User learning needs analysis

Consider the following learning needs analysis user elements:

	"Who is going to take the training and what do they know about the topic?"
	"How do they prefer to learn?"
	"Who is going to instruct and what do they know about the subject?"
	"How do they prefer to conduct their sessions?"
	"What training has been given previously, and what were the results?"

User learning needs analysis, forming a clear impression of learners and trainers, is a critical step in learning needs analysis. By users we mean both learners and trainers who will access the programme in whatever format: a classroom setting, a self-study programme, an action centred or experiential learning programme or a multimedia format. New trainers are being appointed on an ongoing basis. In particular, training programme design must consider the specific requirements of trainers, who have been selected for their content expertise and communication style, not their knowledge of the organisation, its culture or business plans, etc. To produce training materials that fit users' backgrounds, a course designer must use learning needs analysis to find information about the users to design the training programme according for their needs, preferences and abilities.

Factors such as education, age, time availability / constraints, etc, influence how people learn. Negative experiences with certain learning methodologies can create resistance to some approaches to training. The user phase of learning needs analysis identifies such potential pitfalls.

User learning needs analysis should also gather crucial information pertaining to learning styles. People learn differently and for our purpose we can consider four types of learners: visual, auditory, kinesthetic (those who like to get their whole body into their learning), and tactile (people who like to use their hands when they learn). Having identified learners' preferred styles in the user learning needs analysis phase, later, the training programme designer will incorporate these findings when developing training materials.

User learning needs analysis will be pivotal in our three scenarios. In the Internet example, a solid user learning needs analysis will identify current levels of knowledge, attitudes and skills in using the Net. Based on data acquired about participants' current levels of knowledge and learning styles, one might decide, for example, to design different courses for a range of expertise and application scenarios.