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NEED ASSESSMENT
A Needs Assessment is a systematic process for determining and addressing needs, or "gaps"
between current conditions and desired conditions or "wants". The discrepancy between the
current condition and wanted condition must be measured to appropriately identify the need.
The need can be a desire to improve current performance or to correct a deficiency. Need
Assessment refer to the process use to determine whether training is necessary or not. There
are different types of training needs which can be classified into:
1. DEMOCRATIC NEEDS
2. ANALYTICAL NEEDS
3. DIAGNOSTICS NEEDS
4. COMPLIANCE NEEDS
Our training need for Union Pacific Railroad comprises of both Analytical & Diagnostics Needs
because it adopts new and better ways to improve performance as well as focuses on the
factors that lead to effective performance and prevent performance problems rather than
emphasizing on existing problems.
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WHY IS NEED ASSESSMENT NECESSARY?
Need Assessment is the first step in the instructional design process. If it is not properly
conducted, many problems may arise. Need Assessment provides important input into most of
the remaining steps in the training design. It helps to determine whether the company would
outsource its training i.e. purchase training from a vendor or consultant OR design training
through internal resources. Need Assessment provides information that helps the company to
choose the appropriate Training & Development method and it also provides information
regarding the outcomes that should be collected to evaluate training effectively.
FIGURE 3.1: Causes & Outcomes of Need Assessment

The figure shows the three types of analysis involved in Need Assessment and the causes &
outcomes resulting from Needs Assessment. There are many different pressure points that
suggest that training is necessary. These include performance problems, new technology,
internal or external requests for training, job redesign, new legislation, changes in customer
preferences, new products, and employees lack of basic skills. Note that these pressure points
do not guarantee that training is the correct solution. Only the lack of knowledge can be
addressed by training. This Need Assessment process results in information related to who
needs training and what trainees need to learn, including the task in which they need to be
trained plus knowledge, skills, behavior, or other job requirements.
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WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN NEEDS ASSESSMENT?
TABLE 3.1: Key concerns for Upper & Mid Level Managers and Trainers in Needs Assessment

NEED ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Training Needs Assessment is a systematic inquiry of training needs within an organization for
the purposes of identifying priorities and making decisions, and allocating finite resources in a
manner consistent with identified programmed goals and objectives. Though beginning with
training as the desired solution, it has been argued, diminishes the value of the Needs
Assessment, the popularity of the term "Training Needs Assessment" has made it part of the
training and adult learning lexicon.
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There are three levels of Training Needs Assessment:
1. ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
2. PERSON ANALYSIS
3. TASK ANALYSIS
FIGURE 3.2: The Needs Assessment Process

The figure illustrates the Need Assessment Process. Starting off, Organization Analysis is
concerned with identifying whether training fits the companys strategic objectives and
whether the company has the budget, time and expertise (context for training) for training;
therefore it is usually conducted first. This stage also involves the buy v/s build decision. Buy
Decision involves the hiring of trained professionals, externally. Build Decision involves training
existing employees to develop them for the future changes or discrepancies. Person and Task
Analysis are often conducted at the same time because it is difficult to determine whether
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performance deficiencies are a training problem without understanding the task and the work
environment. After the analysis of all these three aspects, the training and development
method is determined that ensures the Evaluation, Learning Environment and Transfer of
Training.
ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
Organizational Analysis is a tool used when trying to improve an organizations efficiency, it
looks at the structure and design of an organization and how it influences outputs.
It involves three components:
1. COMPANYS STRATEGIC DIRECTION
The strategic role of training influences the frequency and type of training and how the
training function is organized; the training is expected to contribute to the achievement
of business strategies and goals of the company. Union Pacific Railroads strategic
direction is to increase productivity, timeliness and accuracy of shipping to customers by
introducing new technology. Its aim is to maintain its position on the cutting edge of
train technology.

2. SUPPORT OF MANAGERS, PEERS & EMPLOYEES FOR TRAINING
ACTIVITIES
Peer and manager support for training is critical along with employee enthusiasm and
motivation to attend training. If Peers and Managers attitudes and behaviors are not
supportive, employees are not likely to apply training content to their jobs. Union
Pacific Railroad develops and delivers quality programs and services to attract, develop,
motivate and retain a skilled, diverse workforce. They do this with an emphasis on the
Organization's most valuable asset, i.e. its Employees.

