Use this needs assessment template during the project planning process to help the team obtain a better understanding of economic, social, and environmental factors that may affect the outcome of the project. This template is specifically focused on non-profit organization projects, but can still be customized accordingly to organization needs.
Powered by
A needs assessment template is a tool or framework that organizations can use in identifying, documenting, and analyzing data for needs assessment sessions. They are typically ready to use and customizable according to the requirements of the business, project, or situation.
A needs assessment is the systematic process of identifying and evaluating organizational needs and gaps. It is conducted across a range of settings, such as communities, schools, hospitals, states, and business organizations. The assessment gives the organization a snapshot of where they may be lacking and help them refocus their resources to progress toward goals with greater efficiency.
The terms needs assessment and needs analysis often get used interchangeably. While seemingly the same, the two are actually distinct.
As mentioned, a needs assessment identifies the needs and gaps that currently exist in the organization. Once gaps and needs are discovered, needs analysis or gap analysis is then used to determine the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, and ‘why’ of the gaps. The two processes work in conjunction to bring the organization from one point to the next in order to bridge the gaps in the organization.
Needs assessment is a powerful tool that can aid project managers in decision making, resource allocation, and ultimately reaching business goals. The following are steps project managers can take in conducting a needs assessment successfully:
Project managers and their team members should clearly understand the overall objective of the project and the requirements to bring it to completion. As a project manager, help bring clarity to the team by going through the following questions:
Given the requirements and objectives of the project, determine the available resources in your organization that you can use for the project.
By determining the available resources, you’ll also be able to identify gaps that need to be addressed in order to progress towards completion. This is done through data collection and analysis. There are various methods that can be used to help pinpoint gaps.
At the conclusion of the needs assessment, review the data you gathered and compare it with the objectives you set for the project. Doing so emphasizes which steps the team needs to take in order to achieve project goals. Your plan of action should outline key approaches and strategies and should assign a team lead and deadline for each.
In identifying needs and gaps, there are various ways of conducting data collection for needs assessment. The following are 3 basic data-collecting methods that may be used in conducting needs assessments:
Surveys are useful tools for gathering data for needs assessment . It can be conducted in a written or electronic format. It is a cost-effective method that allows you to gather data for your needs assessment when your goals require:
Interviews are done by collecting data through one or more conversations between two or more people. Interviews can be conducted face-to-face or via technology (video conference, telephone, or online.) Interviews are used to identify the people who can provide in-depth information about the needs and gaps of the project and gather their ideas on how to address them. While this method is labor and time-intensive, it is inexpensive, can gather a variety of perspectives, and gives interviewers better clarity on interviewees’ responses.
Focus groups are group discussions conducted in person with a limited number of stakeholders to gain information about views and experiences on the same topic. Focus groups can be highly valuable for planning a needs assessment, as you can gather several perspectives and learn about attitudes and beliefs. However, this method may cause members to piggyback off each other’s ideas and statements and only get information from the outspoken members of the focus group.
Get started with your needs assessment with our free template.
A needs assessment template is usually composed of three parts: background information, data collection, and findings. The first section gives additional context to the project, the second is the actual collection and analysis of the data gathered, and the third part is the section where recommendations are given based on the result of the assessment.
A needs assessment template can help address a wide range of needs including organizational, community, educational, healthcare, or project-specific requirements.
Yes, you can create your own needs assessment template, especially if you have very specific requirements based on your project. To increase efficiency, you can also choose to utilize ready-to-use and customizable templates that can be found in various resources.
Perform digital surveys when conducting your needs assessment to gather in-depth information efficiently and effectively. Conduct surveys flexibly with a mobile or tablet device. Replace paper survey forms to remove the chances of losing valuable data.
SafetyCulture is a versatile checklist and inspection app that can support project managers in conducting a needs assessment to address project needs and gaps to successfully achieve goals.
With SafetyCulture, you can:
To help you get started, we have provided a couple of needs assessment templates that you can download and customize according to your needs.
This needs assessment template consists of questions designed to gather information about business/department needs. Organization leaders or managers can use this template to determine performance and learning needs, and gather feedback from the team to determine rooms for improvement.
Inspection template Powered byThis needs assessment training survey is a questionnaire designed to help the organization deliver the best training to meet project needs. Use this training survey to determine training priorities.
Inspection template Powered byThis community needs assessment template is based on CDC’s workbook. This template can help with the planning process of the community needs assessment.
Jai Andales is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. As a content specialist, she creates well-researched articles about health and safety topics. She is also passionate about empowering businesses to utilize technology in building a culture of safety and quality.
This needs assessment template consists of questions designed to gather information about business/department needs. Organization leaders or managers can use this template to determine performance and learning needs, and gather feedback from the team to determine rooms for improvement.
This needs assessment training survey is a questionnaire designed to help the organization deliver the best training to meet project needs. Use this training survey to determine training priorities.
This community needs assessment template is based on CDC’s workbook. This template can help with the planning process of the community needs assessment.
