Sections in the Analysis Phase

ISD Concept Map

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Analyzing Systems in Instructional Design

Assessing business outcomes and needs assessments are probably the two major analysis that a designer performs. However there are a few other tools that are often used. Below are a few of them that you should be familiar with.

Note that this step be not have to be performed if the training activity is already in close contact with the client. Many training departments work with their clients or departments on a day-to-day basis, so they are already quite familiar with their clients. While other training departments are organized quite different and only come in contact with clients on an as-needed basis. Your familiarity with the clients will determine the scope of the System Overview that will need to be performed.

The purpose of this activity is to aid in the decision making process by defining all the elements, issues, facts, and features taking place in the client's system or process. The information gathered in this step provides a basic background for training developers, consultants, contractors, etc. Training programs have failed in the past and will continue to fail because the training activity did not understand the needs or wants of its clients. This step allows the training activity to understand the technical, non-technical, political, social, and cultural aspects of the client's system.

This phase allows the client to understand the training activity and its purpose. Clients often view outside activities as meddlers who interrupt their daily flow of work. These clients are often on the defensive and hide their true feelings and facts. During this initial phase you must bring the clients in on the training development activities and make them a part of the solution. It is universally advised that the clients of a proposed system be extensively involved in the construction of any new project (Bowsher, 1998, pp.64-88; Trolley, 2006; Wick, Pollock, Jefferson, Flanagan, 2006). Besides introducing the clients and the training activity to each other, other benefits include that the clients will accept and benefit from a system that they themselves helped to define. Also, nobody knows the system's requirements better than the people who own it.

The SME (Subject Matter Experts) who are sent to help with a new project are often the ones who have developed Band-Aids that keep the system running. This is not a put down, but rather a compliment. For without them the entire system would have collapsed into absolute chaos. These people often become frustrated with the pace of the analysis process, not understanding why development of the project cannot begin immediately. They often jump ahead to design and development far too soon. Ensure you capture such suggestions in the form of design notes attached to the analysis documents for later consideration. This allows team members to feel their inputs are considered important and will not be forgotten.

You should also understand the scope of the system or process. The scope of a system is the system's boundaries. For example, you are analyzing a production department. You notice that it takes many supplies to keep it operating, such as raw material to make the product, cleaning supplies, maintenance supplies, etc. Don't get led off into studying the inventory control department. They are probably two entirely different systems or processes. Stay within one process at a time until you thoroughly understand it. A process is a planned series of actions that advances a material or procedure from one stage of completion to the next. The beginning of a process starts with a trigger that causes a specific action to be taken by a person, another process, or work group. The ending occurs when the results get passed on to another person, process, or work group.

Knowing the basics of a system enables you to better understand the tasks that lay ahead. Although you are interested in the system as a whole, so that you may understand its purpose and goals, the main emphasis of this initial research should be on the people within the system. You need to learn as much about the proposed learners (target population) as possible. The target population data is essential and most useful when making decisions about the proposed learning program. You must understand the people issues! This is the biggest variable in a training program...and one of the hardest parts of a training program to account for. Statisticians can tell you every fact you want to know about the "average" person...but I dare you to find a real live average person. Listed below are some of the aspects you should be looking for:

Invite the client manager and supervisors to lunch or meet on a regular basis. Guide them into them discussing their problems and frustrations. Managers do have time for short encounters, and most of them actually like the opportunity to discuss their issues. However, they do not have the time or resources to tackle a training needs analysis project. That is the designer's job.

During the meeting, do not mention training or methods for solving performance problems. Your job is to guide, listen, and interpret. Once the lunch or meeting is over, reflect on what was said and use that information in your analysis. When it is time to brief them on your initial analysis project, show how the training department can help with some of their problems.

Depending upon the requirements of the project, Compile Task Inventory, Job List, Job Description, and Task Inventory may not have to be performed. These are normally only performed once in an organization and then updated on an as needed basis. Performing them every time a client needs training would be a waste of time and money. But, when you are tackling performance problems, the pertinent parts should be reviewed so that you know what the job and task requirements are, and then updated so that anyone who follow you will have valid material to work with.

References

Bowsher, J. (1998). Revolutionizing Workforce Performance: A System Approach to Mastery. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Trolley, E. (2006). Lies About Learning. Larry Israelite, ed. Baltimore, Maryland: ASTD.

Wick, C., Pollock, R., Jefferson, A., Flanagan, R., (2006). Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning: How to Turn Training and Development Into Business Results. San Francisco: Pfeiffer

Next Steps

Go to the next section:Compile Task Inventory

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Analysis Templates (contains several analysis templates)