….TOTIM 171-NEED ASSESSMENT

TOT -171-WEEK 171

“NEED ASSESSMENT  OF  SEASONED TRAINEES “.

 “Need assessment “ is a  mandatory  step to be followed  before designing any training program.  In addition to this, in some  trainings, it is always better to cross check on the needs of the trainees  also  during the training .  Half way through the training, the  structure of the training may have to be redesigned.  Thus (i) Before  (ii) during/ Midway through the   training the structure of the  designed training may have to be  reassessed by the trainer and  if it requires suitable changes have to be incorporated on the training floor itself.  The trainer has to be very sensitive  and innovative as to comprehend and address the needs of the trainees on the training floor.  

This would  become  too very important in a situation where  the training in a given  field/topic/concept is given  to the trainees who have already gone through  many trainings  in the given area. Notwithstanding the calibre of the trainer in other aspects, if this  fundamental aspect is  ignored the very objective of the training may not  get fulfilled.

This becomes necessary  for the following reasons: (i) Trainees should not feel it as repetitive.

(ii) They should not lose interest-Feeling that “ there is nothing new to learn here”  should be tried to be avoided.

(iii) “This is not what we expected” – should not be the  ‘end statement’ .

What can be done?

The following  three ways of  getting the need assessment properly done at the  pre training stage  may be considered :-

1. Find out the differing background of each of the participants. (Through e-mail etc)
2. Details of  what the trainees already know
3. What  different courses  have they gone through.
4. What was the curriculum for each of the  trainings they have already undergone.
5. How each part of the curriculum was dealt with.
6. What are the methodologies they are familiar with.
7. Talking one on one with the person/s who have undergone such trainings and getting first hand information . Cross checking  as to whether they are already familiar with the concept/exercise which they are proposing to introduce  , and how the same was being handled by him/her/them.

Need assessment during the training:

1. Pre briefing:-

Before introducing a concept/topic/methodology/exercises    a pre briefing as to “what is going to be done – How it is going to be done- What is the objective behind doing it  to the  present audience “ is to be explained to the trainees.

• Confirmation through effective questioning ( during the training)

Confirmation from the participants as to whether(i)  they already know about it  (ii) Whether they have already been implementing it  (iii) If so whether they are implementing it  in the same manner  or differently (iv) Will there be any value addition if the same thing is repeated once again  or should something else be done.  (iv)  Have they done the  proposed exercise . If yes, how they have been doing it .  What were the results they have achieved through such exercise etc    

Advantages:

1. This would help to make  the best use  of the quality time of  the trainers and the trainees.
2. This  gives an insight to the trainers as to whether there would be any value additions (a) if the   same thing about which they already know has to be again dealt with or not .  (b) If the same exercise  which they have already been doing is to be done or not. (c) Whether topic / exercise can be cut short  and whether trainer can add some further inputs alone without  starting the whole thing from the beginning  (d) What value additions the trainer would be giving if the same exercise/ concept/topic  is being given  to the trainees who have already been familiar with and doing it effectively

ALTERNATIVES

In such circumstances  the trainer has the following  alternatives;-

1.  Can redesign- Introduce a different topic- different methodology- different exercise
2. Can  give deeper understanding: Without taking too much of time on the preliminaries- can straight away  get into (a)  in what better ways the concepts can be explained (b) How better results can be  expected if the  exercise is done  in  a different way  (c) What would be the effect of pre briefing and debriefing on the   expected results from an exercise or  a  concept delivery.    

 “Trainers  deliver  what they have  prepared to . Good trainers  with their preparation   deliver  what the trainees want.  Best trainers  understand the  needs of the trainees  before their  preparation . Master trainers  know what not to deliver and to whom not to.”

SLAMW

     (All Copyrights reserved by the author S.Susheela).