Module 4: Assessing needsModule 4: Assessing needs

MOA – FAO – TCP Workshop on MOA – FAO – TCP Workshop on Managing Training InstitutionsManaging Training Institutions

Beijing, 10 July 2012Beijing, 10 July 2012

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Objectives (I)Objectives (I)

To differentiate the concepts needs and To differentiate the concepts needs and needs assessment as basis to develop needs assessment as basis to develop effective training programs and activities.effective training programs and activities.

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Objectives (II)Objectives (II)

To identify the key stages and activities To identify the key stages and activities and understand the processes to conduct and understand the processes to conduct training needs assessment for various training needs assessment for various target beneficiaries.target beneficiaries.

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Objectives (III)Objectives (III)

To review examples of how training To review examples of how training institutions/organizations in different institutions/organizations in different settings assess needs. settings assess needs.

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Objectives (IV)Objectives (IV)

To work in small groups to design needs To work in small groups to design needs assessment activities based on actual assessment activities based on actual training courses from the FFRC and training courses from the FFRC and HHRRC and propose a procedural model HHRRC and propose a procedural model on needs assessment for training program on needs assessment for training program development.development.

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Basic concepts of needsBasic concepts of needs

NeedNeed is a gap between ‘what is’ and ‘what is a gap between ‘what is’ and ‘what should be’; a gap between real and ideal; should be’; a gap between real and ideal; a gap between the desired condition and a gap between the desired condition and current actual situation to achieve a current actual situation to achieve a certain outcome.certain outcome.

Want Want is something that you don’t really is something that you don’t really need but would be nice to have; an need but would be nice to have; an unfulfilled desire that you can live with. unfulfilled desire that you can live with.

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Basic concepts of needsBasic concepts of needs

Training needs Training needs are all those needs that are all those needs that can be fulfilled by imparting training to can be fulfilled by imparting training to participants of a program and that training participants of a program and that training will achieve the desired outcome. will achieve the desired outcome.

Non training needsNon training needs are those needs that are those needs that cannot be fulfilled through training cannot be fulfilled through training intervention in the change/acquisition of intervention in the change/acquisition of knowledge, skills, or attitudes.knowledge, skills, or attitudes.

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Basic concepts of needsBasic concepts of needs

Needs assessment Needs assessment is the process of is the process of gathering data and information that will gathering data and information that will shape and inform challenge course design, shape and inform challenge course design, training agenda and outcomes or a full training agenda and outcomes or a full program implementation. (WEB definition)program implementation. (WEB definition)

Needs analysisNeeds analysis is the process of identifying is the process of identifying and evaluating needs in a community or and evaluating needs in a community or other defined target population. other defined target population.

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Basic concepts of needsBasic concepts of needs

Training needs assessment (Training needs assessment (TNAs) is an TNAs) is an ongoing process of gathering ongoing process of gathering data/information that help determine what data/information that help determine what training needs exist so that effective training training needs exist so that effective training programs can be developed for the target programs can be developed for the target clientele. clientele.

Training needs analysis (Training needs analysis (TNAn) is a formal TNAn) is a formal process of identifying the training gap and its process of identifying the training gap and its related training need. (WEB definition)related training need. (WEB definition)

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What to determine in What to determine in assessing needs?assessing needs?

The institution, its mission, goals and The institution, its mission, goals and objectives;objectives;

Jobs and related tasks that need to be Jobs and related tasks that need to be learned;learned;

Competencies and skills needed to perform Competencies and skills needed to perform the tasks; the tasks;

The knowledge, skills and attitude The knowledge, skills and attitude requirements most suitable for the job;requirements most suitable for the job;

Individuals who are to be trained for the job.Individuals who are to be trained for the job.10

Two Approaches to NATwo Approaches to NA

1. Extensive needs assessment 1. Extensive needs assessment

- - uses a large number of cases to uses a large number of cases to determine trends (e.g. SWOT analysis determine trends (e.g. SWOT analysis involving 10-20 key stakeholders) involving 10-20 key stakeholders)

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Two Approaches to NATwo Approaches to NA

2. Intensive 2. Intensive needs assessment needs assessment

- involves the examination of few cases in - involves the examination of few cases in depth (focuses at individual level using depth (focuses at individual level using FGI, KII, FCW and other techniques were FGI, KII, FCW and other techniques were extensively used in the KAP survey to extensively used in the KAP survey to extract specific information on the extract specific information on the knowledge (K), attitude (A) and practice knowledge (K), attitude (A) and practice (P) of individual farmers and farming (P) of individual farmers and farming communities. communities.

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Methods & techniquesMethods & techniquesKAP SurveyKAP Survey

The KAP survey is one common method The KAP survey is one common method to assess needs and was extensively used to assess needs and was extensively used in the 1990s by FAO in many agriculture in the 1990s by FAO in many agriculture extension projects in developing countries extension projects in developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. The in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. The results of the survey were used as inputs results of the survey were used as inputs to design Strategic Extension Campaigns to design Strategic Extension Campaigns (SECs) that targets specific production (SECs) that targets specific production problems. problems.

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Why TNAs?Why TNAs?

