Training Needs Assessment Data‐gathering Methods: Part 1, Survey Questionnaires

The first in a series of articles which further explore four training needs assessment (TNA) research and data‐gathering methods: survey questionnaires, individual interviews, focus groups, and on‐site observations which were first presented in an article entitled “Training Needs Assessment: An ‘Open‐systems’ Application” in the Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 17 No. 1. Reviews the types of survey questionnaire most commonly used in the determination of training needs. Emphasizes codes of ethics. Makes comparisons between standardized and custom‐designed questionnaires, with research indicating that the custom approach works best when attempting to identify specific training needs germane to a particular group or organization. Provides various types of question‐response sample along with recommendations for the survey administration and final report preparation. Discusses “E‐Mail” or electronic mail as a variation of the written survey questionnaire. Recommends the custom‐designed survey questionnaire for use as part of a systematic approach to determining and analysing training needs as a result of its flexibility, its yield of quantitative as well as qualitative data, and its results‐oriented format.