Gathering Information for Needs Analysis

Gathering Information for Needs Analysis

1. Primary information

   • Interviews
     • Very briefly, this is a way of asking members of a group or community what they see as the most important needs of their group or community. The results of the interview then guide the next actions. Generally, the needs that are detected as most important are the ones that are addressed.
   • Surveys
     • -Contain a list of questions, previously made, to be answered. -Have a predetermined sample (the number and type of people who will answer these questions are chosen in advance). -Are administered through personal interviews, via telephone or in writing (e.g., sent by mail). -The results of the survey are tabulated, summarized, distributed, discussed and (at the end, but without losing importance) used.
   • Observation
     • The use of observation techniques is also a technique for gathering information, which consists of observing the person within the context in which he/she normally carries out his/her activity, in order to The use of observation techniques is also a technique for collecting information. Observation is not only carried out on the subjects, but also on the environment (physical, social, cultural, etc.) where they carry out their activities.
   • Expectations
     • Direct methods are based on the use of techniques that allow obtaining direct information from or about the user. These techniques include the use of interviews and questionnaires; observation of information search and use habits; the critical incident technique and consensus methods.
     • Indirect methods are based on the analysis of documents, either those produced directly by the users or those produced by the users themselves. those produced directly by users, or those resulting from users' interaction with the information system. Reference analysis, document request analysis.
   • Focus Group
     • Consists of a group interview led by a moderator through a script of topics or an interview script. Interaction among participants is sought as a method to generate information.
   • Language Samples
     • Sequence of the target language used to give examples, explanations, exercises, etc. It can be linguistic or non-linguistic exponents.

2. Secondary information

   • Documents
     • The analysis of references provides clues to identify those information needs that the author has transformed into demands, and has used them in his lines of research to generate new knowledge.
     • Other studies use records of document requests in document access or document access or supply services (journal articles, laws, patents, standards...), as well as requests for book loans in libraries for indirect study of information needs.
   • Literature
     • It is itself a universe of free ideality, a territory of infinite possibility. Books are doors that no one could ever close to us, in spite of all censorship.

3. Analysis of Data

   • Identify key areas.
     • Will let you know how to focus on the weaknesses of your collaborators and detect those that are a priority, without leaving aside other areas that are not so essential.
   • Stablish Priorities
     • What is the real urgency of our client? How long will the task take? What percentage of turnover does the customer represent? How reasonable is our customer? ... What is the risk of not finishing the task on time?