Needs Assessment
Case Study
Optimized Learning and Development Investments
Improved Employee Performance
Increased Business Impact
Introduction to the Client
Our globally recognized client, a financial services corporation, offers millions of customers diverse banking and financial products and services. Committed to innovation, they consistently enhance their digital capabilities to ensure exceptional user experiences and efficient operations across various business units.
Identifying the Business Challenge
The client faced a complex business challenge related to their existing learning environment. As a global financial services corporation, it needed an effective learning environment and learning management system (LMS) that addressed employee learning and development needs while adapting to the rapidly changing industry landscape. Key issues included outdated content, inconsistent learning experiences, and misalignment between training programs and strategic goals.
The primary challenge involved identifying and addressing gaps in the learning environment and supporting technology, including the learning management system, while streamlining the delivery of engaging and relevant training content.
Choosing a Consulting Partner
The client sought a partner with learning and development expertise to collaborate with their internal team, conduct a comprehensive needs analysis, suggest actionable solutions, and support implementing these recommendations to improve their learning infrastructure’s effectiveness and impact.
Partnering with SkillQ, the client aimed to optimize learning and development investments through an in-depth needs analysis. The project focused on identifying improvement areas, enhancing the organization’s learning infrastructure, and fostering a continuous learning and development culture throughout the enterprise.
The Innovation Sprint Needs Assessment Process
The implementation process began with SkillQ’s team of experts working closely with the client to design a series of Innovation Sprint workshops to collect crucial business requirements and identify areas of improvement for their learning environment and learning management system (LMS). These workshops brought together employees, subject matter experts, and key stakeholders from various locations across North America, fostering a collaborative and problem-solving atmosphere.
SkillQ Support
SkillQ’s team assisted with the planning and organized the Innovation Sprint workshops, ensuring all necessary resources, tools, and frameworks were in place. They also prepared a detailed agenda outlining the workshop objectives, activities, and expected outcomes. In addition, SkillQ assisted in facilitating the Innovation Sprint workshops, engaging participants in interactive and dynamic discussions to gather insights and identify challenges related to the client’s LMS.
Workshop Structure
The workshops featured brainstorming sessions, group activities, and individual exercises, allowing participants to share their experiences and contribute to problem-solving.
SkillQ collected valuable data and insights from the participants throughout the workshops. This information was then thoroughly analyzed to pinpoint the key issues, requirements, and opportunities for improvement of the client’s support resources related to customer service operations associates.
Post-Workshop Analysis
Drawing upon the insights gathered from the Innovation Sprints, SkillQ crafted extensive recommendations and a strategic action plan to address the identified gaps and augment the client’s learning resources and practices. In addition, when appropriate, the team incorporated requirements specific to the organization’s LMS. This comprehensive plan encompassed strategies for updating content, optimizing learning processes, and aligning training programs with the company’s strategic objectives.
Leadership Presentation
One of the innovative aspects of the data collection process involved capturing video footage from multiple workshop locations, which was then skillfully edited to create a summary video. This video provided a clear and engaging visual representation of the identified needs, effectively highlighting the most critical challenges and proposed solutions.
The summary video, combined with the detailed recommendations and action plan developed by SkillQ, enabled the client to:
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of their LMS and the areas requiring improvement.
Update and refine the LMS content to better align with the company's strategic objectives and the evolving needs of its employees.
Streamline learning processes, leading to more consistent and engaging learning experiences for their workforce.
Foster a continuous learning and development culture, empowering employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and contribute to the organization's success.
One of the innovative aspects of the data collection process involved capturing video footage from multiple workshop locations, which was then skillfully edited to create a summary video. This video provided a clear and engaging visual representation of the identified needs, effectively highlighting the most critical challenges and proposed solutions.
The summary video, combined with the detailed recommendations and action plan developed by SkillQ, enabled the client to:
Lessons Learned
- Importance of Employee Input: The Innovation Sprint workshops demonstrated the value of involving employees in decision-making. Their firsthand experiences and insights played a crucial role in identifying the LMS’s most pressing needs and challenges, leading to more targeted and practical recommendations.
- Building a Business Case: The coherent recommendations were a solid foundation for presenting a persuasive business case to the organization’s leadership. In addition, showcasing the potential benefits and impact of the proposed solutions made it easier to secure buy-in and support for the implementation process.
- Cost-Effective Solutions: Many recommendations did not require significant additional investments but focused on changes to existing business processes and approaches. This discovery highlighted the importance of exploring cost-effective solutions that can lead to substantial improvements without placing a significant financial burden on the organization.
- Adaptability and Flexibility: The project underscored the importance of adaptability and flexibility when addressing complex business challenges. By employing innovative data collection and presentation methods, SkillQ was able to communicate the identified needs and recommendations in a more engaging and impactful manner.
- Collaboration and Communication: Effective collaboration and communication between SkillQ, the client, and the employees participating in the workshops were essential to the project’s success. Ensuring all stakeholders were aligned and committed to the process led to more valuable insights and a more substantial consensus on the proposed solutions.
Business Results
Through the Innovation Sprint workshops, SkillQ and the client identified key areas for improvement in their learning environment and learning management system (LMS). In addition, SkillQ conducted a comprehensive needs analysis to develop actionable solutions that aligned with the client’s strategic goals, addressing employee learning and development needs.
The partnership with SkillQ resulted in a more streamlined and engaging learning environment better aligned with the rapidly changing industry landscape. The client’s replaced outdated content and delivered a consistent and relevant learning experience across various business units. In addition, the misalignment between training programs and strategic goals was addressed, resulting in a more effective learning infrastructure.
The Innovation Sprint workshops allowed for collaboration and problem-solving across various locations in North America, thus resulting in a continuous learning and development culture throughout the enterprise. The client optimized their learning and development investments, improving employee performance and increasing business impact.
In conclusion, SkillQ’s partnership with the client resulted in a comprehensive needs analysis that identified improvement areas, developed actionable solutions, and implemented a more effective and engaging learning infrastructure. As a result, the client was able to address their business challenges related to their existing learning environment and LMS, resulting in a more efficient and impactful organization.