What are the key questions to ask when conducting a functional training needs assessment?

1 What is the purpose of the training?

The first question to ask is what is the purpose of the training? What are the specific objectives or results that you want to achieve through the training? How will the training align with the organizational goals, strategies, or values? How will the training benefit the learners, the stakeholders, or the customers? By clarifying the purpose of the training, you can define the scope, the direction, and the criteria for measuring the success of the training.

2 Who are the learners?

The second question to ask is who are the learners? Who are the people who will participate in the training? What are their characteristics, backgrounds, preferences, motivations, and expectations? What are their current levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the functional training topic? What are their learning styles, preferences, and challenges? By understanding the learners, you can tailor the training content, methods, and materials to suit their needs and preferences.

3 What are the performance gaps?

The third question to ask is what are the performance gaps? What are the differences between the current and the desired levels of performance of the learners or the organization? What are the causes and consequences of these gaps? How can the training address these gaps? By identifying the performance gaps, you can determine the specific learning outcomes, topics, and activities that will help the learners close the gaps and improve their performance.

4 What are the available resources?

The fourth question to ask is what are the available resources? What are the human, financial, technical, and logistical resources that you can use to design, develop, and deliver the training? What are the constraints or limitations that you need to consider or overcome? How can you optimize the use of the resources to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the training? By assessing the available resources, you can plan and budget the training project and select the most appropriate and feasible training solutions.

5 What are the best delivery methods?

The fifth question to ask is what are the best delivery methods? What are the most suitable and effective ways to deliver the training content and activities to the learners? How will you balance the theoretical and practical aspects of the training? How will you engage and motivate the learners throughout the training? How will you incorporate feedback and evaluation into the training? By choosing the best delivery methods, you can enhance the learning experience and outcomes of the learners.

6 What are the follow-up actions?

The sixth question to ask is what are the follow-up actions? What are the steps that you or the learners need to take after the training to reinforce, apply, or transfer the learning to the real-world situations? How will you monitor and support the learners' progress and performance? How will you measure and report the impact and value of the training? By planning the follow-up actions, you can ensure the sustainability and continuous improvement of the training.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?