Training needs assessment at work: A dynamic process

Abstract In today's fast‐paced world of change, many of the performance bottlenecks found within organizations are caused by a lack of worker knowledge and skills. Because organizations lack the resources to address all their training needs, analyzing performance needs has become increasingly important. This article focuses on the dynamics of training needs analysis. Thefirst section of the article describes the role of training needs analysis within an organization. The second section describes three elements that interact to influence the needs analysis process and results. The three elements are organization characteristics, decision‐maker characteristics, and analyst characteristics. The interaction of these elements influences the process used to identify the needs, the solutions that are identified, and the final product.