Designing the LNA questionnaire
Featured in the Learning Needs Analysis training manual
By Beverley Williams
Category: People Management and Motivation
Credit price: 4 download credits (Single user)
The design of the learning needs analysis questionnaire is crucial if the right information, in sufficient depth, is to be gathered. The questionnaire needs to be long enough to gather the necessary information while still remaining as concise as possible. It needs to gather information in a way that lends itself to straightforward analysis while still allowing participants to respond as fully as is necessary. It needs to avoid bias, leading questions, offending people and double-barrelled questions. It must also be user friendly and present the questions in a logical manner. This brief overview of the dos and don’ts of questionnaire design gives us an idea of how meticulous we need to be in our approach. However, the very fact that there are so many tried and tested dos and don’ts means that an excellent questionnaire design guidance framework already exists. This activity encourages participants to examine the dos and don’ts of questionnaire design, along with some of the pitfalls that face the designer, and to put this knowledge into practice.
You introduce the activity by explaining the purpose of the LNA questionnaire and discussing who will make use of it. You then move on to examine the dos, don’ts and possible pitfalls of questionnaire design. Next, you guide participants through the design of the LNA questionnaire, explaining fully its three parts: the introductory, central and concluding sections. Now that participants have an understanding of how to construct the LNA questionnaire, you provide an opportunity for them to put their learning into practice. Working in pairs they develop examples of the three sections of the LNA questionnaire. You coach during the exercise, and then lead a brief feedback session. Conclude the activity by asking each participant to contribute one or two key learning points.
Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to provide those responsible for learning needs analysis with the knowledge and skills necessary to design LNA questionnaires.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 4 |
| Max Group Size: | 10 |
| Typical Duration: | 02:15:00 |
| No of Pages: | 25 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Purpose: This training activity is intended for use by trainers with participants who are responsible for identifying the learning needs of others. They may be trainers or line managers with little or no experience in this role or who would benefit from a more in-depth understanding of a task they already perform. Participants should have an understanding of LNA within the learning and development cycle. Ideally, a task and KSA checklist should be used during this activity although participants may use existing job descriptions and/or person specifications.
Download the training activity, Designing the LNA questionnaire as featured in the Fenman training manual; Learning Needs Analysis