Deck 3: Needs Assessment

Question 1

_____ refers to the process of a company using information about other companies' training practices.

A) Brainstorming
B) Crowdsourcing
C) Outsourcing
D) Benchmarking

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following statements is most true about age and generation in the context of training?

A) The speed with which people process information increases with age.
B) Gen Xers dislike close supervision.
C) Motivation tends to decrease with age.
D) Traditionalists prefer more of a self-directed training environment.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is considered an "input" in the context of person analysis?

A) Awareness of performance standards
B) Social support
C) Cognitive ability
D) Workgroup norms

Answer 3

B

Question 4

_____ are more concerned with how training may affect the attainment of financial goals for the particular units they supervise.

A) Operational workers
B) Instructional designers
C) Mid-level managers
D) Upper-level managers

Question 5

In which of the following instances is training most likely needed?

A) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but they have inadequate input.
B) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but they lack feedback.
C) Employees lack the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but the other factors are satisfactory.
D) Employees have the knowledge and skill to perform a job, but the consequences are inadequate.

Question 6

Employees' readiness for training includes identifying whether _____.

A) an organization's work environment will facilitate learning and not interfere with performance
B) an organization should develop training programs by itself or buy them from a vendor
C) peers' and managers' attitudes and behaviors toward the employees are supportive
D) managers are using a similar frame of reference when they evaluate associates using same competencies

Question 7

According to the text, collecting data on social support for training from managers and peers is a component of which level analysis?

A) Organizational analysis
B) Personal analysis
C) Task analysis
D) a and b

Question 8

Which of the following methods is inexpensive and allows the collection of data from a large number of individuals?

A) Survey
B) Observation
C) Focus group
D) Interview

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true of needs assessment?

A) The needs assessment process fails to provide information regarding the outcomes that should be collected to evaluate training effectiveness.
B) Upper- and mid-level managers are excluded from getting involved in the needs assessment process.
C) The role of the needs assessment is to determine if training is the appropriate solution.
D) A company's decision regarding outsourcing its training is independent of needs assessment.

Question 10

Which of the following issues is addressed by task analysis?

A) Who needs training?
B) What is the focus of training?
C) Does training support the company's strategic direction?
D) Should training be built or bought?

Question 11

_____.refer(s) to the type of rewards that employees receive for performing well.

A) Consequences
B) Feedback
C) Motivators
D) Outcomes

Question 12

_____ relates to intellectual capability and general intelligence.

A) Basic skills
B) Cognitive ability
C) Self-efficacy
D) Reading ability

Question 13

In the needs assessment process, organizational analysis deals with identifying _____.

A) the training resources that are available
B) employees' personal characteristics
C) the conditions under which tasks are performed
D) the employees who require training

Question 14

_____ refers to asking a large group of employees to help provide information for needs assessment.

A) Crowdsourcing
B) Historical data review
C) Focus group
D) Benchmarking

Question 15

_____ are useful with complex or controversial issues.

A) Surveys
B) Observations
C) Focus groups
D) Historical data reviews

Question 16

_____ involves determining whether performance deficiencies result from lack of knowledge or skills.

A) Organizational analysis
B) Person analysis
C) Performance analysis
D) Task analysis

Question 17

Trainee self-efficacy level can be increased by _____.

A) letting them know that the purpose of training is to identify areas in which employees are incompetent
B) providing limited information about the training program prior to the actual training
C) convincing them training is important
D) showing them the training success of their peers who are now in similar jobs

Question 18

_____ analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company's business strategy, its resources available for training, and support by managers and peers.

A) Organizational
B) Task
C) Gap
D) Value-chain

Question 19

A primary disadvantage of using ____ in the needs assessment process is that the data obtained may lack detail.

A) Crowdsourcing
B) Interviewing
C) Survey
D) Observation

Question 20

In person analysis, _____ relate(s) to resources employees need to help them learn.

A) outputs
B) inputs
C) consequences
D) feedback

Question 21

Age, or even the generation an employee belongs to, does not affect how they prefer to learn.

Question 22

To motivate employees to learn in training programs, managers should always avoid informing the employees about their skill deficiencies.

Question 23

Which one of the following is true of task analysis?

A) It should be undertaken before organizational analysis.
B) It involves breaking a task into several jobs.
C) It should be undertaken before a person analysis.
D) It involves determining KSAOs needed to perform specific tasks.

Question 24

Pressure points almost always suggest that a training need is present in the organization.

Question 25

Surveys and interviews share common disadvantages as needs assessment methods.

Question 26

Surveys do not allow many employees to participate in the needs assessment process.

Question 27

Subject-matter experts (SMEs) should have an understanding of the company's language, tools, and products.

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true of competency models?

A) They are not useful for recruitment and selection.
B) They fail to identify the best employees to fill open positions.
C) They cannot be used for performance management.
D) Traditionally, needs assessment failed to focus on competencies

Question 29

Job incumbents should be included as SMEs because they tend to be the most knowledgeable about the job.

Question 30

Mid-level managers typically determine how much of their budgets will be devoted to training during the needs assessment process.

Question 31

In the process of developing a competency model, the job or position to be analyzed is identified after _____.

A) the needs assessment strategy is selected
B) the effective and ineffective job performers are identified
C) the business strategy and goals are identified
D) the competencies responsible for effective and ineffective performance are identified

Question 32

The importance of cognitive ability for job success increases with job complexity.

Question 33

The first step in task analysis is to _____.

A) develop a preliminary list of tasks performed on the job
B) select the job or jobs to be analyzed
C) identify the KSAOs important for successful task performance
D) identify important and frequently performed tasks for which training is required

Question 34

It is generally advisable to design training materials at a reading level that is slightly above trainees' ability in order to "stretch" them during training.

Question 35

Upper-level managers are not usually involved in identifying which employees need training or the tasks for which training is needed.

Question 36

Online technology is useful in the needs assessment process because it is most effective in generating detailed responses.

Question 37

Which of the following statements is true of rapid needs assessment?

A) It involves using a large amount of resources such as money and SMEs.
B) It ultimately results in the sacrifice of the quality of the process.
C) Its scope is independent of the size of the potential pressure point.
D) It opts for methods that provide results in which trainers have the greatest confidence.

Question 38

It is important to assess trainees' level of cognitive ability during the needs assessment process because cognitive ability is the person characteristic that most strongly impacts trainees' confidence to learn.

Question 39

Determining a job's cognitive ability requirement is part of the task analysis process.

Question 40

The primary role of upper-level managers in the needs assessment process is to ensure that learning efforts are integrated with business strategy.

Question 41

Why should upper level managers be included in the needs assessment process?

Question 42

Describe what problems might arise if a proper needs assessment is not conducted.

Question 43

Name and describe the three levels of analyses for conducting a needs assessment.

Question 44

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of observation, interviews, and the use of historical data as methods for conducting a needs assessment.

Question 45

Name and describe the uses of competency models.

Question 46

Task analysis should be undertaken only after the organizational analysis has determined that the company wants to devote time and money for training.

Question 47

To motivate employees to learn in training programs, they should be given a choice of what training programs to attend.

Question 48

One of the most powerful ways to motivate employees to attend and learn from training is to communicate the personal value of the training.

Question 49

Competency models are typically only used for training purposes.

Question 50

It is always important to conduct a thorough needs assessment at the organization, personal, and task levels of analysis.