Training Needs Analysis

To understand the development needs throughout the business, COMPANY XYZ would like to have a meeting with you (the training manager) to discuss your department training requirements. In order to provide some structure to the session, Company XYZ asks that you complete the attached training analysis form prior to the meeting.

Some other items you might want to consult are:

• Organizational Chart
• Job Descriptions
• Training Goals for the department
• Training Goals for the employee's
• Competency Reports
• Other relevant training data

Your perspective on training development opportunities, along with the data that you provide, will help Company XYZ better understand your goals and help close/support any competency needs your department. 

Training Needs Analysis

Complete the following in a total of 1,050-to 1,400 words.

1. What is your training problem statement or objective? 

2. What skills and knowledge are required to perform the work?

3. What are the measures of successful performance of the work?

4. Are people performing at the levels required?

5. Is there under-performance for specific groups of employees?

6. What are the causes of under-performance?

7. What training will help bridge the gap between the standards of performance needed and the actual performance?

8. Is there specific training that is needed in the training triad categories below? 

a. Technical training

b. Business skills training

c. Human skills training

9. What is the expected return on the investment (ROI)?

10. What does success look like?

11. Do you have a budget for the training development/course?

12. Any other relevant information? 

Before training is determined or designed, a training needs analysis should be considered to develop a root cause and systemic understanding of the training elements such as what needs to be trained, who needs to be trained, where is the training location, and how the training will be measured. Unless a needs assessment is adequately performed it may be difficult to rationally justify providing training. A needs assessment will enable management to determine if training is the best solution for the performance problem or development need. A needs assessment can be a critical tool for any training department. The learner and the organizational needs will be considered during this process. The objectives will be relevant and the outcomes measurable. 

1. Your training objective would be something like: at the end of the training staff will be able to direct customers to product locations in the store, or explain that the store does not have the product and provide alternatives.

2. The knowledge needed would be the store plan layout, typical products in inventory. The skills needed might be asking good questions to understand exactly what the customer is looking for and the ability to look products up on the computer.

So that's question 1 and 2. Expand on those, write 50 to 100 words in response to each question and voila! you're done. As for those other documents (org charts, goals, etc.), they are useful as reference to respond to the questions. If you don't have them, you don't have them. 

The main skill for you is to use your logic and experience to engage in some ciritical thinking about performance gaps. Think about what might be the cause of the gap between what staff are supposed to do, and what they actually do.