Conducting a Training Needs Analysis

Write 3-4 pages focused on gap analysis and your simulation experience for conducting a training needs analysis that is the basis for an effective training and development program design.

Introduction

For this assessment, you will use the CapraTek: Training Needs Assessment simulation. Using this simulation, featuring a fictitious technology organization, will require you to make some decisions about which employees to gather data from, and about what data to utilize and interpret in your assessment. The goal of developing this data is to drive employee performance in the direction of the organizational strategy.

Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other to form a training and development program, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.

The first and most critical step of designing a training and development program is to conduct a training needs analysis (or assessment) to identify actual training needs. This is often referred to as a gap analysis because the gap is the difference between what the employees currently know and what they need to know.

In developing a training and development program, you often interview subject matter experts (SMEs) to gather data on training needs. This assessment asks you to imagine yourself in the role of a training consultant who will be developing a training program, and the simulation’s design demonstrates how to create strong questions for SMEs and how to use the interviews to obtain key documentation and data about training needs.

In this assessment, you will practice performing a training needs analysis (TNA) by selecting whom to interview and deciding what data to gather in order to identify gaps in trainee knowledge. You will summarize your findings using a TNA format. Include what trainees should know (or be able to do), and then using your findings, identify what they currently know (or can do). The gap will determine the learning objectives on a specific topic that the trainees should meet during the program you design and develop in this course. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, a model that classifies levels of learning, can help you successfully prepare learning objectives for trainees at the proper level of human cognition: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation.

Preparation

Complete the CapraTek: Training Needs Assessment simulation activity. This simulation will help you understand how to create strong questions, select appropriate subject matter experts, and gain the understanding of how and where to locate key information related to an organization’s (CapraTek’s) training needs.

• Familiarize yourself with the scenario and the information on the home panel of the media piece before you proceed to the activity.
• This TNA simulation uses navigation that requires you to complete certain steps before moving on to the next step.
• You will have the opportunity to go through the activity multiple times to see how different decisions affect the outcome.
• Be sure to download your results after completing this simulation; you will use them in this assessment.

Requirements

For this assessment, complete the following:

• Describe what a training needs analysis is.
• Analyze methods for performing a training needs analysis (gap analysis) to determine what trainees know or can do prior to training.
• Justify the SMEs selected to interview and the questions asked for the training needs analysis.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is in a professional style with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style.
• Headings: Incorporate level headings according to current APA style.
• Length: A typical response will be 3–4 typed, double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
• References: As needed.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 2: Demonstrate effective training program design, development, and implementation.
  • Describe what a training needs analysis is.
  • Analyze methods for performing a training needs analysis (gap analysis) to determine what trainees know or can do prior to training.
  • Justify the SMEs selected to interview and the questions asked for the training needs analysis.