3. TRAINING RESOURCES
Union Pacific Railroad has to identify its budget, time and expertise for the training.
Based on this identification it will have to make a decision whether to outsource its
training purpose or provide training in-house. It has come across that Union Pacific
Railroad is in an agreement with United Transportation Union for its training
purposes. This agreement is a Request For Proposal (RFP) document that outlines for
potential vendors and consultants; the type of service Union Pacific Railroad is seeking,
the type and number of references needed, the number of employees who need to be
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trained, funding for the project, the follow-up process use to determine the level of
satisfaction and service, the expected date of completion of training, and the date when
proposals must be received by the company. When outsourcing your training services it
is also important to consider the extent to which the training program will be
customized based on the needs of the organization i.e. Union Pacific Railroad.
PERSON ANALYSIS
Person Analysis helps to identify employees who need training, that is, whether employees
current performance or expected performance indicates a need for training. It also helps
determining Employees Readiness for Training; that refers to the employees attitudes,
motivation and beliefs towards training and also the work environment facilitation.
FIG 3.3: Process for Analyzing the Factors that Influence Employee Performance & Learning
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The figure shows the process for analyzing the factors that influence performance and learning.
Person Characteristics refer to the employees knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes. Input
relates to the instructions that tells employees what, how, and when to perform. It also refers
to resources that the employees are given to help them perform. These resources may include
equipment, time and budget. Output refers to the jobs performance standards. Consequences
refer to the type of incentives that employees receive for performing well. Feedback refers to
the information that employees receive while they are performing. All these five determinants
influence the Motivation to Learn, that is, the trainees desire to learn the content of training
programs.
1. PERSON CHARACTERISTICS
It deals with Basic Skills which implied that Conductors at Union Pacific Railroad with
high self-efficacy and cognitive ability are likely to be successful in training and
accommodate themselves according to the changing technology trends. They also need
to be aware of their career interests and goals so they take interest in the training and
be productive. The individual should be motivated or else there would be no benefit of
training.

2. INPUT
At Union Pacific Railroad, Situational Constraints would be only in time as the training
would be outsourced due to budget constraints. Also social support would be necessary
to accommodate work schedules with training and other responsibilities.

3. OUTPUT
A test would be conducted at Union Pacific Railroad, to evaluate the learning of the
training. If poor results are found than new training design would be made to upgrade
employee performance. Conductors would be clearly explained what they are supposed
to do and how to perform in their respective tasks.

4. CONSEQUENCES
At Union Pacific Railroad, a reward or incentive should be given to the conductors to
motivate and indulge them in training practices to provide with work results or it may
affect their learning in training programs.

5. FEEDBACK
Feedback is necessary to improve employee performance because training would not be
helpful if employees do not know of their respective responsibilities. At Union Pacific
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Railroad, it should be identified whether feedback is properly provided or not, after and
before the training, so the learning can be properly evaluated.
TASK ANALYSIS
Task Analysis results in a description of work activities, including tasks perform by the employee
and the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for completing the tasks. Other things
refer to the conditions under which tasks are performed; these conditions include identifying
the equipment and environment that the employee works in, time constraints for a task, safety
considerations, or performance standards.
At Union Pacific Railroad, current jobs would be analyzed and then compared with the future
change in job responsibilities. Training would be designed according to the gap between these
responsibilities after the incorporation of technology. Knowledge, skills and abilities would be
evaluated and through it training would be designed.
Furthermore, a questionnaire would be designed to find out the gap between work
responsibilities, before and after, the incorporation of new technology. Also the questionnaire
would evaluate the basic skills of each employee i.e. cognitive ability, self-efficacy and
motivation level. Moreover, a focus group would also be formed, comprising of individuals who
would be trained from before, so to judge whether the technology should be installed or not.

DETERMINING THE TYPES OF TRAINING DERIVED
OUT FROM THE NEED ASSESSMENTS PROCESS
The Need Assessment Process helps determining the types of trainings, conductors need to
effectively use the new system. To help meet the strategic goals, the top-level managers
introduced the new system at Union Pacific Railroad that constitutes computers and satellites
to improve its 70 percent rate of timeliness and accuracy of shipping to customers. Therefore,
to improve the performance standards, training activities were outsourced and conducted in
the company for better implementation of the new system. The graph below illustrates the gap
between the actual and desired performance after the incorporation of the new technology.


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0
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Time
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After adoption of
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Training Gap
GRAPH 3.1

The Graph illustrates the Time and Performance indicators that are currently reflected in Union
Pacific Railroad. The blue line shows the Actual Performance (without the adoption of new
technology) and the red line demonstrates the Required Performance (with the adoption of
new technology). The Gap existing between the Actual and Required will be fulfilled through
Training after the Need Assessment Process is properly conducted. The SME (Subject Matter
Expert) will lead different types of Group Training Sessions to determine different elements
that the adoption of new technology will cover, and the accomplishment of the goals that the
company has set forth. The instructional designer meets with the SMEs to review the Learning
Objectives. To keep the SMEs on track, Union Pacific Railroad will not only consider the
information that is being communicated to the trainees, but also the problems that the trainees
are confronting with the use of new system.
Subject-Matter-Experts (SMEs) are employees, academics, managers, technical experts, trainers
and even customers or suppliers who are knowledgeable. In regard to (i) training issues
including tasks to be performed; (ii) knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) required for successful
Task Performance; (iii) necessary equipment; and (iv) conditions under which the task have to
be performed. SMEs also must have information that is relevant to the companys business and
have an understanding of the companys language, tools and products.
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The Training Programs that will be required by Union Pacific Railroad to train its conductors for
the adoption of new technology includes; Comprehensive Railroad Safety Trainings, Operating
Rules Training, Technical Training, Derailment Investigation & Prevention Training, Customized
Training Programs (according to Job Responsibilities), General Code of Operating Rules, Channel
Code Of Operating Rules, Managing Information System course, and Software Handling Training
Programs.