NEEDS QUESTIONNAIRE

1. The tool is merely a template. You should modify it as needed for your distinct purposes.

2. Using a questionnaire (or an interview or focus group) is a type of survey activity. Conducting a survey should be done systematically. The overall steps in the survey process are:
   1. Organize the survey team.
   2. Determine the survey goal.
   3. Select a representative sample.
   4. Generate the questions.
   5. Construct the instrument (questionnaire, interview protocol, or focus group protocol).
   6. Test the instrument.
   7. Administer the instrument.
   8. Analyze the data.
   9. Share and use the results.

3. Consider collecting audience information with more than one method if time and resources allow. For example, a questionnaire can be used to collect some baseline information about audience needs. Then, either interviews or focus groups can be used to collect more detailed information. Alternatively, interviews or focus groups can be used to define the issues involved in audience characteristics, and a questionnaire can be used to confirm or refine the issues.

Some of the advantages of questionnaires are:

1. Questionnaires are especially useful when the respondents must remain anonymous. They can be distributed and returned in ways that respondents can feel confident that their identities are secure.

2. Questionnaires can be an efficient means of collecting information from the point of view of the respondents. Questionnaires should be brief so that respondents spend no more than ten to fifteen minutes completing them.

3. Different forms of questionnaires can be distributed to different audiences. This strategy is particularly useful when you have a large pool of potential respondents and a lot of questions to ask about the audience. Through a process called "matrix sampling" you can ask some of the respondents to respond to one part of the questionnaire and other respondents to respond to another part of the questionnaire.

   4. There are many different types of questions that can be included in a questionnaire. Some popular types of questions (or items) include:

   1. open-ended, e.g.,
      What is the type of documentation to which you most frequently refer with an interactive program of this kind?
   2. multiple-choice, e.g.,
      Which is your least preferred source of information about a new program?
      __ On-line documentation __ Paper Documentation __ interactive multimedia
   3. ratings or rankings, e.g.,
      Rank order the following sources from 1 (most effective) to 4 (least effective).
      __ On-line documentation __ Paper Documentation __ interactive multimedia __ Training Seminar
   4. Likert-scale, e.g.,
      My preferred sources for new product information is a hypermedia program that I can use on my own personal computer at home or in the office.
      __Strongly Agree __Agree __No Opinion __Disagree __ Strongly Disagree

Some of the disadvantages of questionnaires are:

1. Questionnaires are relatively easy to design, but good questionnaires represent a significant investment in time and expertise to prepare.

2. Questionnaires can take considerable time to distribute, process, analyze, and report.

3. Questionnaires are not as flexible as interviews or focus groups. The latter permit the exploration of unanticipated issues whereas questionnaires usually only provide information directly related to the specific questions included in them.

4. Many people are reluctant to respond to questionnaires and response rates of forty percent or lower are not unusual.

Your answers will be handled in the strictest confidence. Your answers will be tabulated with those of others to determine information needs, usage patterns, content requirements, format preferences, and overall quality.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

1. To help us evaluate your answers, please indicate by checking.....
   • your computer experience. __ 1 year or less __ 5 to 9 years
     __ 2 years __ 10 years or more
     __ 3 to 4 years

   • your job experience. __ 1 year or less __ 5 to 9 years __ 2 years __ 10 years or more __ 3 to 4 years

   • your primary activity. __ Sales Engineer __ Systems Engineer __ Field Engineer __ Professional Services __ Customer Services __ Manager __ Other (please specify) ______________________________________

2. When you receive a new information system, what are your preferences for finding out initial information about it?
   Rate the following from 1 = "most preferred" to 8 = "least preferred. Leave blank any information sources that you do not use at all.

   __ Audio Cassette Tapes __ Training Videos
   __ Printed Documentation __ On-line Documentation
   __ On-line Tutorials __ Corporate Seminars
   __ Commercial Advertisements __ Other (please specify)
   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________

3. Using the following scale, evaluate the usefulness of the following training programs:

   Very Useful.............Not Useful
   5 4 3 2 1
   Audio Cassette Tapes__________
   Training Videos__________
   Printed Documentation__________
   On-Line Documentation__________
   On-Line Tutorials__________
   Training Seminars__________
   Commercial Advertisements__________
   Other (please specify)
   ________________________________
   

4. Consider the training programs that you prefer. What makes them appealing to you?

5. Consider the training programs that you do not prefer. What makes them not valuable for you?

6. Using the following scale, evaluate the training programs that you have had here.

   Excellent........................Poor
   5 4 3 2 1
   Accuracy__________
   Clarity__________
   Completeness__________
   Organization__________
   Ease of Use__________
   

   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________
   _________________________________________________________

7. What are the best aspects of the training offered here?

8. What are the worst aspects of the training offered here?

9. How would you improve the training offered here?

10. What other feedback would you like to provide to training developers?

Henerson, M. E., Morris, L. L., & Fitz-Gibbon, C. T. (1987). How to measure attitudes. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.