Having identified how a HRD strategy can help progress the organisations corporate strategy we can help you to determine whether a gap exists between, for example, the competences required to meet future role expectations and the human competences that exists and that that is capable of being realised.

Only through these assessments can the organisations strategic needs be attained.

This therefore is the purpose of training needs analysis. (Often thought of as a study of individual need but is in reality an analysis of corporate need to drive individual development). The benchmark for conducting a training needs analysis is the definitions set in your organisations strategic document. The specific task of conducting an individual training needs analysis (or more preferable a competence based assessment) is to determine whether your people are equipped with the behaviours, values and competences they require to operate in a manner and at a level that is sufficient to meet the organisations future demands. This assessment task for selected individuals, uses evidence (from personal development portfolios?) and/or demonstration, and/or self test, and/or observation, e.g. assessment centres etc.

The importance of effective training needs analysis, linked to personal development portfolios, cannot be underestimated as it ensures that all consequential training programmes will have a clear view of objectives and deliverables, that relate to the needs of both the individual and the organisation.