Return to the list of Needs Assessment IDAs | Return to the IDA Library Home Page

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:

I like the way you really dived into this IDA! You seemed to have chosen a topic that you know a lot about. I hope my feedback below is helpful.

 

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:

Sherwin-Talbert Home Improvements, a do-it-yourself home improvement company

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:

Sherwin-Talbert is a well-known, upscale, very profitable do-it-yourself home improvement company. ST specializes in paints, window treatments, floor coverings, and doors. ST is a national company and has stores throughout the southeast, with plans to open two stores in the northeast within the next twelve months. Each ST store is divided into four departments - the Paint Department, Window Treatments, Floor Coverings, and Doors(for the inside and outside). Each department consists of a supervisor, four fulltime employees and four part-time employees.

The instructor's feedback to step 1:

Good description!

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:

The management at ST feels that its goal has always been to keep their customers happy by offering variety, quality, instruction, and money-back guarantees. The ST goal of good customer service includes keeping errors to a minimum, and complaints down, which keep costs down. During the last three quarterly meetings, management has noticed that ST is not meeting its customer service goals. Although the other three departments are experienceing some problems, the Paint Department is experiencing an unusually high number of complaints from customers. The number of returns to the Paint Department reflect that customers are returning products at a rate of approximately 10%, instead of the return rate goal of not more than 1% that was set by the company.

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:

Customers are returning products to the Paint Department at a rate of approximately 10%, many times above the return rate goal of 1%. A closer look at the breakdown of the customers' complaints and reasons for the returns indicate that the Paint Department has problems that relate to the following: 1. Wrong colors have been given or colors have been mixed improperly. 2. Inside paint has been given for outside paint jobs. 3. Outside paint has been given inside paint jobs. 4. Flat paints have been recommended where glossy paint is needed. 5. Glossy paint has been recommended where flat paint is needed. 6. Too little paint has been given for a specified area (even after the customer provides room sizes/dimensions). 7. Too much paint has been given for a specified area (even after the customer provides room sizes/dimensions). 8. Customers are being encouraged to buy extra materials and supplies that they do not need for the job they explained to the Paint Department employee. 9. The use of primers are not recommended or explained enough in detail. 10.Customers are complaining that they are having to return to the store entirely too many times, even to complete the simplest paint jobs.

The instructor's feedback to step 2:

Very specific examples of symptoms! My only suggestion is that your answer to *why* these symptoms signal a problem was a continued list of symptoms. One answer to why it poses a problem is that people will stop buying paint from this store!

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:

The return rate and the complaint rate is simply too high. This high rate of returns and complaints are dangerous to the continued success and reputation of ST. After further reviewing the complaints, management has discovered that the compaints are not limited to one or two employees, but the complaints are spread equally among all employees. Wrong colors being given to a customer seems to be happening as a result of carelessness and lack of orginzation. Mixing errors are much more problematic. The inside/outside paint problems can be attributed, in part, to a major stocking error that was made a few weeks ago. However, employees should check each product carefully before giving it to the customer. The eight employees in the Paint Department do not seem to be adequately trained to answer many of the questions customers ask. Employees have no quick reference source, if they do not know the answer to a question. Employees don't seem to have adequate math skills to compute the correct amount of paint a customer needs for an area, even when the customer provides exact room sizes and dimensions. Employees do not seem to understand when and under what conditions flat paint, glossy paint, and primers are used. Customers resent having to return to the store to return products they never needed in the first place. Customers should never have to return to the store two or three times to complete a task, unless the customer makes the error.

The instructor's feedback to step 3:

Very well thought out, but the problem statement needs to be a succinct statement where the subject of the sentence is the correct system of interest. This sentence from above is a good candidate: "The eight employees in the Paint Department do not seem to be adequately trained to answer many of the questions customers ask." However, I suggest we change it a little to something like this: "Sherwin-Talbert Home Improvements training department does not adequately train its paint department employees adequately to answer customer questions or serve customer needs." There also seems to be an issue of whether the company is hiring employees with the appropriate prerequisite skills (such as math). I doubt the company wants to get involved with teaching remedial math.

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:

1. Employee surveys 2. In-store customer surveys (to be conducted in the Paint Department) 3. Call/contact customers who filed complaints 4. Interview employees, managers, supervisors, and subject matter experts about the problem. 5. Administer a general paint products test to the entire department to measure product knowledge 6. Administer a math test that determines if employees have the math aptitude to compute the amount of product needed 7. If available, review manufacturers' notes, quick-reference guides, and recommendations about their individual paint products. 8. Review employee job descriptions 9. Review existing training materials 10. Observe employees 11. Review employee performance records

Your final response:

