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Instructional Design Activity: Needs Analysis

 

Overall Instructor Rating: Satisfactory

Ratings explanation:

  • Exemplary - A model answer in almost every way (this is given out very rarely).
  • Satisfactory - Very well done; you've met the expectations of the assignment. There are some minor problems, so read my feedback well.
  • Marginal Pass - You pass, but there are lots of issues to consider. Read my feedback very carefully and be sure you understand the points/issues I raise.
  • Not satisfactory, redo and resubmit - The assignment was not completed appropriately. I am concerned that you do not understand the process well enough yet. To get credit for the assignment, you need to redo it, most probably on another topic. Read and consider my feedback very carefully before redoing.

Instructor's Overall Feedback:

Hi Jami: This draft is a big improvement over the first draft. Your questions for the survey are excellent. They really get at what is important to improve the entry level knowledge/skills of employees that use this system. Your instructional goals are much better too, although I would change "should" to "will be able to". Your 3rd goal could be more specific (i.e., demonstrate the key functions of the system required of their position). Good work on this assignment. Dr. Law. Hi Jami: This is a good start on the Needs Assessment. The rating just means that it's not ready yet. I think it could be more specific in some places. Please see my comments and resubmit it for my review. Problem - Are they still able to do their jobs satisfactorily even though they do not know some of the basic functions of the system? If so, is intervention really required? Is it broken or could it just be better, more efficient? Survey - Did not describe the types of questions that you would gather in the survey or interviews. You don't need to include the complete list but I would list a few key questions that inform the reader the main focus of your survey. Data - You wrote, "From the interview I learned that new employees are given basic (need to know) training on the ImageRight system." This is still pretty vague. What is "need to know" knowledge skills as compared to "basic functionality"? You should investigate with the managers and high performers what the core competencies should be for the job so you can compare that with the average competencies being demonstrated to identify the gap where instruction is needed. Final Goal - "Learners should be able to do the functions of their daily job in ImageRight as they did in paper." - I like this goal since it focuses on the basic competencies to do the job. They will build on to their knowledge and skills by performing the job using the "just-in-time" information/training resources. This is good, but I would show this emphasis on basic job functions in the earlier sections of your Needs Assessment.

 

1. Preliminary: Describe the context within which this potential instructional problem takes place. This will pinpoint where the problem is located. If instruction is deemed necessary, this will be the place where it will be designed and implemented.

a. List the context, also known as the "system of interest".

Your final response:

Insurance organizations that use the ImageRight Desktop application.

b. Describe or show how the context relates to the bigger environment. Show how this context relates to other levels of the system within which it works.

Your final response:

These organizations are part of the insurance industry. They range from 3 person reinsurance companies to 2,500 employees at insurance carriers. They all have the ImageRight system which is designed to make insurance organizations paperless and more efficient. Learners must be able to use this system instead of paper to complete their daily job functions.

The instructor's feedback to step 1:

No specific feedback given on this step.

2. Symptoms of a problem. Write a brief description of some symptoms that make you stop and wonder if something is wrong.

Your final response:

When visiting clients that have been using the system for a while they often do not know about basic functionality available in the system.

Using the evidence cited above, describe why you believe that these symptoms signal a problem. Keeping these questions in mind, describe the reasons for identifying these symptoms as problematic.

Your final response:

If learners do not know the basic functionality of the ImageRight system they are not going to be able to do their work as efficiently as their managers would expect. They will quickly become frustrated with the system.

The instructor's feedback to step 2:

No specific feedback given on this step.

3. Preliminary Problem Statement. Based on 1 and 2, write a preliminary draft problem statement. Your context should be the subject of the statement. This is just the initial pass -- the statement will be revised in subsequent steps.

Your final response:

ImageRight clients need additional training beyond what is provided during the initial implementation.

The instructor's feedback to step 3:

No specific feedback given on this step.

4. Verify the problem and determine specific needs. Two things will now happen concurrently. First, you need a systematic procedure to identify and collect data in order to verify that a problem exists. Second, you must identify information that the data sources may help uncover.

