Needs Analysis & Discovery

Needs Analysis

Professional definition:
A structured process used to identify performance gaps, their root causes, and the most appropriate solutions.

Client-friendly explanation:
Figuring out what’s actually going wrong before jumping to training.

Training Needs Analysis (TNA)

Professional definition:
A subset of needs analysis focused on determining whether training is required and what type of training would be effective.

Client-friendly explanation:
Making sure training is the right solution—and not just the default answer.

Performance Gap

Professional definition:
The measurable difference between expected performance and actual performance.

Client-friendly explanation:
Where results aren’t matching expectations.

Knowledge Gap

Professional definition:
A lack of required information or understanding that prevents effective performance.

Client-friendly explanation:
People don’t know something they need to know.

Skill Gap

Professional definition:
A deficiency in the ability to perform a task, even when knowledge exists.

Client-friendly explanation:
People know what to do, but can’t do it consistently yet.

Root Cause Analysis

Professional definition:
A method used to identify the underlying reasons behind performance issues rather than treating symptoms.

Client-friendly explanation:
Finding the real reason something isn’t working.

Current State

Professional definition:
A documented view of existing processes, tools, behaviors, and performance levels.

Client-friendly explanation:
How things are working today.

Future State

Professional definition:
A defined vision of desired performance, processes, or capabilities after improvements are made.

Client-friendly explanation:
What “good” looks like once everything is in place.

Stakeholder

Professional definition:
Any individual or group with an interest in, influence over, or impact from the learning initiative.

Client-friendly explanation:
Anyone who cares about—or is affected by—the training.

Stakeholder Interview

Professional definition:
A structured conversation used to gather insights, expectations, constraints, and success criteria from stakeholders.

Client-friendly explanation:
Talking to the right people to understand needs and priorities.

Business Objective

Professional definition:
A specific, measurable outcome the organization aims to achieve through the learning initiative.

Client-friendly explanation:
What the business wants to improve or fix.

Success Metrics

Professional definition:
Defined measures used to evaluate whether a learning solution has achieved its intended outcomes.

Client-friendly explanation:
How we’ll know the training worked.

Constraints

Professional definition:
Limitations that impact solution design, such as time, budget, technology, or staffing.

Client-friendly explanation:
The real-world limits we need to design around.

Assumptions

Professional definition:
Unverified beliefs or expectations that influence planning decisions and should be validated during discovery.

Client-friendly explanation:
Things we think are true but need to confirm.

Scope Definition

Professional definition:
A clear outline of what is included and excluded from a learning initiative.

Client-friendly explanation:
What we’re doing—and just as importantly, what we’re not doing.