Wie kommunizieren und kollaborieren Sie mit Ihren Stakeholdern während des gesamten TNA-Prozesses?

It is also important to categorise your stakeholders early on - who are the decision-makers, who are the contributors and who need to be kept informed. Not all stakeholders will have the same role/influence. And sometimes their role or influence might change depending on the stage of the program. For instance, a sponsor may only get involved in the final evaluation while leaving the design and development to others.

During the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) process, effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders are crucial. Regular meetings, workshops, and surveys are employed to gather input and insights from key stakeholders such as employees, managers, and subject matter experts. Clear documentation and reports are shared to keep stakeholders informed about the TNA progress, findings, and proposed solutions. Continuous feedback loops are established to address concerns and refine the analysis. This transparent and inclusive approach ensures that the TNA aligns with organizational goals, meets stakeholder expectations, and facilitates successful training interventions.

It is important to realise that the world does not always neatly divide into a binary split between “stakeholders” and “non-stakeholders.” In complex organisations and especially those with matrix managed structures there are likely to be different types of stakeholder, with varying levels of interest and criticality for your TNA. In those kinds of situations I recommend formally classifying stakeholders using a RACI Matrix: Responsible Accountable Consulted Informed The key roles for the execution of your TNA project are clearly those associated with accountability (where the buck stops for success or failure) and responsibility (those actually carrying out TNA activities). All too often the other two groups are ignored!

Intrigued to find a cell of activity on RACI, especially in TNA not IT projects. I feel RACI does less well on large long projects (whole programmes) than small short projects (one module, few staff involved). Views?

Interviews are an important part of the stakeholder analysis. They provide you with context regarding the history of training, where they feel things have fallen short and how you can improve upon the process. Get as much information as you can upfront to avoid time delays and relationship friction. Prior to the interview have a few clear goals in mind i.e. I want to identify five key business outcomes this stakeholder wants to achieve by implementing this training program. Some example questions include: Are you implementing training to solve problems or improve growth? What might be causing the problems you have observed? What will the learners be able to do well after the training is implemented? How can we measure outcomes?

Where TNA processes occur in organisations with a well-defined structure and ‘chain of command’ it can be relatively simple to identify your key stakeholders. The approach you must apply to identifying and communicating with stakeholders is sometimes mandated if you are working in a regulated context and particularly when using a mandatory Systematic Approach to Training (SAT). For example in U.K. defence training, Joint Service Publication (JSP) 822 part 1 mandates your approach. There are similar publications elsewhere in NATO, in civil aviation and in some regulated Financial Services Jurisdictions. In smaller organisations like SME commercial businesses the stakeholders for your TNA may also be relatively simple to identify.

It’s so important to try and focus your stakeholders on what success looks like and not the type of development or the minutiae of the detail. What do you want to change/improve and how can we measure that or what would it look/feel like if we got that right are among the best questions available to you. Don’t forget that the answer to every situation is not training! Are the processes clear? Do managers have the skills to address concerns? The stakeholders are likely to have the answer to these questions. The art of getting this right is to somehow balance getting the answers to some of these questions without it feeling like you are creating obstacles.

Be conscious of the time availability of the stakeholders for the program. Quite often, they will not have time to go into every detail and attend every meeting. Keeping a central document / space for key decisions will help respond to any of the stakeholders when needed. All communication is best shared with all stakeholders, however, if you require any of them to take any action/decision, give them a clear indication of where they need to focus.

Do not forget to formally acknowledge the individuals and groups classified in your RACI matrix (see my contributions above) who need to be ‘Consulted’ and kept ‘Informed, and ideally AGREE with them how you will do that. Ultimately, this can make the difference between your findings being adopted, rejected or ignored. The ‘Consulted’ group are those that need a say in the process. eg Quality, Compliance, the Human Factors team. Ignoring them can create problems, particularly with regulatory issues that those ‘’Accountable’ or ‘Responsible’ might not recognise. The ‘Informed’, group of roles is harder to mail down, but these are roles that just need to be told something is happening, they don’t actually input into your TNA activity.

Collaboration with stakeholders during Training Needs Analysis is crucial. It leverages their skills, knowledge, and resources, involving them in design, delivery, and evaluation. This fosters a culture of learning and improvement and creates support for the program. Define the collaboration scope and goals clearly. Establish a collaborative environment promoting trust and respect. Use tools like brainstorming sessions. In my experience, involving stakeholders early in the process, like during Scrum training development, led to more tailored and effective programs. Recognize their efforts and celebrate successes to maintain engagement and commitment.

Collaboration really helps to get stakeholder buy in to a project. As briefly described in the paragraph working together with stakeholders aids communication and increases understanding of priorities.