1. Employees feel that initial training period is too short, focuses a lot on being friendly and courteous, and not enough on developing other skills that really keep customers happy. 1. Employees acknowledge that math good skills are vital and they would like opportunities to practice computations. 1. The eight employees in the Paint Department do not feel adequately trained to answer many of the questions customers ask. 1. Employees are frustrated and want to whatever is necessary to improve their performance and improve the image of the Paint Department. 1. Employees believe that the department is short-staffed on weekends, which adds to the confusion of orders,long lines, and frustrated customers. 1.Employees feel that some errors can be attributed to language barriers between customers and Paint Department employees. 2. Customers acknowledge that employees are friendly and courteous, but believe that some employees do not seem to have the skills to help them. 2. Customer enjoy their shopping experience more when phamplets/brochures/quick reference guides are available, then they can solve some of their own problems. 3. Customers claim that asking two different employees the same question will yield two different answers. 3. Customers have to return to the store too many times to complete a task. 4. Employees have no quick reference sources, if they do not know the answer to a question. 4. There is no sucessful escalation process in place when employees have problems they cannot solve. 5. Employees do not seem to understand when and under what conditions flat paints, glossy paints, and primers are used. 6. Employees do not seem to have adequate math skills to compute the correct amount of paint a customer needs for an area, even when the customer provides exact room sizes and dimensions. 7. Employees seldomly, if ever, refer to the manufacturer's suggestions or read manufacturers guides to help solve problems. 8. The job descriptions are outdated and should be revised to help redefine training goals and objectives. 9. Existing training materials are outdated and do not contain enough practice activities and tests to measure mastery. 10. Employees are patient, friendly and courteous. When lines start to form, employees become flustered and stressed. 11. Most employees are fairly new, but have good job records and solid work histories. 11. There are no attendance problems in the Paint Department.

Your final response:

1-11 Employees, customers, and management are unhappy about the overall performance of the Paint Department. 2. The department needs to make more manufactuers literature available to employees and customers. 4. Employees need quick reference sources, if they do not know the answer to a question. 4. Employees need to have a sucessful escalation process in place to help with difficult customers or difficult situations. 5. Employees need to know when and under what conditions flat paints, glossy paints, and primers are used. 6. Employees have adequate math aptitudes, but need to be given proper instruction on how to make necessary paint computations. 8. The job descriptions need to be revised. 9. Existing training materials need to be updated with more activities and tests for understanding. 10. Employees need information on remaining calm in stressful situations.

*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:

Again, very thoroughly thought out. I'm very impressed with the depth of which you are tackling this! My feedback is to relook at your list of needs -- it's a hodge podge of different things. Try to focus on describing specific needs as per the need types we discussed in class (e.g. normative, comparative, etc.). I think there are several normative needs here regarding employee knowledge of the paint products and their application in people's homes. Similarly, there are normative needs related to employee ability to deliver customer service in other areas.

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. Employees need to know when and under what conditions to recommend flat paints, glossy paints, and primers. 2. Employees need proper instruction on how to make necessary paint computations. 3. Employees need quick reference sources, if they do not know the answer to a question. 4. Employees need to have a sucessful escalation process in place to help with difficult customers or difficult situations. 5. The department needs to make more manufactuers literature available to employees and customers 6. Employees need to be coached on remaining calm in stressful situations. 7. The job descriptions need to be revised. 8. Existing training materials need to be updated with more activities and tests for understanding.

Your final response:

1. Employees need help most immediately with knowing when to recommend flat paints, glossy paints, and primers. Represents about 40% of the questions asked by customers. 2. Employees need proper instruction on computations. Represents about 30% of the questions asked by customers. 3. Employees need quick reference sources, about 20% of the time. 4. Employees need to have an escalation process about 5% of the time. 5. Customers ask for more literature about 5% of the time. 6. Employees need to be coached on remaining calm in stressful situations. 7. The job descriptions need to be revised as soon as time permits. 8. Existing training materials need to be updated with more activities and tests for understanding.

The instructor's feedback to step 5:

Good priority!

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:

The ten percent return and complaint rate in the Paint Department is simply too high. This high rate of returns and complaints are dangerous to the continued success and reputation of ST. After further reviewing the complaints, management has discovered that the compaints are not limited to one or two employees, but the complaints are spread equally among all employees.

The instructor's feedback to step 6:

See my notes above for my recommended problem statement.

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. Start re-training all eight employees and the supervisor immediately on when to recommend various paints (glossy, flat, indoor, outdoor), proper mixing, and labeling of paints, and using primers. 2. Prepare instruction on computations and how to compute the amount of paint/primer needed for specific paint jobs. Prepare examples, samples, games, role-plays, and quizzes on paint computations. 3. Develop quick reference cards and add quick reference section to intranet site. 4. Develop an escalation procedures card for the department and add procedures to the intranet site. 5. Familiarize employees with available paper literature on paints/primers/supplies from manufacturers and ST. Also add additional information to intranet site. 6. Prepare a two-hour session on stress management keeping customers happy, even while they wait in line. 7. Revise job descriptions for the Paint Department as soon as time permits. 8. For future using and training new hires, revise all existing training materials and update them to include more activities and tests for understanding.

 

Your final response:

Sherwin-Talbert is not meeting its customer service goals. A ten percent product return rate is an indication that there is a major problem. There are too many complaints and too many errors being made in the Paint Department. If this rate of poor customer service continues, customers will start to look for other places to shop. A reputation for poor customer service travels quickly and is hard to overcome. Solving the problems in the Paint Department requires developing comprehensive, fool-proof training for current employees that can be implemented immediately. To make sure that all complaints are being properly dealt with, monthly product return reports will now become weekly product return reports. Each complaint will be handled by a Supervisor until further noticed. Arresting these customer service problems immediately helps to insure the future and the bottomline of ST.

The instructor's feedback to step 7:

Yes, I agree! The next step -- on the next IDA -- is to turn these goals into ones that can be evaluated in terms of student learning outcomes.