7A1-9 - Action Research: Analysis of Study Design. see details below. Follow instructions and answer all questions.

Qualitative Needs Assessment Methods

Aspect Group Forums Focus Groups Nominal Groups Other Methods

Purpose Determine the perceptions of problems, needs, and issues from large groups (>>40).

Obtain feedback on work done to date.

Understand how small, generally homogeneous groups view an issue regarding an area of need.

Learn how issues and/or needs are referred to as a prelude to survey development.

Small-sized groups generate multiple ideas about needs or concerns in a short period of time.

Obtain priorities about those ideas.

Interviews, observations, etc. - mostly, but not exclusively, used to collect data on the "what should be" states.

Ease of Implementation Seemingly simple, but significant behind the scenes work.

Highly dependent on skills and experience of group leader.

Straightforward, but care should be taken in selecting facilitator so groups will open up for that individual.

Procedural rules must be followed, or the properties of the technique disappear.

While most of the other techniques are easily implemented, they will require extensive preparation in some cases.

Cost Considerations Relatively inexpensive, but there are upfront costs for planning, publicity, refreshments, and especially for a good external leader.

Participants are usually paid a stipend, and appropriate leadership is a must that requires additional expenditure.

Relatively inexpensive way to generate ideas.

Generally inexpensive, but methods such as mailed Delphis and future scenarios may take extensive time to have returned and developed for content.

Value of Information Obtained

High value especially in regard to feedback on directions taken, findings, community views, etc.

High value for understanding frames of reference, and/or for the generation of instruments.

High value in terms of producing and prioritizing many ideas in a short time period.

Can be high depending on what kind of information is required (e.g. the DACUM process and critical incidence technique for task analyses).

Issues Usually occurs after the fact (i.e., following a number of other activities) and is not a substitute for them.

Most of the time will not produce discrepancies.

Very limited ability to get at discrepancies.

What people say at a focus group may not relate to how they will act at a later time.

Good at generating ideas, but does not yield discrepancy information.

Discussion only occurs toward to end of the season.

Some of the techniques are not often observed in the literature of Needs Assessments.

L i c e n s e d u n d e r a C r e a t i v e C o m m o n s A t t r i b u t i o n 3 . 0 L i c e n s e .