Analyzing L&D needs includes an assessment of the organization in terms of the competencies needed by each office for successful mission accomplishment, as well as an assessment of the needs of each employee. Generally, the main objectives of assessing developmental needs are to:

• determine if development is, in fact, needed
• assess individual skill deficiencies and developmental needs
• assess organizational skill deficiencies and developmental needs
• obtain information needed for the developing or selecting the appropriate learning strategy.
• Appendix B, Training Evaluation Guide

Organizational Needs Organizational factors to be considered include:

• strategic plans
• linkages to Government Performance & Results Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-62)
• program plans
• officeworkplans
• new legislation
• top management priorities
• results of program operational reviews and recommendations for areas of improvement
• the prospect of new or revised programs and work methods or techniques
• the supervisor's own assessment of his/her subordinates' abilities.

Employee Needs Identifying individual needs includes discussions, decisions, and commitments linked to individual performance results and required outcomes of organizational performance. These discussions may occur periodically; however, at a minimum, it is recommended that such discussions occur during performance appraisal meetings, which are designed to enhance the abilities of the employee on current tasks or to prepare for future assignments. Like performance appraisal, such assessments should also be a continuous process throughout the year. Consequences of Not Conducting aNeeds Assessment When needs assessments are not conducted, the following consequences may result:

• Valuable resources may be wasted on developing learning
• and development materials to teach skills and knowledge that employees already possess.
• Time may be wasted in teaching skills to employees that they do not need to perform their official responsibilities successfully.
• Employees may have a negative reaction to the activity because of the tone or style used.
• Case-study exercises and examples may not be realistic or appropriate.
• True training needs and barriers to job performance may go unaddressed.
• It may not be possible to determine if what was learned helped improve performance since no baseline measures of performance exist.

What is Needed to Conduct a Needs Assessment? Conducting a needs assessment can be an informal discussion between an employee and a supervisor or it can involve an elaborate process. In either case, some basic steps to consider are as follows:

• Identify the Target Population. Gather the data needed in order to describe who actually needs to be developed (i.e., employee or group). Ask yourself, "Who needs this development? Who can best benefit from it, NOW?"
• Identify the Competencies Currently Used to Perform Specific Functions/Tasks. Develop a list of functions/tasks and competencies performed by the employee or group. Identify established performance expectations and current levels of performance. Identify potential barriers to job performance. Determine the most important functions/tasks to be included in the developmental experience.
• Identify Competencies Needed to Perform New/Desired Tasks and Functions (Desired State). Determine what new or enhanced competencies are required in order to perform the new/desired task or function. This may include benchmarking successful organizations where "expert" performance models or best practices exist.
• Identify Gaps Between Current and Desired Competencies. These gaps are the developmental needs. It is important to note that there may be some root causes of deficiencies and/or barriers to effective performance (i.e., business processes, motivation, conflicting policies, workload, etc.).

Questions to Ask When Assessing NeedsCharacteristics of the Learner:

• What do we expect the learner will be able to do or know as a result of the development?
• Are there preferences for certain development delivery methods and media?
• In what past development experiences has the learner been involved in?

Job Function/Task Information:

• What accomplishments does the organization expect?
• Are the functions/tasks being performed expected to change?
• How well is the learner currently performing the functions/tasks?
• What potential barriers impact successful performance?
• Which functions/tasks are most critical?

Competency Information:

• What does the employee need to know and do in order to perform the critical functions/tasks associated with the job or mission?
• What special abilities/traits does the employee need to possess in order to perform the critical functions/tasks?
• What competencies do successful performers possess?