Needs Assessment Across Disciplines

Abstract

The needs assessment process, as a tool for decision making, continues to enjoy high visibility in the professional literature, especially in the area of training and human resource development. This literature review explores needs assessment in selected disciplines and provides generalizations about its application. Five needs assessment variables guided our survey of the purposes and methods of the needs assessments described in 106 articles in five general areas (applied sciences, education/technology, medicine/allied health, business/information sciences, and human/public services).

Challenges Faced by Certified Performance Technologists in Conducting Needs Assessment

“…Moseley and Heaney (1994) reviewed 106 articles reporting needs‐assessment efforts across five disciplines (science, education, medicine, business, public services). The goal of this review was to examine how needs‐assessment practice differed based on context.…”

“…The authors noted several implications for human performance technology (HPT) practitioners (Moseley & Heaney, 1994). In particular, they noted that a wide variety of models for needs assessment exist and that actual practice of needs assessment falls along a continuum from formal to informal, depending on the practice area.…”

“…Performance improvement practitioners face a number of challenges in conducting needs assessments. First, needs assessment is carried out in many different contexts and for many different purposes (Moseley & Heaney, 1994). As such, even the term needs assessment is often used incorrectly and interchangeably with related terms such as needs analysis, front‐end analysis, training‐needs analysis, and needs surveys (Watkins, Leigh, Platt, & Kaufman, 1998).…”