To analyze needs, Morrison, Ross, and Kemp (2004) suggest the instructional designer conducts a formal needs assessment for three primary reasons:

• To identify the needs relevant to a particular task (i.e. What are the problems affecting the completion of the task?)
• To identify instructional goals
• To set priorities in selection of instruction and intervention
• To provide baseline data to assess effectiveness of instruction or intervention

A needs assessment is conducted in 4 stages:

1. Planning - In the planning phase, the instructional designer (ID) defines the audience, the type of data that needs to be collected, and how the data will be collected. The ID decides if he or she will collect data from the entire audience or a portion of the audience and develops the data collection tool (i.e. interview questions, questionnaire, focus-group interview, etc). (Note: Sometimes it is impossible to collect data from the entire audience and a smaller sample need to be selected. Statistical procedures and formulas are available to help determine a proper sample size; this is beyond the scope of this course).


2. Collecting data - In this phase, the ID collects the data via the planned method. The ID may schedule interview times of send surveys with instructions on how to return them.


3. Analyzing the data - In this phase, the ID employs statistical analysis procedures and analyzes the data. The ID also prioritizes the needs "on the basis of economic value (e.g., cost value to the company, impact (e.g., number of people affected), a ranking scale, frequency of identification or timeliness" (p.38). Morrison, Kemp, and Ross suggest using the Delphi method for prioritizing.
   
   
4. Compiling a report - In the final phase, the ID completes a report with four sections: the purpose, the process (e.g., how the assessment was carried out and who was involved), the results (quantitative charts and graphs and qualitative narrative), and recommendations including the identification of goals.