Rossett's Model

Rossett's Model

Overview

Organizations are constantly faced with finding solutions to their problems. Often times they demand training to act as a quick fix to their problems; thus, trainers need to make needs assessment an essential part of their instructional design process. Otherwise, according to Zemke (1998), trainers "could very well end up doing a marvelous job of solving the wrong problems". Therefore, the trainer's challenge is to find the problem and to understand it sufficiently so that it can be solved (Rossett, 1987).

"Analysis or needs assessment is the basis for wise recommendation about instruction and supporting organizational strategies" (Rossett 1992). The terms used may vary. Some may refer it to front-end analysis; others may site a need to gather information, while some are planning, studying or scoping (Rossett 1990). No matter what it is called, Rossett (1987) believes trainers must make professional and convincing cases for analysis prior to particular solutions. This paper will focus on Rossett's Model and look at how each component of the model helps identify an organization's needs in order to provide possible solutions.

Purpose of Needs Assessment

According to Rossett (1995), needs assessment is the "initial pursuit of information about a situation" (pg. 183) in order to provide trainers insight into "what is needed to improve performance" (pg. 184). Conducted at the beginning of any training or development process, needs assessments are intended to identify gaps between what should be happening and what is actually happening (Rossett, 1987).

In her needs assessment model, Rossett states five purposes of the needs assessment process (Rossett, 1987). This process is i...

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...rocess. It is at this stage that all of the future actions of any project are planned. The bottom line is that a thorough needs assessment will save time and money in the development process by targeting the cause(s) of the problem in order to prescribe the correct interventions.

References:

Rossett, A. (1995). Needs assessment. In G.J. Anglin (Ed.), Instructional technology: Past,

present, future (2nd ed.). (pp. 183-196). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.

Rossett, A. (1992). Performance technology for instructional technologist: Comparisons and

possibilities. Performance and Instruction, 31(10), 6-10.

Rossett, A. (1987). Training Needs Assessment, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology

Publications.

Zemke, R. (1998). How to do a needs assessment when you think you don't have time. Training,

35(3), 38-44