1. Chapter 9: User Needs Analysis and Assessment
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists
second edition
by Fred Beisse

2. Learning Objectives
Basic strategies to perform user needs analysis and assessment
The major steps an analyst undertakes to analyze and assess a user’s needs
Common tools that aid a support specialist in a user needs analysis project

3. Overview of User Needs Analysis and Assessment
Purpose: determine which computer products or services best meet an end user’s needs
Strategy:
understand a user’s environment and work situation
clarify the problem or objectives
investigate alternative solutions
decide on a solution to the user’s needs
decide whether to purchase or build
Process can be formal or informal

4. User Needs Analysis Steps and Tasks
Three phases
Preparation
Investigation
Decision

5. Steps in Needs Analysis and Assessment Process
Preparation phase
1: Understand the user’s goals
2: Understand the decision criteria and constraints
3: Define the problem clearly
4: Identify the roles of stakeholders
5: Identify sources of information
Investigation phase
6: Develop an understanding of the existing situation
7: Investigate alternatives to the existing situation
Decision phase
8: Develop a model of the proposed solution
9: Make a build-versus-buy decision

6. Step 1: Understand the Organization’s Goals
What is the environment into which the future system will fit?
Purposes of the organization
For-profit or not-for-profit
Plans to grow or expand
Attitude/culture about technology
Budget for computer systems/services
Staff expertise

7. Step 2: Understand the Decision Criteria and Constraints
Economic feasibility
Operational feasibility
Technological feasibility
Timeline feasibility

8. Step 3: Define the Problem Clearly
Ask many questions
Not all problems are technical
Do not assume that user has correctly analyzed the problem
Observe the user in his or her environment
Consider solutions other than the obvious

9. Step 4: Identify the Roles of Stakeholders
Stakeholders - Those who have a substantial interest in successful outcome of a needs assessment project
Four kinds of stakeholders
Users
Managers
Support analysts
Information systems/technical support staff

10. Step 5: Identify Sources of Information
Interviews with end users or managers
Surveys/questionnaires sent to end users
Procedure manuals that describe the current system
Direct observation of the existing situation
Forms used for input into the system
Reports output from the system
Problem reports or help desk logs
Reports and recommendations from consultants or auditors
continued

11. Step 6: Develop an Understanding of the Existing System
Build a model: A narrative and/or graphic diagram that describes the current system or situation
Three key questions in step 6:
1. Do I understand the existing system well enough to explain its operation to others?
2. Do I understand which features of the existing system users like?
3. Do I under what users think is wrong with existing system?

12. Step 7: Investigate Alternatives to the Existing System
Changes
Reinstall or reconfigure software
Provide additional user training
Upgrades
Improve processing speed, storage capacity, compatibility
Offer new features that address identified problems
continued

13. Step 7: Investigate Alternatives to the Existing System (continued)
New hardware
Address capacity constraints
Run software efficiently
Operate new software
New software
Packaged, off-the-shelf software
Custom-developed software
New software that can be modified

14. Step 7: Idea for Alternatives to the Existing System
Sources of products and solutions that address specific organizational needs
Successful options others use in similar situations
Trade publications
Advertisements in trade periodicals
Internet searches

15. Step 8: Develop a Model of the Proposed System
Model: Narrative description and/or graphic diagram of proposed system
Includes pros and cons of each considered alternative
Answer the questions:
Why is proposed solution an improvement?
Why is this the best available alternative?
Key tool: Cost-benefit analysis
Comparison between a solution’s expenses and its payoffs to the organization

16. Step 8 Tips
A cost-benefit analysis is not an exact science with right or wrong answers
For a small project, even an informal cost-benefit analysis is useful
Users’ needs should drive the specifications for a new system
Software specifications are usually more important than hardware specifications, and should be developed first

17. Step 9: Make a Build-versus-Buy Decision
The decision to build a new system internally or purchase one off the shelf
Applies primarily to software (but can also apply to hardware, software, or complete systems)
Turnkey system: A packaged solution that provides hardware, software, and support from a single vendor

