Needs Assessment Phase Ii

This book provides numerous approaches for starting a meaningful needs assessment and provides readers with steps and case studies.

Frequently, starting a meaningful needs assessment is problematic. This book focuses on numerous approaches for doing just that. Its content includes such things as the cultural audit, initial scaled or open-ended questionnaires for use by the group guiding the assessment, how to select members of that group and how to organize its endeavors, techniques for conducting collaborative ventures across organizations, sources of available information that might be used early in the process, and so forth. The emphasis is on collecting existing information before going to the expensive process of creating new data. Decisions coming from Phase 1 are described.

"The Authors have done a good job of conveying the nuts and bolts of the process and problem situations that can arise from political and social conditions." —Stephanie Brzuzy, Xavier University "The authors offer a nice overview of the process involved in developing and conducting needs assessments. They make a cogent argument for the importance of identifying and addressing potential barriers to conducting a worthwhile needs assessment." —Melanie Otis, University of Kentucky Although this book can be used in a stand-alone fashion, it is part of the Needs Assessment KIT—five interrelated and sequenced books that take the reader through the needs assessment process (ISBN: 978-0-7619-2595-8).

In 1995, Witkin and Altschuld proposed a three phase process model of needs assessment: - Preassessment (learning as much as possible from existing, inexpensive sources) - Assessment (collecting new information about the needs in consideration) - Postassessment (prioritizing needs, understanding their causes, and translating priorities into action plans for organizations). The model has been extensively re-conceptualized and forms the basis for this book. The content includes a user-oriented approach to a comprehensive overview of the three phases and the 14 key steps necessary to implement them. Numerous examples and practical illustrations are given throughout the text as guidance for needs assessors and those who do research on the topic. An extensive glossary of needs-related terms and an outline of a final report are also provided. The book is the first one in the Needs Assessment KIT with connections to the other four.

"Sometimes a book appears on your desk that successfully defines a field. You look at the book and say "thank you." Planning and Conducting Needs Assessments is such a book. . . . This book is clearly grounded in program planning and is not an afterthought or add-on to some other field. . . . I am excited to see this book appear in print. It clearly fills a niche that has been empty for some time: a practical approach to learning about and conducting needs assessments. . . . This is a marvelous book that should make a significant contribution to the field." --From the Foreword by Nick Eastmond, Utah State University "While it has the depth and breadth to be used in a classroom, Planning and Conducting Needs Assessments is written simply and directly enough to be a hands-on guide for needs assessment users and practitioners. The framework proposed by the authors is excellent in that it is readily understood and focuses attention on the most important details/issues in needs assessment practice. The fact that they also present an explanation of so many tools, including examples, makes the book required reading for anyone intending to plan or contract for a needs assessment." --John Theiss, Director of Planning and Evaluation, Texas

"I liked the discussion of blending qualitative and quantitative research. I particularly liked the tone that it is not an "either or" discussion, but rather an "and" – the two approaches compliment one another." —Evan Abbott, Regis University This book covers the five most common instruments and strategies employed to explore needs. It describes the steps involved in implementing them and presents interesting case illustrations. Although this book can be used in a stand-alone fashion, it is part of the Needs Assessment KIT—five interrelated and sequenced books that take the reader through the needs assessment process (ISBN: 978-0-7619-2595-8).

Explore multiple practical and theoretical dimensions of needs assessment. This volume focuses exclusively on this essential topic for guiding decisions—examining subjects such as: the importance of defining needs, implementing assessments in public and private-sector organizations, aligning needs with assets and capacity assessments, how assessments factor into meaningful change at the organizational and society levels how to apply needs assessments in culturally diverse contexts conducting international needs assessments, and the impact of technologies on needs assessment methods. This issue will help professionals within public and private organizations conduct useful assessments, ones leading to results that can be applied in decisions. This is the 144th issue in the New Directions for Evaluation series from Jossey-Bass. It is an official publication of the American Evaluation Association.