Many Promote Assessment Before Analysis

I learned, in 1979, to conduct an Analysis of the Requirements, followed by an Assessment of the Target Audience, followed by an Analysis of of the enabling Knowledge/Skills.

My teachers were my colleagues in my first job out of college, where I was a Program Developer. They were Rummler-ites, as they had worked with Geary Rummler’s brother, Rick, in their prior job, and we were all working in a Training function with Geary’s brother-in-law at Wickes Lumber in Saginaw Michigan.

The first book they gave me was however, Mager and Pipe’s “Analyzing Performance Problems” which is still what I would recommend to anyone entering the field.

My focus has always been on Performance first.

Which serves me well when addressing the needs of New Hires.

And I think it’s also best when addressing a problem. Start with the ideal, then the real, and thereby derive the gaps.

And … I never use the two words, Assessment and Analysis, with my clients as I learned a long time ado that clients don’t care about the nuances in my language. They just want Results in their language.

But not everyone feels that way.

See my colleague, Brett Christensen’s 2016 Blog Post on this:  https://workplaceperformanceblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/26/needs-assessment-or-needs-analysis/

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