Needs Analysis

Need Analysis
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.
1.
First, you identify the audience and purposes for

the analysis (what McKillip, 1998, calls the users
and uses). For example, members of a rural
community might have concerns about youth
loitering at a local park. The PTA might commission a need analysis to investigate the issue and
to try to find solutions to youth hanging out and
getting into trouble.
2.
Second, you fully describe the target population

and service environment. Altschuld et al. (2000)
point out three levels of target groups and their
respective needs: Level 1 (Primary) targets are
the direct recipients of the services; Level 2
(Secondary) targets include the individuals or
groups who deliver the services; and Level 3
(Tertiary) involves the resources and inputs into
the solutions (e.g., buildings, salaries, facilities,
etc.). These researchers emphasize that the
focus of the need analysis should be on Level 1
because that is the reason for the existence of
levels 2 and 3, not the other way around. In this
example, the primary target population would be
the rural youth. The local teachers, coaches
and school personnel would be one set of
secondary targets. The salaries, facilities,
equipment, curricula and support mechanisms
for the school personnel would be tertiary
targets.
3.
The third step is need identification where

descriptions of the problems (beyond the
general level noted in step 1) and possible
solutions are generated. This is where you
illustrate the gaps between expected/ideal

andactual outcomes. You want to gather
information from more than one level of target,
although you should focus on the primary
targets. For example, if you only asked school
personnel about the perceived needs of the
rural youth, you might get a different set of
answers than you would if you asked the youth
themselves. Include a description of the
expected outcomes of the various solutions
and, if possible, the estimated costs of each
possible solution.
4.
The fourth step is called needs assessment by

McKillip (1998). This is the time to evaluate the
identified needs. Which are the most important? Do any of the needs conflict with other
needs? Is there consistent agreement across
levels of target groups about the relevance and
importance of the needs? For example, an
after-school program might want to increase
academic achievement of youth by offering
extra activities that take time the youth otherwise might have spent finishing their homework. An unexpected outcome might be lower
grades due to incomplete homework. Therefore, the youth might not hold the same value
for extra academic activities as the program
staff who created the program in the first place.
5.
Finally, you communicate your results to the

audience identified in the first step.
Page 1 of 2
TECHNIQUES/METHODS:
Space here is limited so only a list of sample techniques and possible steps where they could be
used are included. Refer to the web sites and other citations below for a complete description.
Resource Inventory (Who provides What to Whom?; STEP 2)
Secondary Data Analysis (US Census, other data archives; STEP 2)
Surveys (Key Informants, Client Satisfaction, Training; STEPS 2, 3, 4)
Group Procedures (Focus Group, Nominal Group, Public Hearing, Community Forum (ALL
STEPS)
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
SELECTED REFERENCES:
BOOKS
Altschuld, J. W. and Witkin, B. R. (2000). From Needs Assessment to Action: Transforming
Needs into Solution Strategies. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
McKillip, J. (1987). Need Analysis: Tools for the Human Service and Education. Applied Social
Research Methods Series, Volume 10. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
McKillip, J. (1998). Need Analysis. In Bickman, L and Rog, D.J. (Eds). Handbook of Applied
Social Research Methods. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Reviere, R., Berkowitz, S., Carter, C.C., Gergusan, C.G. (Eds) (1996). Needs Assessment: A
Creative and Practical Guide for Social Scientists. Taylor and Francis: Washington, DC.
Soriano, F. (1995). Conducting Needs Assessments: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Sage Human
Services Guide #68. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Witkin, B. R. and Altschuld, J. W. (1995). Planning and Conducting Needs Assessments: A
Practical Guide. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
SAMPLE WEBSITES:
Needs Assessment: The First Step (http://www.alumi.caltech.edu/~rouda/T2_NA.html)
Guide for Conducting a Multi-Level Needs Assessment (http://www.cpms.osd.mil/pmo/
wgtrain2.htm)
Guiding Service Improvements Through Community Assessments (http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/
famlife/bulletin/volume.2/bull22e.htm)
What are the Steps in Assessing Community Needs? (http://www.familiesandworkinst.org/forums/
f01.html)
United Way Needs Assessment (http://fch.evansville.net/unwaynofr.html)
National Technical Center for Substance Abuse Needs Assessment (http://www.ntc.org/)
CYFERNet State Strengthening Guide (http://ag.arizona.edu/fcr/fs/cyfar/evalgde.htm)
Page 2 of 2
ICYF Evaluation Concept Sheet

Spring 2000, The University of Arizona
Prepared by Allison L. Titcomb, Ph.D.

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Need Analysis

First, you identify the audience and purposes for

Second, you fully describe the target population

The third step is need identification where

illustrate the gaps between expected/ideal

The fourth step is called needs assessment by

Finally, you communicate your results to the

ICYF Evaluation Concept Sheet

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