We introduce participants to current management theories and workforce trends. The UMass Donahue Institute monitors program effectiveness through the use of written training evaluations, group inquiry, trainer feedback and periodic reporting to senior management. The UMass Donahue Institute recommends a training needs assessment to determine what critical skills are needed to implement and support new initiatives, priorities and goals or address current performance improvement needs. Needs assessment tools include data collection techniques such as written surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups. Each tool differs in its implementation, time frame and cost.
Some organizations choose to use a combination of tools.
For instance, an organization may conduct several interviews to gain knowledge about general issues and related skill needs, distribute a written survey to all employees to determine their individual skill needs, but also conduct focus groups to further specify specific course content. A needs assessment process concludes with a written report that includes results and recommendations, and often an on-site presentation to senior management that allows for dialogue about the results and recommendations.