 

Data sources (who, what)

Information gathered

What did you find? (Needs)*

Example: Interview participants in course; administer class survey; administer test of understanding.

Example: Participant opinions on IDAs and course; Participant score on test.

Example: Participants believe there is too much jargon (felt need); Participants don't understand ID vocabulary as compared to other classes (comparative need); Participants don't score above national average (comparative need); Participants don't/couldn't see the relation between their work and the ID process)

Your final response:

To gather data I will send out a survey to ImageRight contacts. This will give me a general idea of our clients needs. I will also interview a trainer from a client site who deals with end users on a daily basis. Finally, I can interview recent ImageRight employee trainees who had to learn the system having no previous knowledge of our software.

Your final response:

From the survey I will see what the most frequently asked questions regarding the ImageRight Desktop application. Basic answers from the survey indicate that there is a need for follow up training to the initial install. From the interview I learned that new employees are given basic (need to know) training on the ImageRight system.

Your final response:

Participants are overwhelmed during the initial install with the amount of material covered. They do not understand why they use particular features until they have used the system for a month or so, by that time they do not remember how it works. Also, new employees hired after the initial training do not have access to the same amount of training that other learners did. They are only trained on what someone else remembers from the training and do not have training on the full functionality.

*Note: You are not required to gather data; you can draw on your experience or imagination to list the data you might gather.

The instructor's feedback to step 4:

No specific feedback given on this step.

5. Prioritize your list of needs.Which are most important? Why are they most important?

Prioritized needs

Reasons/evidence for priority

Your final response:

1. New employees need more in depth training on the ImageRight system. 2. Learners need an on demand review of functionality they have already learned. 3. Participants should be made to feel at ease during the initial training.

Your final response:

New hires should benefit from the full training of the system otherwise they will be unable obtain efficiency gains in their daily work. Ensuring all ImageRight trainees have a robust understanding of the system is imperative since they have contact with other potential ImageRight prospects. Word travels fast in the industry and we must maintain a good reputation. ImageRight stays at the clients office for a week after training however all possible scenarios do not occur during that time. Learners need access to a review of this information immediately so that they can continue to work and gain the necessary efficiencies. ImageRight staff is not available, nor is the client willing to pay for additional support indefinitely. Multiple types of learners that perform different job functions are in the same training session therefore it is necessary to cover a lot of information. Although it is emphasized that learners are not required to memorize all of this information they still are nervous. This may be due to the fact that implementing the ImageRight system is a big change. As with all change learners are uncomfortable and unsure of the future. This may not be an instructional issue.

The instructor's feedback to step 5:

No specific feedback given on this step.

6. Rewrite your problem statement. Take a moment to look carefully at the initial problem statement that you wrote. Revisit your prioritized needs and check if your problem statement is still accurate and appropriate.

Rewrite the problem statement here:

Your final response:

ImageRight clients need an inclusive tutorial for new hires and access to instruction on-demand about basic ImageRight functionality.

The instructor's feedback to step 6:

No specific feedback given on this step.

7. Identify the instructional goals. The last step in Needs Assessment is to list a few goals of instruction. Remember, not all goals can be solved through instruction. The instructional goals you identify will be the starting information for the next steps in the instructional design process. List the instructional goals in order of priority.

 

Instructional goals by priority

Reasons for importance

Your final response:

1. Learners should be able to do the functions of their daily job in ImageRight as they did in paper. 2. Learners should expand their knowledge of existing functionality so they will be able to do their job more efficiently. Client fears were not identified as an instructional problem therefore were not included in the goals.

 

Your final response:

Goal one is first priority because if someone is completely unable to use the ImageRight system, he or she can not do the job. Existing ImageRight learners have the ability to get the job done they just need to expand their knowledge. Completing goal one is more comprehensive. If the complete tutorial is divided into units, it may be possible for existing learners to access only the units with which they are unfamiliar.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

No specific feedback given on this step.