Do the following training needs analysis scenarios evoke memories, fond or otherwise, of situations you have faced as a training manager, designer, trainer or HRD consultant?

A director is concerned about harassment in the workplace. The present course is out of date. As a result, a designer is engaged to rejig the existing harassment awareness programme for all staff (900 people).

At a management meeting a senior manager says: "We have all these new safety policies. We need to inform employees about them. We need someone to prepare a self-study training programme for all 2,000 employees."

An employer has just given Internet access to 10 divisional heads. Management has tasked the Human Resources Director to "ensure they know how to use it and don't waste company time."

These three training needs analysis scenarios have ambiguity in common. Little has been said that indicates clear, measurable training needs analysis requirements or benefits or priorities, etc. We are not certain that training is the desirable solution. Maybe all that people require is information, or feedback or coaching, etc, not training. The mandate of the trainer is not clear. In short, these three scenarios simply represent an opportunity for a thorough training needs analysis exercise.

How do the six types of training needs analysis listed above apply to these three training needs analysis scenarios? What are the key questions a training manager can ask to uncover the information needed to complete a thorough training needs analysis?