This book covers the essentials of needs analysis from the emerging trainer's perspective by providing just the right amount of support and knowledge without going too deep into the subject. The topics covered include when and how to do a training needs analysis; using informal and formal analysis techniques; goal, task and population analysis; and how to develop and present a training plan for management approval. Each chapter includes appropriate data gathering tools. The Skilled Trainer series provides practical guidance for those who've had some exposure to training and would like to take their career to the next level.

Needs Assessment for Learning and Performance offers comprehensive coverage of the knowledge and skills needed to develop and conduct needs assessments and to analyze, interpret, and communicate results to clients and organizations. Though critical to planning any performance improvement system, needs assessments can feel abstract and vague to students who have not yet managed the process in a professional setting. This first-of-its-kind textbook uses a variety of real-world examples to connect major theories and models to effective principles for practice. Each chapter offers guiding questions, key terms and concepts, recommended readings, and case studies illustrating how needs assessment training can be applied. Graduate students and researchers of instructional design, human resources, performance improvement, program evaluation, and other programs will find this volume relevant to a range of academic and organizational contexts.

"Adds new information covering the use of computer technology and the web to conduct training, as well as coverage of contemporary training issues, such as changes in demographics, the influences of technology, and the increasing emphasis on international concerns." --Cover.

Go from order-taker to valued performance consultant. You may be pressured to give an immediate “yes” to a training request. Resist. Instead, start playing an essential role in driving your organization forward by using needs assessment to target your training programs to support critical business goals. Organizations need staff to be efficient and effective. That calls for training programs that get to the core of performance issues. A needs assessment ensures that you understand the root of problems like knowledge gaps, performance issues, and product quality and gives you the tools to resolve them. This second edition of Needs Assessment Basics starts with the initial training request and guides you all the way through data collection and making training recommendations. A progressive case study illustrates the seven phases of a needs assessment plan to reinforce each chapter’s content. Part of ATD’s Training Basics series, Needs Assessment Basics will help you develop a foundation that will ensure the training programs you design and deliver will help the organization succeed.

Develop and deliver a robust employee training and development program Training and Development For Dummies gives you the tools you need to develop a strong and effective training and development program. Covering the latest in talent development, this informative guide addresses classroom, virtual, and blended learning to open up your options and help you design the program that's right for your company. You'll explore the different modes of formal learning, including social learning, m-learning, and MOOCs, and delve into the benefits and implementation of self-directed and informal learning. The discussion covers mentoring and coaching, rotational and stretch assignments, and how to align talent development with the company's needs. You'll learn how to assess employee skills, design and deliver training, and evaluate each step of the process to achieve the goals of both the employee and the organization. Most employees have some weaknesses in their skill sets. A robust training program allows you to strengthen those skills, and a development program brings all employees up to the highest possible level of productivity and success. This book helps you create consistency in your company by developing and delivering the exact training and development program your people need. Develop a strong training and development program Foster a supportive and innovative work environment Learn about social learning, m-learning, and MOOCs Assess and evaluate your staff more effectively A great training and development program boosts performance, productivity, job satisfaction, and quality of services, while reducing costs and supervision. Investing in your employees gives an excellent ROI, as talent development is a primary driver behind both motivation and loyalty. Training and Development For Dummies shows you how to reap these benefits, with step by step guidance and essential expert insight.

Making informed decisions is the essential beginning to any successful development project. Before the project even begins, you can use needs assessment approaches to guide your decisions. This book is filled with practical strategies that can help you define the desired results and select the most appropriate activities for achieving them.

LEARN HOW TO DESIGN ELEARNING THAT DELIVERS RESULTS (AND DOESN'T SUCK)! When you're tasked with creating your very first eLearning course, it can be hard (and downright scary) trying to figure out where to begin. You likely have a million questions running through your head. How do you plan your project and set it up for success? How do you collect learning content from your subject matter experts? Why do you need an eLearning storyboard, and how do you write one? How do you develop a prototype of your eLearning course? And, what the heck is a prototype anyway? When and where should you include interactivity? When should you let your SMEs review your course? And what's a "SME" again? And what do you do when they don't give you feedback? Trying to get answers to all of these questions can quickly leave you saying to yourself, "I don't think I'm cut out for this eLearning thing!" But, here's some good news: you're not alone! The truth is, most eLearning designers entered fell, stumbled, and dropped into the world of eLearning entirely by accident. This is where the second edition of The eLearning Designer's Handbook can help! In this book, Tim Slade will show you that the eLearning development process doesn't have to be as complicated as it might seem. If you're new to eLearning, Tim will walk you through the complete eLearning design and development process, providing you practical tips and advice, based on his own experience working as an eLearning designer for over a decade. With the second edition of The eLearning Designer's Handbook, you'll discover how to... Plan your eLearning project by conducting a kickoff meeting with your stakeholders. Conduct a needs analysis and recommend a training solution. Draft an eLearning project plan and development timeline. Define the learning objectives and create a blended training solution. Collect and organize your learning content into a design document. Create a course outline and draft a storyboard of your eLearning course. Create a prototype and develop your course with an eLearning authoring tool. Incorporate interactivity into your eLearning course. Reduce cognitive load and increase learning retention. Deliver and measure the effectiveness of your eLearning course. Conduct a retrospective at the end of your project. So, what's new in the second edition? With the second edition of The eLearning Designer's Handbook, Tim Slade went back to the drawing board to rewrite and redesign every single page of the book. Not only does the second edition include a boatload of new content on instructional design best practices, but it also includes even more practical content geared towards new eLearning designers. With the second edition of The eLearning Designer's Handbook, you'll get... 3X more content Full-color print Real-world examples More tools and templates

In 1995, Witkin and Altschuld proposed a three phase process model of needs assessment: - Preassessment (learning as much as possible from existing, inexpensive sources) - Assessment (collecting new information about the needs in consideration) - Postassessment (prioritizing needs, understanding their causes, and translating priorities into action plans for organizations). The model has been extensively re-conceptualized and forms the basis for this book. The content includes a user-oriented approach to a comprehensive overview of the three phases and the 14 key steps necessary to implement them. Numerous examples and practical illustrations are given throughout the text as guidance for needs assessors and those who do research on the topic. An extensive glossary of needs-related terms and an outline of a final report are also provided. The book is the first one in the Needs Assessment KIT with connections to the other four.

The latest Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Organizational Psychology uses a psychological perspective, and a uniquely global focus, to review the latest literature and research in the interconnected fields of training, development, and performance appraisal. Maintains a truly global focus on the field with top international contributors exploring research and practice from around the world Offers researchers and professionals essential information for building a talented organization, a critical and challenging task for organizational success in the 21st century Covers a diverse range of topics, including needs analysis, job design, active learning, self-regulation, simulation approaches, 360-degree feedback, and virtual learning environments