“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
— Commonly attributed to Peter Drucker
In public health, impactful learning starts with listening – not just delivering content. A well-designed training needs assessment helps organizations identify what staff need to learn, how they prefer to learn, and where the workforce development is most needed.
Amid shifting priorities, emerging threats, and evolving technologies, it’s tempting to dive straight into training. But without a needs assessment, organizations risk wasting resources, losing engagement, and missing meaningful learning.
Why This Matters to Public Health Professionals
Whether you’re developing a new eLearning module or launching a larger initiative, understanding actual workforce needs ensures training is relevant and effective. The Public Health Foundation (PHF) provides structure, tools, and support to build customized, sustainable training. A needs assessment is your roadmap to get started.
With public health professionals stretched thin by complex challenges, training must be focused, practical, and grounded in and based on real needs—so their time is used effectively and impactfully.
What is a Training Needs Assessment?
According to Design for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen (2016), effective training should help people change behavior, not just take in information. A training needs assessment identifies the gap between current and desired performance and determines whether training is the appropriate solution. This process ensures learning strategies are grounded in actual performance needs and aligned with organizational goals.
It typically includes:
- Understanding the organizational context and goals
- Gathering data from multiple sources
- Identifying gaps and root causes
- Prioritizing learning needs
Best Practices: How to Conduct a Training Needs Assessment
Here are five key steps to guide your needs assessment:
- Define the Goal: Clarify what you’re assessing, why it matters, and who will use the results.
- Collect Data from Multiple Sources: Use surveys, interviews, existing data, or environmental scans to identify gaps.
- Analyze the Gaps: Look for root causes—whether knowledge, skills, systems, or policies.
- Focus on the Learners: Understand who needs training, what they need, and how they learn best.
- Translate Findings into Solutions: Once you’ve identified and prioritized needs, turn your insights into action:
- Define clear learning objectives
- Select appropriate training formats
- Create a development roadmap
For example, if staff need stronger data visualization skills, short and focused micro-learning modules may work better than full-length courses.
How PHF Can Help
PHF’s eLearning development services support public health organizations at every step of the training process—from conducting needs assessments to developing customized, flexible eLearning that meets your unique needs.
We partner with you to implement a strategic needs assessment that can include:
- Designing surveys and conducting environmental scans
- Analyzing data to uncover learning gaps and root causes
- Prioritizing learning needs based on your goals
- Developing actionable learning strategies
Whether you’re preparing for accreditation, improving outcomes, or upskilling teams, we can help you build a strong foundation. A well-executed needs assessment lays the groundwork for learning that is meaningful, measurable, and mission driven.
Have you conducted a training needs assessment recently? What’s your go-to method for identifying training needs? Share in the comments below!
We’ve cross-posted this article on LinkedIn. Follow us there for more resources, insights, and updates!
Ready to get started?
Visit PHF’s eLearning Development Services page to learn more and contact us today!
Leave a Reply