Planning for a Needs Assessment
Needs assessment is the first step that should be taken in the instructional design process, so it can be determined whether training is actually necessary. The following is a needs assessment for Southwest Airlines. To complete the needs assessment, organization, person, and task analyses were conducted.
Southwest Airlines Mission Statement
“The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit” (“The Mission”, 1988).
Stakeholders Who Must Buy-In to Needs Assessment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions Asked During Organizational Analysis Phase
Managers
- How can training help us achieve our mission of providing the highest quality customer service?
- What organizational resources can be dedicated to training?
- Will training help us achieve our strategic goals?
- Who should develop/deliver the training?
Trainers
- How can our customers help us in developing the objectives and outcomes for our training?
- What elements in the work environment may be barriers to transfer of training?
- Whose support do we need?
- How will we get management to support the training?
- How can we design relevant training?
- How can we communicate to trainees that the training is relevant to them?
(Noe, 2010, p. 111)
Questions Asked During Person Analysis Phase
Managers
- Who needs training?
- How can we convey to the trainees why they are being trained?
Trainers
- Who needs training?
- Do the trainees have the ability, attitude, beliefs, and motivation necessary to learn?
- Can we offer a choice of training programs?
(Noe, 2010, p. 103)
Questions Asked During Task Analysis Phase
Managers
- What work activities are suffering from a performance gap?
- Are these activities performed frequently?
- Are these activities critical for successful goal achievement?
- How hard are the tasks to perform?
- Who can provide expert information on these tasks?
- Do these tasks help us to achieve our strategic goals and objectives?
- How are we choosing recipients for our charitable funds?
Trainers
- Do the trainees lack the knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete their work activities?
- Do the trainees need training under special conditions, such as long delays or in-flight emergencies?
- What tasks must be successfully performed to be certified in the job?
- How can we develop competencies that will help us be a leader in the airline industry?
(Noe, 2010, p. 124-126)
Documents/Records Required for Needs Assessment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(“Our Commitments, n.d.)
Employed Needs Assessment Techniques
- Observation of employees at work (easy to be a passenger/blend in with passengers)
- Questionnaires to suppliers and charitable funds recipients
- Focus groups of passengers
- Study of above documentations
(Noe, 2010, p. 108)
Importance of Analysis Phase in Designing Training Programs
The needs analysis phase of designing training programs is the most crucial phase. Without a proper needs analysis, training may be developed that is not needed, training may be developed that is not effective or does not align with an organization’s strategic goals and objectives, employees may not be ready for the training, many resources may be wasted, and the training program’s reputation may suffer.
The needs analysis phase may determine that training is not the answer to correct the performance gap. If training is called for, the needs analysis pinpoints the tasks for which training is needed.
The results of the needs analysis phase will be essential for the following steps in developing the training program. Learning objectives and outcomes will be based on the results. The results will be used to determine the most effective way to design, develop, and implement the training program. Finally, the results will determine the appropriate evaluation criteria needed to ascertain the successfulness of the training program.
(Noe, 2010, p. 103-105)
References
Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Our commitment. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/index.html?int=GFOOTER-ABOUT-ABOUT.
The mission of Southwest Airlines. (1988). Retrieved from http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/index.html?int=GFOOTER-ABOUT-ABOUT.
technology at all. With a company the size of Southwest Airlines are you planning to do all of this just from the headquarters of the company and have people come to you? Will you go out to the field? If so, this is where I see the need to use of technology for communicative purposes. Perhaps to do your questionnaires and for focus groups for passengers.
ReplyDeleteGene
Hi Gene
ReplyDeleteIt will definitely be necessary to go out into the field to conduct the needs assessment. However, technology can help to make this process more efficient. Questionnaires can be effectively be sent, collected, and analyzed through the use of technology. Technology can also be used to collect information while observing employees on the job. While I believe that it would be preferable to conduct focus groups in person, I can also see how technology could be used in this area also. Especially as a follow-up to any issues that may have occurred with a few people at multiple locations. Technology could easily link these people together, providing a cost savings to the company.
Sue
Hi Susan:
ReplyDeleteI too chose Southwest Airlines. I found Southwest’s commitment to staff and their commitment to creating a positive work environment really interesting. It will be important for them to maintain their positive work environment culture, especially with the merger with Air Tran Airways, in order to remain competitive. The CEO of this organization appears to value staff as their first valuable asset and the need to ensure they are trained to do their job.
A few things that Noe(2010) talks about are factors that contribute to the positive learning environment and these include: 1) employees need to know why they should learn, 2) employees need meaningful content, 3) employees need opportunities to practice, 4) employees need feedback, and 5) employees need the training program to be properly coordinated and arranged (pp. 154-163. These are just some of the factors, but a needs analysis would help to create effective training that promotes a positive learning environment. My guess is Southwest Airlines recognizes the process of instructional design and follows the standards that promote effective training and development. Did you get the same feeling?
References:
Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee Training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Sue,
ReplyDeleteYou did a very good job identifying the different stakeholders that need to be considered in your analysis. You did a nice job identifying questions for the managers and trainers. I liked the question regarding work environment barriers to the transfer of knowledge. This would be a good question to also ask of the employees and suppliers/airport managers. At what point in the analysis would you ask the employees, who they feel need training, as well as what tasks they see a need for additional training and support? Would it be of value to ask the employees what activities they see as critical for the success of the companies goal achievements?
Excellent list of documents and records. They should provide a good set of background data and information to start your analysis. Good recommendation to use focus groups to collect information from customers. I would agree with your response to Gene that the observations of the employees may require follow-up interviews or questionnaires to get clarification on issues. Good job rationalizing the importance of doing a thorough needs analysis prior to starting training.
Dr. Burke