Fast tracking the Gap Analysis… is it possible?
Recently, I was talking to an executive and they asked if we could accelerate the Gap Analysis process. “hummm, yes, sure, it’s possible”, I quickly said… as I didn’t want it to be a career limiting answer! So I did one on the spot. I asked questions!
I asked very similar questions I would if I was doing a “real” need assessment or if I was being tasked on a project or if my husband was being pressured by my son to get a new phone… (by the way, he works in IT, so he would do the exercise differently but his first question is always ‘what’s your requirement?” lol.
Here they are:
Q1- What is it you’re trying to achieve?
o What is the gap that you’re trying to fill? Who has a problem with it/with not having it? Why do you feel that way? What does right look like? Define success? How is this connected to our ‘why’?
o Still not sure or not convinced or confused? Ask: “say more”
Q2- Where did you hear (see-feel-manipulate) this ?
o Was this part of a success story or a lesson learnt report? Was the context GC (Government of Canada) or not-GC-related?. What is the scope of the comparison? What were the factors/elements that made that idea pop-up? How many people does it impact or target? What benefits did you see or witness?
o Still not sure or not convinced or confused? Ask: “say more”
Q3- What’s your role in this? Or Who did you hear it from?
o Based on the GC Digital Standards, we should strive to be a “user-employee-learner”- centered organization. As a learning geek, I say WIIFT (what’s in it for them)? Is the person you heard the story from the expert in the field? A user with first-hand experience? A manager that administer the ‘thing’? Is this a game changer? A deal breaker? Is this a piece of a bigger puzzle? As the School or the GC: WIIFCSPS?/ WIIFGC? (no, we don’t need another acronym but I couldn’t help it!!!) Understanding the LX, EX or UX (learner-employee or user experience)’s, insights, pain points and desirable outcome is key for success.
Q4- By when do you need this by? (well…. Let’s pray it’s not for yesterday!)
o What is the urgency or risk? How are we shifting the other priorities? In the meantime, is it already done by someone else? How can we repurpose it/ borrow it/curate it? Is there a software, an open-source platform or an Open Educational Resource that can do it? Can we contract someone to do it? Without forgetting the most important player in any project: procurement (GC standards…), funding (GC budgets…) and integration (GC IT, Security, HR, and Learning…).
For the purpose of my challenge, this became a “4 back-pocket question” that I shared. This is way less detailed than a “real” need assessment that would also include a list of knowledge, skills, abilities and level of quality/performance desired but I am confident that is a good mitigation strategy to the original question : How might we accelerate the gap analysis process????
Also, I am aware that this simple 5 min conversation happens every week for several of my colleagues, including me including for much greater learning (or not) projects. This is the reality of our fast-paced and remote workplace. YES AND, as Learning Professionals, we can agree that learning (and training) is NOT the answer, but I wonder if we could be smooth the conversation and offer a combination of 2–3 options that could work and would be less committing than a full-on baked course? PERHAPS AND, to our senior leaders, it wouldn’t be a no… right?
What do you think?
Stay Tune as next week, my friend @helen will be sharing her blog from her conversations at the Canada Revenue Agency, followed by how to use the Workflow of Learning, a decision-tree for learning decisions, and finally my friend Kim will share how she uses the “Action Mapping” in her learning projects.
