1. NEEDS ASSESSMENT Program Development University of Massachusetts at Boston ©2007 William Holmes

2. DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO NEEDS ASSESSMENT Means—observation, secondary analysis, interviewing, surveys Models—ODPM, Appreciative, Problem Solving Process—triangulation, standardization, feedback

3. ASSESSMENT RISKS FROM EMPLOYEES Employee skepticism regarding management Employee skepticism regarding action Employee unrealistic expectations

4. ASSESSMENT RISKS FROM MANAGERS Managers may accept low relative benchmarks Managers may scapegoat employees Managers may use assessment as pro forma action

5. ASSESSMENT BENEFITS: 1 Assessment may confirm or reject the presenting problem Efficient and Effective priorities may be identified Cooperation may develop Morale may improve

6. ASSESSMENT BENEFITS: 2 Management may be pressured to respond Measured improvements may motivate managers and employees Managers and employees may better understand the organization Synergy and Serendipity may develop

7. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: OBSERVATION Employee activity Employee symptoms Employee emotions Employee interaction Employee-manager interaction Work environment Role distinctions

8. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: SECONDARY ANALYSIS Direct access Historical data Multiple perspectives Allows for trends May be incomplete May be biased

9. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: INTERVIEWS 1 May establish trust Provide richer stories Less time intensive Assures privacy Allows clarification Allows callbacks

10. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: INTERVIEWS 2 Perceived Strengths Needs for change Recommendations for change Open-ended query Ask for examples Have tell stories

11. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: INTERVIEWS TIPS Practice note taking Prepare initial and follow- up questions Ask core questions of all Watches non-verbal behavior Doesn’t make judgments

12. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: GROUP INTERVIEWS Have recorder Seek equal participation Encourage moving on Check understanding Let speakers use own words Stop speeches Thank participants

13. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: SURVEYS Standardized Quantitative Statistical reliability and validity Handles large numbers of respondents Time consuming to develop

14. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: GOOD SURVEYS Clear purposes Singular questions Probability sampling High response rate Short survey Randomize item polarity and sequence Label response options

15. ASSESSMENT APPROACH: GOOD ITEMS Each item has one idea Keep items short Use unambiguous words Use simple words Use familiar words Use parallel construction Proofread and pretest

16. FEEDBACK ISSUES Who gets feedback? Who provides feedback? What form feedback? What included in feedback? What expect from feedback?