Develop Impactful eLearning: Start with a Training Needs Analysis

In the current world, learning needs change with time, and hence, companies have a tough job keeping their workforce skilled. Imagine trying to keep up with a race car -- it’s not easy and here is where training needs analysis helps find out what skills employees need to work on.  Without it, training programs might miss important agendas -- like teaching someone to use complex software when they have no idea about how to switch on a laptop.

So, knowing exactly what kind of training is needed is highly essential from a training perspective and training needs analysis can help to achieve that.

What Is Training Needs Analysis and Why Is It Important?

A training needs analysis focuses more on developing the required skills in an individual. Importantly, eLearning algorithms do it by checking out at the difference between what employees are capable of doing now and further, as when needed what they need more. This process when put in place through the feature of training gap evaluation helps find out exactly what kind of training will be needed in the future.  
For example, if a sales team lacks the capability to hit the targets given to them, then training needs analysis through the virtual platform can help to identify what qualities do they lack and what are advanced sales techniques that they need to know. This way, training resources can be utilized with an aim to target the most important upskilling needs.

A real-life example to illustrate the scenario: Suppose that a company wants to incorporate top-end cybersecurity measures to protect its valuable data. Hence, they need to upskill their IT department with training on topics such as detecting threats and eliminating them as when they arise; encryption of data that are exchanged with clients, and incident response. 

But without a clear plan on what knowledge IT personnel needs to be upskilled with, they might end up teaching employees something unrelated. Thus, the result: Employees could manage basic threat issues but can’t perfect the concepts of cyberattacks. That’s why understanding training needs analysis is indispensable and they should be implemented at the earliest.

Another example would be of a retail manager who wants to know how good the team's salespersons are and wants to guide them in tough situations or when the crowd in the retail shop is high. 
In such cases, training needs analysis through the eLearning system will help the firm to understand their weaker areas by keeping special tests to check their skills and train them in handling customers in tense situations; talking to customers and addressing their issues, and managing crisis situations. 

Conducting a Training Needs Analysis - Detailed Steps

So, you as a firm are planning up for a training game, right? Your thoughts are great -- fantastic, but before crafting engaging courses and diving into them, you need to understand several steps to perform Training Needs Analysis (TNA), and those measures are explained hereunder.

Step 1: Define Business Objectives
The first and foremost initiative of training needs analysis is to formulate training goals! Reason: they will serve as the destination paths, letting a firm understand exactly what kind of direction should the team sail toward to achieve the objectives.

For example: to find out training needs analysis, the employees, through eLearning systems, will be given tests/quizzes on how to make customers happy with the products or services. If they are unable to give answers correctly or make many mistakes then training sessions can be arranged on those topics -- one of the goals.

The ultimate accomplishment through these initiatives is to bring a smile to the faces of customers (just like when children get extra sprinkles on their ice cream). Importantly, the path taken would act as a boost to sales when training matches the set goals. 

Step 2: Analyze Learner Needs
To understand the needs of the talents of employees as a part of the training needs analysis, it's necessary to imagine puzzle pieces, each having distinct learning needs. Hence, it becomes necessary to figure out what the workforce is already acquainted with and what they need to learn next.

Elaborately put, first, with the use of an eLearning platform, a company can peek into employees' existing capabilities (that is, their skills as well as knowledge). It is highly possible that some might be amazing at dealing with spreadsheet formulas, while others may be great at smart selling products to customers with their talking abilities. However though certain employees may be good at one area (software), they may lack the required capabilities in other areas (such as communication skills).

This training needs analysis can be found out with the eLearning platform through assignments and tests and accordingly, training sessions can be arranged.

Step 3: Identifying Performance Gaps As a Part of Training Needs Analysis

Suppose that you are coaching a team for the big game. But, suddenly, during the practice sessions, you notice that some players fumble while passing the ball, some end up missing the goals and others forget the playbook. This is where identifying performance gaps as a part of training needs analysis will help. This would help to address the problems and how employees can overcome them

For example: Imagine some employees are expected to work like a sprinter in certain circumstances but, unfortunately, right now, they are more like a sleepy sloth. In such cases, managers through the eLearning platform can explain what sprinter speed means for each skill as it must be defined already in the eLearning courseware. It can be something like coding neatly without typos or handling customer calls as per the laid-out guidelines.

Step 4: Data Analysis: eLearning algorithms provide detailed information about trainees' understanding of a topic by providing track records (performance in tests after training, assignment score, and time taken to complete a chapter). So based on the numbers related to the tests and completion rate with charts and graphs, employees' training needs analysis can be understood thoroughly. Also, if employees struggle with time management (like missing deadlines), the data points us there.

Step 5: Performance Reviews: These are reviews based on the performance of the employees during the training sessions. Bosses and colleagues share feedback like “Alex needs to improve on teamwork", or “Emma’s communication skills need a rocket launch!.” Ultimately, based on the reviews, training needs analysis can not only be planned smartly but executed efficiently. 

Step 6: Surveys: Through the eLearning system, questionnaires can be sent out to the employees to understand their training needs (as a part of the training needs analysis). By doing so, employees can share their opinions like: “More Excel magic, please!” or “Can we have teamwork workshops?.” All these essential survey points should be considered when it comes to planning a training session.

Conclusion
Let's face it: without a solid learning foundation, developing an eLearning program will turn into a house built on quicksand – surely, a perfect recipe for disaster. Thus, without any doubt, here is where the utilization of training needs analysis (TNA) comes into the picture in eLearning courseware.

In fact, for any successful eLearning training session, it can be seen as the guiding light that would help the Learning and Development team to chart out a proper process for training programs.

Importantly, TNA helps to dissect the knowledge delivery landscape and understand the needs -- spotting the gaps that hinder employees' performance.

If you want to incorporate training needs analysis into your eLearning courseware, then you can get in touch with VK Creative Learning -- a pioneer in creating different types of eLearning solutions and modules.