Applications

Depending on the scope of the project a needs assessment can be a costly and labor-intensive project. A general twelve step process might entail the following:

* Confirm the issue and audiences
* Establish the planning team
* Establish the goals and objectives
* Characterize the audience
* Conduct information and literature search
* Select data collection methods
* Determine the sampling scheme
* Design and pilot the collection instrument
* Gather and report data
* Analyze data
* Manage data
* Synthesize data and create report

In the past 50 years, it has been an essential element of educational planning. Over the past four decades, there has been a proliferation of models for needs assessment with dozens of models to choose from. This is also the same basic process used in business under the term "market research". That is the process used to determine customer needs and wants for products and services. Other terms used somewhat interchangeably to describe this process include needs analysis, market analysis, front end analysis, and discrepancy analysis.