Needs Analysis indicates gathering the requirements for an e-learning course.
Most often Needs Analysis is done hurriedly or skipped due to various reasons such as:
- Tight deadlines
- Not sure what information to gather
In some other cases the Instructional Designers are not at all involved in Needs Analysis. They are just given some basic information and asked to Storyboard.
Let me tell you that Needs Analysis is the most important step in the development of an e-learning course. The Analysis and Design document is a written agreement of what will consitute the course and how the course will look like. A sign off on the Analysis and Design document is a must before you set to Storyboard. If you skip the Needs Analysis process, there are high chances that you fail in meeting client’s expectations.
When you are asked to conduct a Needs Analysis and prepare an Analysis and Design document for an e-learning project, never hurry up the process. Needs Analysis requires time, at least a week or more.
While doing a Needs Analysis, you need to:
- Find out the Training Need and Course Goal
- Conduct an Audience Analysis
After the Needs Analysis is done you need to :
- Set the Learning Objectives and prepare the Course Outline
- Design Instructional Strategies
Watch out Part II to learn tips on Finding out the Training Need and Course Goal.
Hey!
You are absolutely right. This is the way even most of the biggies work. Wish I get an opportunity to wrok with some ID professional like you, before i get lost in the world of fake ID.
“Needs Analysis indicates gathering the requirements for an e-learning course”.
Needs Analysis is not necessarily confined to e-learning. It is very essential for traditional ILT as well. Without assessing the training need any training, be it ILT or e-Learning may fail to deliver the results.