After completing the interviews you conduct in the CapraTek: Training Needs Assessment simulation, use your downloaded copy of the simulation results, and write 5–6 pages focused on gap analysis, including its strategic impact on an organization, and your simulation experience for conducting a training needs analysis that is the basis for an effective training and development program design.

For this assessment, you will use the CapraTek: Training Needs Assessment simulation. Using this simulation, featuring a fictitious technology organization, will require you to make some decisions about which employees to gather data from, and about what data to utilize and interpret in your assessment. The goal of developing this data is to drive employee performance in the direction of the organizational strategy.

Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other to form a training and development program, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.
Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other to form a training and development program, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

· Competency 1: Assess an organization’s strategic plan for training.

. Assess the strategic impact that training on a selected topic would have for the organization.

. Assess how training needs have an effect on the organization’s expansion plans.

· Competency 2: Demonstrate effective training program design, development, and implementation.

. Describe what a training needs analysis is.

. Analyze methods for performing a training needs analysis (gap analysis) to determine what trainees know or can do prior to training.

. Identify the gaps one might expect to uncover in a training needs analysis.

. Justify the SMEs selected to interview and the questions asked for the training needs analysis.

Context

The first and most critical step of designing a training and development program is to conduct a training needs analysis (or assessment) to identify actual training needs. This is often referred to as a gap analysis because the gap is the difference between what the employees currently know and what they need to know.

In developing a training and development program, you often interview subject matter experts (SMEs) to gather data on training needs. This assessment asks you to imagine yourself in the role of a training consultant who will be developing a training program, and the simulation’s design demonstrates how to create strong questions for SMEs and how to use the interviews to obtain key documentation and data about training needs.

In this assessment, you will practice performing a training needs analysis (TNA) by selecting whom to interview and deciding what data to gather in order to identify gaps in trainee knowledge. You will summarize your findings using a TNA format. Include what trainees should know (or be able to do), and then using your findings, identify what they currently know (or can do). The gap will determine the learning objectives on a specific topic that the trainees should meet during the program you design and develop in this course. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, a model that classifies levels of learning, can help you successfully prepare learning objectives for trainees at the proper level of human cognition: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation.

Questions to consider

As you work to complete this assessment, you may find it helpful to consider the questions below. You are encouraged to discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community, in order to deepen your understanding of the topics

· What are the challenges of aligning training efforts with an organization’s overall strategic plan?

· What competencies might you need to develop to lead strategically?

· What impacts do generational differences have on employee training and development?

· What steps do you follow to develop an effective TNA?

Required Resources

The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

Capella Multimedia

Click the link provided below to complete the following simulation activity:

· CapraTek Training Needs Assessment | Transcript.

SHOW LESS

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Capella Multimedia

Click the links provided below to view the following multimedia pieces:

· Bloom’s Taxonomy | Transcript.

· Strategic Training Development | Transcript.

Library Resources

The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course.

· Hughes, R., & Beatty, K. (2005). Five steps to leading strategically. Training & Development, 59(12), 45–47.

· Spicer, C. (2009). Building a competency model. HRMagazine, 54(4), 34–36.

· Zemke, R. (1998). How to do a needs assessment when you think you don’t have time. Training, 35(3), 38–44.

Course Library Guide

A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the BUS-FP4047 – Employee Training and Development Library Guide to help direct your research.

Internet Resources

Access the following resources by clicking the links provided. Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the following links have been either granted or deemed appropriate for educational use at the time of course publication.

· Association for Talent Development. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.td.org/

· Bishop, T. (2013). Jeff Bezos explains the next step in Amazon’s strategy—the ‘hardest and coolest’ part. Retrieved from http://www.geekwire.com/2013/jeff-bezos-explains-step-amazons-strategy-hardest-coolest-part/

· CBS News. (2008). The millennials are coming! [Video] | Transcript. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-millennials-are-coming/

· West Midland Family Center. (n.d.). Generational differences chart. Retrieved from http://www.wmfc.org/uploads/GenerationalDifferencesChart.pdf

Bookstore Resources

The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and assessments in this course and are not required. Unless noted otherwise, these materials are available for purchase from the Capella University Bookstore. When searching the bookstore, be sure to look for the Course ID with the specific –FP (FlexPath) course designation.

· Blanchard, N. P., & Thacker, J. (2013). Effective training (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

. Chapter 1.

. Chapter 2.

Instructions

Preparation

Complete the CapraTek: Training Needs Assessment simulation activity. This simulation will help you understand how to create strong questions, select appropriate subject matter experts, and gain the understanding of how and where to locate key information related to an organization’s (CapraTek’s) training needs.

· Familiarize yourself with the scenario and the information on the home panel of the media piece before you proceed to the activity.

· This TNA simulation uses navigation that requires you to complete certain steps before moving on to the next step.

· You will have the opportunity to go through the activity multiple times to see how different decisions affect the outcome.

· Be sure to download your results after completing this simulation; you will use them in this assessment.

Requirements

For this assessment, complete the following:

· Assess the strategic impact that training on a selected topic would have for the organization.

· Assess how training needs have an effect on the organization’s expansion plans.

· Describe what a training needs analysis is.

· Analyze methods for performing a training needs analysis (gap analysis) to determine what trainees know or can do prior to training.

· Identify the gaps one might expect to uncover in a training needs analysis.

· Justify the SMEs selected to interview and the questions asked for the training needs analysis.

Additional Requirements

· Written communication: Written communication is in a professional style with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.

· APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style.

· Headings: Incorporate level headings according to current APA style.

· Length: A typical response will be 5–6 typed, double-spaced pages.

· Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

· References: As needed.