| Abstract: | Careful analysis of an organization's needs is the first step in developing programs for improving performance that are relevant to the organization and to the individuals who use the programs. The purpose of this article is to examine the perspectives of needs assessment that are described in the performance technology and human resource development literature. The first section of the article focuses on the terms used to describe the process of analyzing needs. The perspectives embodied in the definitions and conceptualizations of the terms need, needs assessment, needs analysis, front end analysis, and performance analysis are examined. The second section of the article focuses on various models of needs assessment. It presents different views about where the needs assessment process starts, where it ends, and what results are produced. |
