The fun part about conducting a training gap analysis is that they provide you and your organization with so much needed information that you can repeat the process as many times as you need. Gap analysis can help you ensure training funds are well spent, you are addressing the actual needs for your team of learners, you are utilizing the correct learning methods for your learners, and you are assisting them with the correct competencies. Essentially, a gap analysis helps you understand what you need to go from point A to point B within your organization. It then helps you create a roadmap in order to reach your goal.
The results of your training gap analysis will reveal what is needed and why it is needed, who needs it, how will it be provided, and what will be the business effect. Your gap analysis will ensure you are developing your team towards your company's goals and learning objectives.
As training professionals and leaders within your organization, this learning path can help you conduct your own gap analysis or assist in improving your existing one.
Conducting a Training Gap Analysis
Before you begin your gap analysis it is important that you consider the following: your business need, your current competencies, your available training methods, associated costs, and the effectiveness of your existing training. It is also important to consider you may not be utilizing all of the tools available to you. As technology and human learning theories continue to develop it is important you do your research to consider all options as you conduct your gap analysis.
You can determine the training need through pre-assessments, polls, and through creative research. Pre-assessments involve asking your learners the same or similar questions they will need to answer by the end of your intended training. Pre-assessments can even be used to simply gauge what the learner knows and does not know about a certain topic. Polls are a simple way to ask your training audience what they know or feel they need to learn. You can ask direct questions not specifically related to any particular tasks such as: 'What skills would you like to learn to be able to better perform your job?' These questions help to shape and inform your training goals. Lastly, you can employ creative research by viewing customer feedback which could uncover trends that show a gap in knowledge within your organization. You can also look at performance reviews for your learners to see if you can find any training needs there.
Your "gap" is the distance between your current state and where you want to be. Once you have determined the need for training you want to assess and clarify the distance between whichever business objective or training goal you are seeking to meet and where your learners are currently. This process is fairly simple and can be achieved in several different ways detailed below.
Once the gap is determined, you can make relevant recommendations considering the data you collected throughout the process. Typically the resulting document is considered your Training Plan. Your plan serves to inform the direction, associated costs, and expected results for your training program that corresponds with the business objective and training goals outlined above.
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