How to ensure your learning content aligns with organizational goals and learner
outcomes?
When developing a course or a learning program, how can you be sure it accurately reflects the organization’s objectives and meets learner needs? The answer lies in conducting a
Learning Needs Analysis.
Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) is a structured process used to identify the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that learners need to perform effectively in their roles. An LNA is conducted during the Analysis stage of the learning content development lifecycle.
By understanding these needs and defining the problem statement more effectively, you can create targeted, impactful training programs.
Note: An LNA may sometimes be a time-consuming affair, but it is critical. There may be instances where you and your client may find that learning is NOT a solution to the problem statement. This can enhance your credibility with clients by helping them identify underlying issues and what needs to be done to address them effectively.
Example: LNA in Action
Imagine an organization struggling with low sales conversions. Despite generating numerous leads, their sales team struggles to convert prospects into customers. They turn to you for a learning solution to improve this conversion rate.
As an Instructional Designer, you’d conduct a detailed LNA to pinpoint the root cause of this challenge. This might involve interviewing sales personnel to uncover barriers they face in closing sales, ensuring you accurately understand the problem.
Outcome of LNAThe objective of an LNA is to identify the knowledge or skill gaps that hinder performance.
In this case, the specific skills that could help sales staff increase conversions. Insights from
the LNA enable you to design a learning program that effectively addresses these gaps,
resulting in measurable improvements in conversion rates.
Explore these resources to learn more about Learning Needs Analysis:
- Training Needs Analysis vs. Learning Needs Analysis
- Why a Learning Needs Analysis is important?
- How to conduct a Needs Analysis?
Note:
Learning Needs Analysis is also simply referred as Needs Analysis.