Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning Day 1
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Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning
Day 1
Presented by Eileen Flanagan & Marcia Nedland
On behalf of NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal
Introductions:
At your table: Introduce yourselfShare ONE expectation for the workshopEach table will then share the TOP THREE
expectations during report out
Training Objectives
ConnectionsSix StepsDesign a Needs Assessment planSpecific data sources, tools & techniquesPlan formats & optionsTools & new ideas DHCR requirements
Agenda
Day 1Opening SessionOverview: DHCR
RequirementsNeeds Assessment
Designing approachSix stepsPractice finding data
and interpreting dataCommon Pitfalls
Day 2Recap & questionsStrategic Planning
Seven componentsPlan CritiqueDHCR Requirements
Ground Rules
Be on timeParticipate actively, don’t monopolizeSpeak one at a timeTURN OFF your Cell PhoneNo side orders, pleaseAsk hard questionsHave fun
DHCR Requirements: Needs Assessment Answer at least these major questions:
1.What housing is needed (based on conditions)?
2.What customer services are needed?3.What community renewal activities are
needed?
DHCR Requirements: Strategic Plan 3-year plan that includes: Summary of needs assessment Mission Outcomes, measures of success and report on
results since last application Strategic goals Programs and services Production goals Resources and potential partners
Strategic Planning
What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?
Write 2-3 thoughts, each on a separate index card.
Each thought should be only a few words.
Write BIG! Use marker if you
have one.
Strategic Planning
What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?
UnderstandableCredibleExplains what you are
going to do and whyManagement toolBasis for measuring
successProcess develops
clarity and alignment
Strategic Planning
What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan?
Keeps you focused on outcomes
Tests, affirms, corrects and codifies intuition and theory of change
Keeps you attuned to market forces and customer attitudes
Phases of Planningand Components
of a Plan Document
Phases of Strategic Planning
Strategy
Direction
Understanding
Components of the Plan Document
6. Production Goals
7. Resources
5. Programs and Services
4. Strategic Goals
3. Outcomes and Measures
2. Mission
1. Summary of Needs Assessment
Engaging stakeholders
Needs Assessment
Phases of Strategic Planning
Strategy
Direction
Understanding
Stakeholder
Involvement
Needs Assessment
Systematic
Gap Analysis
External Environment
Opportunities & Threats
Current State
Desired State
Gap
Updating an Existing Plan
Review existing plans
Decide outcomes for next/new plan
Decide what parts to update
Customize your approach
Outside Help?
Help with what?
Be clear about needs
Look for resources – internally, externally
Organizing the Process
Existing studiesBudget & time lineResources Assign tasks & accountability
Examples
Needs Assessment PlanNeeds Assessment Summary
Six Steps to a Useful Needs Assessment
Six Steps
1. General Trends
2. Intuition = Questions
3. Data Collection
4. Refine Questions
5. Data Analysis
6. Data Interpretation & use
Tips before you get started…
Know your geography
Tips before you get started…
Compared to what?
Tips before you get started…
No data is perfect
Tips before you get started…
Look at the whole picture
Tips before you get started…
Don’t get lost in the data
Information scarcity
Information Overload
Step 1: General Trends
Let other people work for you
How do you stay informed?
How do you stay informed?
KnowledgeplexEnterprise Community PartnersNeighborWorks AmericaPlanetizen.comRealtors & Home BuildersGovernment RSS feedsSONH
Step 2: Intuition = Questions
Value what you think you know, test it.
Use what you know, ask questions
Use your knowledge to frame your questions.
Customers: Who? Needs? Where?Competition: Who? What?
Similarities/DifferencesMarket size?Changes in market?TEST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS!
Turn your intuition into research questions
Write down 2-3 research questions that would test your
assumptions – page 34
Tab 8: Resources
Page 104: Common Research Questions
Step 3: Data Collection
Data is only useful if it answers your questions
Data Sources
Brain storm data source ideasPrimary vs. Secondary dataQualitative vs. QuantitativeIn-house customer data
What sources could answer your questions?
Page 35: A few Secondary Data SourcesTab 8: page 93, way too many secondary
data sourcesTab 8: pages 113 & 115, tip sheets on
focus groups and interviews
www.dataplace.org
Step 4: Refine your questions
Data collection often adds new questions
Refining Questions
Do data collection, don’t over-do data collection
Time frame for collection – initial, review, revise needs, collect
Step 5: Data Analysis
Figure out what is meaningful about the data – usually in relation
to your questions
Analysis gives context and meaning to data…
• Comparisons – geographic (peers, regions)
• Change over time
• Spread, range & central tendencies
• Visual tools – maps, charts, graphs
Tab 8: Page 108
SO WHAT? !
Step 6: Data Interpretation & Use
This is the “so what?” phase
Have we learned anything that changes what we believed?
Strengthen: Program designService/product mix ImplementationDelivery techniquesMarketing & outreach
Interpretation Exercise
1:Summary of
Needs Assessment
Understanding
1: Summary of Needs Assessment
The point of this component is to give the reader an understanding of the market forces that are influencing your decisions throughout the rest of the plan document.
01000020000300004000050000
1990 2000 2007
PopulationHouseholds
Understanding
1: Options for Organization
Lead with standard categories 1 2 3 4
Lead with research questions ? ? ? ?
Lead with findings ! ! ! !
Lead with SWOT
Lead with Stories
Understanding
1: Review
Component Planning Process
1: Summary of Needs Assessment
(sometimes called “market analysis”)
Objectives: Identify and understand the needs of the organization’s target populations and geographies. Identify and understand the external opportunities and threats that will affect the organization’s work.
Understanding
1: Review
Component Planning Process
1: Summary of Needs Assessment
(sometimes called “market analysis”)
Potential stakeholder involvement: What are the key questions, some answers, refinement of questions, reactions to initial data, etc.
Understanding
1: Review
Component Planning Process
1: Summary of Needs Assessment
(sometimes called “market analysis”)
Possible formats of stakeholder involvement: Interviews, surveys, focus groups, retreats, planning committee, board and staff meetings, etc.
Understanding
Common Pitfalls of Needs Assessment
Lots of data, no idea what to do with itStarting from scratchDone without linking effortsSurveys…not the only primary sourceDo it to prove it!Do it only for the funderOverwhelmed by data
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