TNAs should be an ongoing process of TNAs should be an ongoing process of gathering data/information gathering data/information

determine what training needs exist to determine what training needs exist to develop effective training programsdevelop effective training programs

determine priorities for decision makingdetermine priorities for decision making resource allocations to accomplish its resource allocations to accomplish its

mission, goals and objectives.mission, goals and objectives.

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Why TNAsWhy TNAs(Continued)(Continued)

fundamental to the success of developing fundamental to the success of developing and implementing a training program. and implementing a training program.

avoid risks of ‘over-doing training’, avoid risks of ‘over-doing training’, providing inadequate training, or missing providing inadequate training, or missing the critical aspects of training most the critical aspects of training most needed. needed.

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Who should conduct TNAs?Who should conduct TNAs?

Level 1: Level 1:

Institutional/organizational assessment Institutional/organizational assessment

The personnel involved at this level should The personnel involved at this level should include the policy makers, managerial include the policy makers, managerial staff, HR professionals, decision-makers staff, HR professionals, decision-makers and other senior level stakeholders.and other senior level stakeholders.

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Who should conduct TNAs?Who should conduct TNAs?

Level 2:Level 2:

Occupational assessment Occupational assessment

At this level the personnel involved should At this level the personnel involved should include middle-level managers, technical include middle-level managers, technical experts, production line managers/leaders experts, production line managers/leaders and other occupational experts.and other occupational experts.

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Who should conduct TNAs?Who should conduct TNAs?

Level 3:Level 3:

Individual assessment Individual assessment

The target employees and immediate The target employees and immediate supervisors should be the key personnel supervisors should be the key personnel to be consulted for this level of needs to be consulted for this level of needs assessment. assessment.

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Relationship: TNAs and TNAnRelationship: TNAs and TNAn

TNAs is an ongoing process of gathering TNAs is an ongoing process of gathering data/information that help determine what data/information that help determine what training needs exist so that effective training needs exist so that effective training programs can be developed for training programs can be developed for the target clientele. the target clientele.

TNAn is a formal process of identifying the TNAn is a formal process of identifying the training gaps that relate to the training training gaps that relate to the training needs identified. needs identified.

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How is TNAs conducted?How is TNAs conducted?

Two basic approaches Two basic approaches Extensive NA uses large no. of cases to Extensive NA uses large no. of cases to

determine trends, e.g. SWOT analysis determine trends, e.g. SWOT analysis

Intensive NA uses few cases in depth to Intensive NA uses few cases in depth to understand cause and effect, determine understand cause and effect, determine priorities and ranking them,priorities and ranking them,

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How is TNAs conducted?How is TNAs conducted?

Process of TNAsProcess of TNAs At each of the three levels of TNAs, a At each of the three levels of TNAs, a

training need analysis (TNAn) is training need analysis (TNAn) is undertaken to identify the training gaps undertaken to identify the training gaps that are related to training needs. that are related to training needs.

The information derived from the analysis The information derived from the analysis used as inputs for ongoing staff training used as inputs for ongoing staff training programs. programs.

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A project approach A project approach to conduct needs assessmentto conduct needs assessment

Methods & techniques usedMethods & techniques used Consultation Forum with stakeholdersConsultation Forum with stakeholders Focus group interview (FGI)Focus group interview (FGI) Key informant interview (KII)Key informant interview (KII) Farmers; Consultation workshopsFarmers; Consultation workshops Ten seed techniquesTen seed techniques KAP surveysKAP surveys

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Case Example 1:Case Example 1:

Assessing needs at national levelAssessing needs at national level

Pakistan Agribusiness Development Project Pakistan Agribusiness Development Project (ADB Loan 2171-PAK)(ADB Loan 2171-PAK)

This ADB Loan Project was implemented over a This ADB Loan Project was implemented over a period of five (5) years, 2005-2010.period of five (5) years, 2005-2010.

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Training needs identifiedTraining needs identified

Crop ManagementCrop Management Post Harvest ProcessesPost Harvest Processes Fresh Fruits HandlingFresh Fruits Handling Fruits and Vegetables DryingFruits and Vegetables Drying Fruit Processing/ProductsFruit Processing/Products Cut Flower TradingCut Flower Trading Business Management Business Management

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Case Example 2:Case Example 2:

Assessing needs at grassroots levelAssessing needs at grassroots level

Project: Improving Agricultural Services Delivery Project: Improving Agricultural Services Delivery and Enterprise Development in Arumeru District, and Enterprise Development in Arumeru District,

Arusha RegionArusha Region

Republic of TanzaniaRepublic of Tanzania

The Project funded by the Commonwealth Fund for The Project funded by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC),Technical Cooperation (CFTC),

Commonwealth Secretariat (CS)Commonwealth Secretariat (CS)

Implemented in April-May 2005Implemented in April-May 2005   

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Ten Seed Technique: Ten Seed Technique: Participatory wealth ranking by villagersParticipatory wealth ranking by villagers

  

Visual ‘D’ PRA Tools – Individual Wealth Ranking using the Ten Seed Techniques (TST)

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Thank-you.Thank-you.

Time for questions and discussion.Time for questions and discussion.

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