Discussion- Collaboration in Data Gathering Methods

From the sources you have reviewed to date, including the articles on needs assessment that for this unit's studies,

1. How easy or difficult would it be to gather accurate information to support the needs assessment process?

2. How does this relate to modeling requirements of the hybrid framework used in public needs assessment and A/CB processes?

3. What difficulties can you identify in getting consistent and reliable data?

The unit readings brought up the differences between collaborative and cooperative structures. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

1. Based on your studies thus far, what types of structure makes the most sense to you for the kinds of public issues that interest you?

2. Please explain your rationale and reasoning for your selection.

Unit 3 - Synthesis of Needs Assessment and Asset/Capacity Building

INTRODUCTION

Although change can be perceived as inevitable, often there are systemic forces that can impede the efforts of change. Crucial to the facilitation of the organizational and community change efforts is the synthesis of needs assessment planning issues and asset/capacity building (A/CB). It can thus impact many aspects of the instruments of change components such as stakeholders or change agents, practices, and needs-based data gathering processes. For this, the cooperation and collaboration between needs assessment and A/CB are imperative for the facilitation of positive change.

However, the forces of change threatening the efforts of change must be well assessed to aid in determining the needs based situation or analysis of the problem concept. To do so, a hybrid framework can be created by combining Lewin's (1951) force field analysis model, SWOT analysis tool, and strategic planning process. The SWOT analysis is an assessment tool used to assess the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats of the current needs-based situation and A/CB against the future situation.

There are many sources of needs-based data we can use to support an A/CB and public needs assessment process. Thus, what we need depends upon what we are studying in relation to A/CB and public needs assessment process. If our public
problem concept is access to home- and community-based services, we may be gathering data from a number of places.

We may need to determine how many people need this service, paid for under Medicaid. We also need to know how many licensed, and private providers are in the community. And finally, what do the people who need the services actually want?

As a real-life example of this, at one point the Medicaid data was available, but the last complete dataset was almost 2 years old. We could access public providers from licensing databases, but private providers who were small enough not to require a license were harder to find. And the participants themselves, the public who would be served by this program, had completely different needs. Some less obvious examples include in-home vet services for their pets, home improvement specialists to build ramps or create safe and accessible showers, and laundry services. Clearly, the databases for those services were very different.

The moral to the story is that each problem concept is unique. Who needs what is determined by those who will be served in the project, and the services and providers may have nothing to do with government agencies. That is why we, as public administrators, need to keep our minds open to the various possible solutions to our public's problems. This unit introduces some methods of performing the initial needs-based data gathering to inform the A/CB and needs assessment projects.

Reference

Lewin, K. (1964). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers. New York, NY: Harper Torchbooks.

Readings

Note: Be certain to read the unit introduction, as it may contain important information and references pertaining to this unit's content and activities.

Use your Bridging the Gap Between Asset/Capacity Building and Needs Assessment text to complete the following:

Read Chapter 2, "A Synthesis of Needs Assessment and Asset Capacity Building," pages 25-49.

Read Chapter 3, "Looking Closely at the First Three Critical Steps in the Framework," pages 51-80.

Use the library to complete the following:

Read Baulcomb's 2003 article, "Management of Change Through Force Field Analysis," from Journal of Nursing Management, volume 11, issue 4, pages 275-280.

Read Beagrie's 2004 article, "How to . . . Conduct a SWOT Analysis," from Personnel Today, page 21.

Read the 2012 article "SWOT Analysis" from Encyclopedia of Management, page 977-980.

• Explore the logic of SWOT analysis to assess the current public needs assessments and asset/capacity building in addressing complex problems.

Read SWOT Analysis to learn more about how to begin this process of assessing the systemic forces that can impede the facilitation of the organizational and community needs-based change efforts.

Read SWOT Analysis and Organization Summary to complete the interactive. This will help you in assessing the systemic forces that can impede the facilitation of the organizational and community needs-based change efforts.

• Determine and compare sources of needs-based data gathering methods for reliability, consistency, and effectiveness in support of the needs assessment project.