Coastal Services Center

Welcome

Welcome to the Needs Assessment online learning module. This module has been designed to familiarize you with the terminology, tools, and methods of needs assessments, which will help you make more informed decisions about how and when to use needs assessments in support of your program or project objectives. After you complete this module you will have a foundation in the following concepts:

• How to develop assessment instruments such as surveys and questionnaires
• Understanding where needs assessments fit in the project development process
• Basic steps in conducting needs assessments

The term "needs assessment" has become strongly associated with education and instructional design. However the same basic process is used to determine customer needs and wants for products and services. In business the term used is "market research", with the target market for a product or service equivalent to the target audience for a class or other training. Needs analysis, market research, market analysis, and needs assessments are terms used somewhat interchangeably to describe this process.

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