18. Building a New Solution

19. Buying an Off-the-shelf Solution

20. Needs Analysis and Assessment Tools
Project charter
Cost-benefit analysis
Data collection instruments
Charts and diagrams
Prototyping software
Other tools

21. Project Charter High level overview of the project
Short narrative statement that describes the objectives, scope, methods, participants, deliverables, and timeline
Ensures a common understanding among all stakeholders

22. Example of a Project Charter

23. Cost-benefit Analysis
Weighs the benefits of each alternative against the costs of each alternative
Intangible benefit: An expected result from a computer acquisition that is difficult to quantify (e.g., improved employee morale)

24. Factors often included in a Cost-Benefit Analysis
continued

25. Factors often included in a Cost-Benefit Analysis (continued)

26. Data Collection Instruments
Input forms
Output forms
Procedure documentation
Operating or problem logs
Interviews with users
User questionnaires
Direct observation

27. Input Forms
Paper document or display screen image used to collect information about a business transaction
Also called a source document
Examples
Payroll timecards
Problem log
Membership application
Expense account record

28. Example of an Input Form

29. Output Forms
A document that contains the results of a business process
Examples
Sales receipt from a grocery store
Paycheck stub
Report card

30. Procedure Documentation
Written instructions about how to perform a business transaction or handle a routine business procedure
Often used to train a new employee or answer frequently asked questions about processing problems

31. Operating or Problem Logs
A list of events or activities recorded in the sequence the events occur
Routine, periodic event information
Unusual events, errors, problems, complaints

32. Interviews and Questionnaires
Used to collect relevant information from users
About the work they do
How an existing or proposed computer system might affect their work
Require care to design so that they:
Extract information that is clear and unambiguous
Elicit information needed by an analyst

33. Interviews versus Questionnaires
Interview Advantage
Interviewer can probe to learn details of issues that are of special interest
Interview Disadvantage
Take more time than a questionnaire
Questionnaire Advantage
Ability to survey a larger group at a lower cost
Questionnaire Disadvantage
Difficult to phrase unambiguous questions

34. Open-ended Questions
Respondents use their own words instead of predetermined responses
Advantage
Responses not predefined categories
Challenges
Require care to design
Take longer to complete
More difficult to tabulate

35. Forced-choice Questions
Respondents must choose from predetermined response categories
Advantage
Faster to administer
Easier to tabulate
Challenges
Difficult to frame questions to match each user’s personal experiences and frame-of-reference

36. Strategies for Question Design
Design questions with a team
Field test on small sample of users

37. Direct Observation
Powerful method of data collection when other forms of data collection aren’t possible

38. Keys to Successful Direction Observation
Plan sufficient time
Take notes on:
What users do
Sequence of tasks
Tools and strategies they use
With whom they interact
Where they store information

39. Charts and Diagrams Used to show:
Flow of information in an organization
Relationships between employees
Parts of an information system
Work flow among employees
Often easier to read and understand than lengthy, technical narrative
Common types of charts
Flowcharts
I-P-O charts

40. Flowcharts
Schematic drawings that use symbols to represent the parts of a system or the steps in a procedure
Rectangular boxes: Departments in a company, nodes on a network, processing steps an employee performs
Diamonds: Decision points or questions
Lines: Relationship of parts or sequence of processing steps

41. I-P-O Charts
Diagrams that represent input, processing, and output steps required to perform a task
Answer three fundamental questions about a procedure
Input: Where do I get the information with which to work?
Processing: What do I do to transform the information?
Output: What do I do with the information when I’m done?

42. Example of an I-P-O Chart
Input Processing Output
Download stock prices from the Internet
Use spreadsheet to compute total portfolio value
Print report for customer and mail

43. Prototyping Software
Prototype - A working model a support analyst builds to let users evaluate how the finished product of an analysis project will actually work
Advantage
Easy, quick, cost-effective
Limitation
Usually operate slowly or have limited capacity for data storage

44. Other Needs Assessment Tools
Benchmarks
Weighted point comparisons
Project management software
Appropriate for large-scale needs assessment and development projects that will involve a number of users, analysts, and steps