Needs Assessment
In a project life cycle the initiation phase identifies a business problem or opportunity (Watt, 2014). A needs assessment process within the initiation phase can be leveraged to support and implement organizational improvements. The assessment helps identify the needs and gaps between where the organization sees itself in the future and its current state. Once identified, a plan can be developed to address the needs and gaps to bring the organization closer to its desired future state. A critical action within the needs assessment process is to gather and analyze the data. During this phase understanding internal and external factors that would impact the ability to move from current state to desired future state is essential and here are a few process and tools that can be helpful.
1. S.W.O.T Analysis
2. Needs Analysis
3. Prioritization
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (S.W.O.T) Analysis
Using a SWOT Analysis Tool can help gather information on the:
Strengths, identifying the positive attributes internal to the organization that would support the desired future state; for example, much of the workforce has been using instant messaging in personal lives so easy adoption and digital savviness.
Weaknesses, understanding the negative aspects internal to the organization that would detract and push us away from desired future state; for example, there has been so much recent change within the organization that people are showing resistance to change.
Opportunities, considering attractive external factors that impact the likelihood for the desired future state to be successful; for example, having lots of vendors that are relatively easy to implement and cost-effective.
Threats, which are those external factors beyond control that could place the organization at risk; for example technology selected goes through a merger/acquisition e.g. HIPCHAT purchased by SLACK.
Once the information is gathered, understanding which strengths can be used to maximize opportunities, which strengths can be used to minimize the threats, what opportunities can be taken to minimize weaknesses, and how we minimize weaknesses to avoid potential threats are analyzed and identified.
Some examples of SWOT charts can be found here https://www.aha.io/roadmapping/guide/templates/swot-analysis
Needs Analysis
Collecting information to better understand the current state can be supported through several techniques such as observation, surveys, interviews, questioning, focus groups, stakeholder meetings, assessments, company dashboards, reports and records. All these help further analyze critical data, such as individual, department, and organizational concerns, impacted audience and target groups, skill gaps, limitations with hardware and technology, existing content, procedures & policies, budget, competing priorities, capacity & time, and desire, willingness & readiness. Once gathered these findings will help identify and address those challenges in order to get closer to the desired future state.
Some tools that can be used:
A tool that can be used to complete different methods of needs assessment - conducting a focus group with different groups
Conducting Focus Groups [website]
A tool that can be used to complete different methods of needs assessment - conducting a survey
A tool that can be used to complete different methods of needs assessment - job shadowing and observation
Job Analysis Observation Template [website]
A Fishbone Diagram is often used to identify and organize the potential causes of a business problem / cause-effect / questioning technique
Fishbone Template [website]
Can assist with prioritizing what is highest priority based on findings through needs assessment phase
Prioritizing findings / ideas [website]
Helps with priorities of what has been discovered through needs assessment and analysis
Project Planner Template [website]
Prioritization
Creating a plan of action is important. Setting priorities to evaluate and implement solutions in relationship to the findings will help prioritize what needs occur first for the success of other outputs. Approaching it in a planful way will ensure items are not overlooked, also minimizing errors and re-work. By prioritizing the gaps, concerns, and limitations from highest to lowest priority, as well as dependencies, supported with timelines, targets, goals and actions will help close the gaps between the organization's desired future state and its current state.
References
Aha! Free SWOT Analysis Templates. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.aha.io/roadmapping/guide/templates/swot-analysis
Community Tool Box. Conducting Focus Groups. (2018). Retrieved from https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/conduct-focus-groups/main
Conway, R., Masters, J., & Thorold, J. (2017). From Design Thinking to System Thinking. RSA Action and Research Centre, 15-16. Retrieved from https://www.thersa.org/globalassets/pdfs/reports/rsa_from-design-thinking-to-system-change-report.pdf
Faculty of Medicine. UBC CPD Needs Assessment. (2018). Retrieved from https://ubccpd.ca/accreditation/needs-assessment
McLean & Company. Job Analysis Observation Form Template. (2019). Retrieved from https://hr.mcleanco.com/research/hr-job-analysis-observation-form-template
Microsoft. Gantt project planner. (2019). Retrieved from https://templates.office.com/en-us/Gantt-project-planner-TM02887601
Optimizely. Create a basic prioritization framework. (2018, September 11). Retrieved fromhttps://help.optimizely.com/Ideate_and_Hypothesize/Build_a_basic_prioritization_framework
Survey Monkey. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Template LAB. 43 Great Fishbone Diagram Templates & Examples. (2019). Retrieved from http://templatelab.com/fishbone-diagram-templates/#Fishbone_Diagram_Templates
Watt, A. (2014). Project Management, 52-63. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/projectmanagement/