Needs Assessment Basics

Choosing Data Collection Methods

Another critical part of step 4 of the data collection process is choosing (from the list in the “Potential Data Collection Methods” column of your data collection plan) the data collection methods that will work best in your situation to gain optimal information. You should choose both quantitative and qualitative methods so that your data sets complement each other. There are several factors that you should consider in making data collection method choices. Some important ones are identified and described in table 5-1.

Table 5-1. Some factors to consider when selecting data collection methods.

Factor	Considerations
Time Needed	What is the timeframe for your data collection process? How quickly must the training ...