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Assessing HRD

Chapter 4

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Why Do Needs Assessment?Question:

Why is needs assessment information critical to the development and delivery of an effective HRD program?

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Needs AssessmentFiguring out what is really neededNot always an easy taskNeeds lots of inputTakes a lot of work“Do it now or do lots more later”First step in both the ISD and HRD process models

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Product Development Model (PDM)

Analyze

Design

Develop

Produce Pilot

Evaluate

Deliver

ImproveBy permission: Doty, W.B. (1997) Product Development

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The HRD Process: A DImE

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Comparing the HRD Process Model to the PDM/ISD Model

HRD Process ModelAssessDesign

ImplementEvaluate

PDM/ISD ModelAnalyze needDesign trainingDevelopProduce pilotEvaluate pilotDeliver trainingImprove

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What is a “Need?”A discrepancy between expectations and performanceNot only “performance” needs involved

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Various Types of NeedsPerformanceDiagnostic Factors that can prevent problems from

occurring (see p. 130)Analytic Identify new or better ways to do thingsCompliance Mandated by law or regulation

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Traps in Needs Assessment

Focusing only on individual performance deficiencies Doesn’t fix group of systemic

problemsStarting with a “Training Needs Assessment” If you know training is needed, why

waste everyone’s time?

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Traps in Needs Assessment – 2

Using Questionnaires Hard to control input, often high

developmental costs, hard to write properlyUsing soft data (opinions) only Need performance and consequence data

Using hard data only Easily measured data is provided, but

critical, hard-to-measure data is missing

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Levels of AssessmentOrganization Where is training needed and under

what conditions?Task What must be done to perform the

job effectively?Person Who should be trained and how?

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Strategic/Organizational Analysis

A broad, “systems” view is neededNeed to identify: Organizational goals Organizational resources Organizational climate Environmental constraints

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Why Strategic Assessment is Needed

Ties HRD programs to corporate or organizational goalsStrengthens the link between profit and HRD actionsStrengthens corporate support for HRDMakes HRD more of a revenue generator Not a profit waster

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Sources of Strategic Information

Mission statementHRM inventorySkills inventoryQuality of Working Life indicatorsEfficiency indexesSystem changesExit interviews

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Task AnalysisThe collection of data about a specific job or group of jobsWhat employee needs to know to perform a job or jobs

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How to Collect Information For a Task Analysis

Job descriptionsTask analysisPerformance standardsPerform jobObserve jobAsk questionsAnalysis of problems

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A Sample Task Analysis Process

Develop job descriptionIdentify job tasks What should be done What is actually doneDescribe KSAOs neededIdentify potential training areasPrioritize potential training areas

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Task Analysis for HRD Position

1. List tasks 1. Observe behavior List four characteristics of behavior    Classify behavior  2. Select verb Knowledge of action verbs

    Grammatical skills  3. Record behavior State so understood by others    Record neatly2. List subtasks

1. Observe behavior List all remaining acts    Classify behavior  2. Select verb State correctly    Grammatical skills  3. Record behavior Neat and understood by others3. List knowledge

1. State what must be known

Classify all information

  2. Determine complexity of skill

Determine if a skill represents a series of acts that must be learned in a sequence

Job title: HRD Professional Specific duty: Task AnalysisTasks Subtasks Knowledge and Skills Required

SOURCE: From G. E. Mills, R. W. Pace, & B. D. Peterson (1988). Analysis in human resource training and organizational development (p. 57). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Reprinted by permission.

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A Task Analysis ApplicationQuestion:

You have been asked to perform a task analysis for the job of dispatcher in a city police department. Which method(s) of task analysis do you think are most appropriate for analyzing this job?

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Person AnalysisDetermines training needs for specific individualsBased on many sources of dataSummary Analysis Determine overall success of the

individualDiagnostic Analysis Discover reasons for performance

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Performance AppraisalRelied on heavily in person analysisHard to doVital to company and individualShould be VERY confidentialBased too often on personal opinion

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The Employee Appraisal Process

By Permission: Herbert & Doverspike (1990)

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Performance Appraisal Process

Determine basis for appraisal Job description, MBO objectives, job

standards, etc.Conduct the appraisalDetermine discrepancies between the standard and performanceIdentify source(s) of discrepanciesSelect ways to resolve discrepancies

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Prioritizing HRD NeedsThere are never enough resources availableMust prioritize effortsNeed full organizational involvement in this processInvolve an HRD Advisory Committee.

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Warning!!HRD cannot become a slow-acting bureaucracy!! “The Attack on ISD” article (Text p. 156)HRD must respond to corporate needsHRD should be focused on “performance improvement,” and not just “training”

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SummaryWhy is needs assessment so often not performed in many organizations?

Why should organizations care about needs assessment?