Discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to needs assessment is followed by a description of the five phases of the flexible composite needs assessment approach, START (Systematic Technique for Assessing Resources and Training/Development) for developing training programs within various types of organizations. (EAO)

Identification of the training and development needs of administrative support staff is not aided by conventional performance appraisal, which measures summary or comparative effectiveness. Meaningful diagnostic evaluation integrates three levels of analysis (organization, task, and individual), using behavioral expectation scales. (SK)

A survey of 261 Irish human resource development (HRD) professionals indicates that some HRD responsibilities have devolved to line managers, but less than in other countries. Most conduct systematic needs analysis (especially larger, private sector firms) and rely on informal evaluation mechanisms. (SK)

This manual provides guidelines for needs assessments based on training and development programs designed and used by business and industry. The guide defines needs and needs assessments and describes how to implement the process, using an eight-level needs assessment. Information is provided on stages of needs assessment, the process of assessing…

Based on a needs assessment survey of American Society for Training and Development members, this sourcebook provides practical information for trainers in business and industry. The guide is organized in five chapters: "Program Evaluation: A Model for Technical Programs" (Dan Gehler); "Transfer of Training: Readiness--Have We Thought about It"…

A study was conducted to ascertain the job requirements and training needs of juvenile service unit workers. A training needs assessment inventory questionnaire was mailed to all juvenile service unit workers in the Kentucky Department of Child Welfare (DCW). Data from 146 questionnaires were analyzed to provide job descriptive information, which…

This project was conducted in New Castle (Henry County), Indiana to train and use the services of a work analysis specialist who would work with manufacturing companies to improve company profits through the provision of training programs based on a specific needs assessment. The determination of specific needs was accomplished through the…

This book introduces key issues in program planning as practiced in business and educational settings. Two chapters in part 1 introduce two foundational models--Lifelong Education Program Planning (LEPP) model and Contingency-Based Program Planning--and provide background on models designed by Houle, Knowles, Boyle, and Nadler. Parts 2-5 focus on…

This manual is intended to help organizations design training programs that assist in the achievement of affirmative action. These topics are discussed in section I: the importance of work force diversity; recruiting and training women and minority employees at all levels of the organization; and the costs and benefits of training as an…

A study investigated the use of training needs assessment (TNA) by training and development practitioners in business and industry. It allowed for an assessment of both real TNA (practitioners' knowledge, observation, and experience) and ideal TNA (the literature and experts' opinions). A literature review focused on the concept of TNA,…

A project was conducted in Dudley Metropolitan Borough in the West Midlands, England, to determine needs for engineering training in the face of declining industry and to halt the decline in industry and enrollment in the three colleges in the area. A project leader was chosen and a team trained in 3 weeks of workshops on market research, training…

This publication describes six Framing the Future (FTF) staff development projects that use work-based learning with different project teams and learning activities varying from general awareness to specific skills development in Australia. "The Center for Human Services--Working for Its People" describes a project that introduced a…

This manual provides step-by-step directions for developing an inservice staff training program in a rehabilitation facility. The manual is organized in five chapters. Following an introduction that defines inservice training, the first chapter discusses inservice problem identification procedures (conduct a needs assessment and determine present…

The Department of Vocational and Technical Education at the University of Minnesota explored the possibility of incorporating an emphasis on training and development into existing programs. Activities undertaken to determine the need for such a program included extensive interviews with training and development personnel in the Minneapolis/St.…

In 1998, the College of the Canyon's (California) Office of Institutional Development distributed a questionnaire to ascertain the technology training needs of campus personnel. The survey instrument included 49 forced-choice and 2 open-ended questions. Seventy-five staff members and 124 faculty returned the questionnaires. The responses are…