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DEFINITIONS:
Need Analysis is the process of identifying and evaluating needs (see sample definitions below) in
a community or other defined population of people. The identification of needs is a process of
describing “problems” of a target population and possible solutions to these problems. A need has
been described as:
• A gap between “what is” and “what should be.” (Witkin et al., 1995)
• “A gap between real and ideal that is both acknowledged by community values and potentially
amenable to change.” (Reviere, 1996, p. 5)
• May be different from such related concepts as wants (“something people are willing to pay
for”) or demands (“something people are willing to march for”). (McKillip, 1987)
Need analysis focuses on the future, or what should be done, rather than on what was done as is
the focus of most program evaluations. Some people use the related term “needs assessment”
STEPS and EXAMPLES:
These steps may seem familiar to people aware of general guidelines for evaluation planning
(see, for example, the “Key Questions for Evaluation Planning“ in the ICYF Spring 2000 newsletter
and logic model descriptions). The focus here is entirely on “gap” or need analysis. The following
steps are suggestions from McKillip, 1998
CAUTIONS/PITFALLS:
“…the most serious conceptual flaws in needs assessment research involve problems with sampling,
failing to gather the right information to measure the desired components of need, and using
methods inappropriate to justify the conclusions. These weaknesses reflect a basic failure to
develop a conceptually coherent, logical, and well-integrated plan for conducting the needs
assessment” (p. 70, Reviere, et al., 1996). In addition to the above description, other common
problems include the following (from Soriano, 1995; Witkin, 1995):
• Missing primary target population (e.g., not asking clients of services, holding meetings at
inconvenient times/locations)
• Confounding means (solution strategies) with ends (outcomes) or needs with wishes (wants)
• Using only one method for gathering information
• Assuming levels of need are similar across levels of target groups
• Failing to set priorities based on collected data