interviews Only individual knows Be sure employee believes
what he believes he it is in his best interest to
(she) needs to learn. be honest

Chapter 4 22
 Data Sources for Person Analysis –
Part 2 of 5
Data Sources for Training Need Remarks
Obtaining Data Implication

Questionnaires Same approach as Same concerns as the

the interview. interview
Tests Can be tailor-made or Care in the development
a. Job knowledge standardized. Care of scoring keys is
must be taken so that important and difficult to
b. Skills
they measure job do if not trained in the
c. Achievement related qualities. process

Attitude Surveys On an individual basis, Important to use well

useful in determining developed scales
morale, motivation, or
satisfaction of each
employee.
Chapter 4 23
 Data Sources for Person Analysis –
Part 3 of 5
Data Sources for Training Need Remarks
Obtaining Data Implication

Checklists or Up-to-date listing of each Rely on supervisor

Training Progress employee’s skills. ratings, see “Performance
charts data or Appraisals”

Rating Scales Care must be taken to Rely on supervisor

ensure objective ratings, see “Performance
employee ratings. data or Appraisals”

Critical Incidents Observe actions critical Rely on supervisor

to successful and ratings, see “Performance
unsuccessful data or Appraisals”
performance.

Chapter 4 24
 Data Sources for Person Analysis –
Part 4 of 5
Data Sources for Training Need Remarks
Obtaining Data Implication
Diaries The individual
employee records
details of his (her) job.

Devised Situations Certain knowledge, Useful, but again, care

skills, and of attitudes in development of
are demonstrated in scoring criteria is
these techniques. important

Assessment Centers Combination of several of Although expensive to

the above techniques. develop and operate,
these are very good

Chapter 4 25
 Data Sources for Person Analysis –
Part 5 of 5
Data Sources for Training Need Remarks
Obtaining Data Implication

Coaching Similar to interview – Must choose coaches

one-to-one. carefully and train to be
most effective

MBO or Work Provides actual performance Good process when

Planning data on a recurring basis implemented properly,
related to organizational and Review Systems are
and group or individually the support of top
negotiated standards. management

Chapter 4 26
 Work Planning and Review at
Corning

Dimension Behavioral Written

Statement Example
Applying Sets high standards Developed written
quality for self and others: requirements for all
principles puts a great deal of suppliers on the
emphasis on error- Stafford project and
free work encouraged others to
do the same.

Chapter 4 27
 Likelihood of Deficiency Being a
Training Issue

Distinctiveness
Low High

High Unsure Low

Consensus
Low High Unsure

Chapter 4 28
A Comparison Reliability and Validity

Not reliable Reliable but Reliable and

or valid not valid valid

Chapter 4 29
Diagram Illustrating the Criterion
(Constructs) of Deficiency,
Relevance, and Contamination

Ultimate Criterion
criterion deficiency

Criterion
relevance

Actual Criterion
criterion contamination

Chapter 4 30