Organize and group feedback on a central, shareable canvas.
Assess
Before you even think about fixing anything, you have to understand what's wrong.
A needs assessment is the process of gathering and analyzing data to identify the gaps between the current state and desired state of a program. You have to understand the problem your program aims to address before building.
You don’t want to build a program on vibes. VIBES DON'T MEET KPIs.
Build your assessment
🕵🏾Go through the gaps yourself
The easiest way to learn about gaps is to try things out yourself.
If your program is about a workflow, literally go through the workflow as if you were a user. If your program is about financial aid, research what existing resources are available.
Understand, for yourself, what the friction points are before you start talking to people about it.
If your program is about a workflow, literally go through the workflow as if you were a user. If your program is about financial aid, research what existing resources are available.
Understand, for yourself, what the friction points are before you start talking to people about it.
🤔 Identify who to interview
Make sure you're talking with people who have skin in the game; your users, customers, clients, students, besties, etc.
So, if your program is about high school Seniors, you should be talking to students, teachers, parents, and college counselors.
So, if your program is about high school Seniors, you should be talking to students, teachers, parents, and college counselors.
📓 Determine your data collection process
What's your plan for capturing the feedback of your users?
Asynchronously via an emailed survey where you can quickly view results? Through handwritten notes during a 1:1 call? Recorded voice notes?
The options are endless, just make sure the process is easy for you and your users.
Asynchronously via an emailed survey where you can quickly view results? Through handwritten notes during a 1:1 call? Recorded voice notes?
The options are endless, just make sure the process is easy for you and your users.
✏️ Ask the same 2-3 questions
The easiest three questions to ask are: what's working, what's not, and what can we build to support you?
By asking the same questions in your interviews, you'll ensure that you're comparing data in a standardized way.
By asking the same questions in your interviews, you'll ensure that you're comparing data in a standardized way.
👯 Group thematically
As you get more feedback, take a look at the data and group similar responses based on themes.This can help you determine program goals.
For example, say you interviewed 15 Seniors and 5 of them said they didn’t know where to apply for college scholarships. That’s a pattern! A related goal could be to “create a repository for local scholarships.”
For example, say you interviewed 15 Seniors and 5 of them said they didn’t know where to apply for college scholarships. That’s a pattern! A related goal could be to “create a repository for local scholarships.”
