Post on 25-Dec-2015
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Instructions to use the file
• Please click on the “slide show” option on the bottom left hand corner of the screen or by going to “View” from the top menu bar and selecting the “slide show” option
• Please note that the links in this file will NOT work unless you are in the slide show view option
• For questions call 1-800-200-6355 (PIN 0672)
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Management Learning Laboratories
Needs Assessments: Taking the Pulse of Communities
NRPA 1999
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
The Feedback Solution for Needs Assessments
The solution is meant for recreation decision makers who need information about the
recreation and leisure needs of the community they serve
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Today’s Speakers
Joe Bannon, Sr.
Mick Pope
Ananda Mitra
Phil Rea
Nancy MacCartney
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT is a two-fold attempt to gather and
analyze information from a constituency as well as to
establish on-going participating relations with the respondents
for the overall leisure plan
- Bannon
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Values of Assessment
· Really know verses guessing on recreational interests
· Understand community’s priorities and values
· Ability to re-prioritize limited funds
· Focus on important issues
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Values of Assessment
· To sell and persuade voters and elected officials
· Staff focus on expressed needs and willingness to let go of programs in decline or “dead”
· True local benchmarks established
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Values of Assessment
· Replication and measurement of effort
· Personal biases can be eliminated or discounted
· Credibility to grant agencies and foundations
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Challenges
· Selling the costs : benefits to decision makers
· Selecting a consultant that knows parks and recreation verse a general statistical/marketing research firm
· Developing an instrument unique to your community - staff commitment in time and careful review
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Challenges
· Developing valid questions in readily understandable wording
· Understanding by staff and community leaders the statistical process and results (i.e. sample size, random sampling etc)
· Decisions on methodology - mail vs., phone, adult and/or youth/teens
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Challenges
· Timing of the instrument distribution - time of year, holidays
· Extraneous factors - “A snapshot in time”
· Getting a statistical valid sample from various demographic groups
· Using incentives to increase sample size
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Challenges
· Staff accessing the data - time, ease of access and ability to interpret
· Unwanted results
· Requests to tag on questions from other agencies that aren’t related to the assessment verses the opportunity to partner and share costs
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Process
· Don’t reinvent the wheel; ask other professionals for sample RFP/RFQ’s and lists of consultants
· Evaluate and selection - involve your board members and other stakeholders
· Get stakeholders and community leaders buy into the process
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Process
· Stick to the time line, hold you staff and consultants feet to the fire
· Find the time to do the support work the consultants need
· Keep an open line of communication with the consultants
· Share the results; staff, leaders, and policy makers
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
You need the Feedback Solution if:
• Plan to do a master plan in the next couple of years
• Plan to apply for State/Federal funds• Get pressure from the community for more
“appropriate” leisure offerings• Elected officials want to know what the
community wants• Planning staff need more community information
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
You need the Feedback Solution if:
You already know what your community wants, but need
HARD DATA
to defend your “gut feeling”!
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Questions about citizen inputWhat type of decisions made?
What information necessary to make the decisions?
What information do you get?
What studies do you do?
What information you need but do not get?
What type of analysis needed?
What are the future needs?
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Why a Needs Assessment?
Understand the current level of usage andactivity in a community
Project to the future needs of the community
Assess the attitudes and opinions of thecommunity with respect to leisure
Measure the demographics of the community
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Specific ObjectivesWhat to ask about?
Current activities
Future needs
Personal Opinions
Leisure behavior
Demographics
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
What to Ask About?Current Activities
General Activities
Fitness and exerciseFamily events
Activities for different agesActivities for different populations
Trips
Special Events
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
What to Ask About?Future Needs
General Needs
Multipurpose CentersSpecific Events
New Centralized FacilitiesNeighborhood Centers
Methods of Payment
Extent of the Need
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
What to Ask About?Leisure Behavior
Availability of time
Convenience
Reasons for non-attendance
Information distribution
Competitive leisure behavior
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
What to Ask About?Personal Opinions
These questions address the opinion of thecommunity with respect to a variety of issues
such as:
level of maintenancegeneral recreation needs
future goals of a leisure providerspecific concerns in a community
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
What to Ask About?Demographics
Age
Gender
Marital Status
Income/Ethnicity
Household Information
Location
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
How to Ask the QuestionsQuestionnaire Development
Focus Group Discussions
These meetings help to produce area specificinformation about the needs and concerns of the
community
Pilot Testing
This process helps to produce a test of thequestionnaire that has been developed
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
How to Ask the QuestionsQuestionnaire Development
Questionnaire Formatting
Considerable effort is spent in producingan instrument that is not only pleasing to the
eye but easy to fill out as well
Cover Letter
The letter accompanying the questionnaire iscarefully written to have the maximum impact
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
How to Ask the QuestionsSampling
Population Definition
The community to be surveyed is carefullydefined in terms of residency requirements
location, and other specific criteria
Sample Selection
A random sample is selected from the definedpopulation. Random means that every member in
the population has a chance of being selected
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
How to Ask the QuestionsData Collection
Mail Data Collection
The questionnaires are sent out by mail andthe respondents send them back by mail as well.
Self-addressed envelopes are provided
Response Rate (RR)
A minimum response rate of 20% to 25% is expectedon the first mailing. When necessary a second
mailing can be conducted to boost the RR
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Things to DO!
• Collect information from a large cross-section of the community.
• Collect information about all the different aspects of leisure - attitudes, use, behavior
• Always ask the demographic questions
• Remember “user” data is different from “community” data
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Things NOT to DO!
• Depend only on public hearings and focus group data
• Collect information at community centers and other public places
• Confuse “user” data with “community” data
• Use a standardized “off the shelf” questionnaire
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Preparing a RFP
• Represent the needs of the entire population being served including all minorities
• Provide in-depth information about the needs of the community
• Provide statistically valid information that can reliably be used for making key decisions
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Preparing a RFP
• Provide a data set that can be dynamically used until it is updated by another needs assessment
• Provide a series of recommendations and action plans that reflect the existing research and scholarship about recreation
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Evaluating a Proposal/Firm
• How many years of experience does the research laboratory have?
• Can the researchers claim expertise in recreation as well as evaluation and survey research (one is not a substitute for the other)?
• Do the researchers use standard methods such as FEE method of Focus Group moderation?
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Evaluating a Proposal/Firm
• Has the research laboratory operated at a national level?
• Does the research laboratory have the technological facilities to conduct a state-of-the-art study?
• Does the research laboratory provide any technological tools that would facilitate ongoing analysis of recreation needs?
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Data AnalysisCompuRec
As the master planning proceeds the datacan be constantly mined and analyzed
The system provides easy access to thedata and helps to answer key questions
about the data
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Produces instantaneous access to data
115 25.4 29.1 29.1280 61.9 70.9 100.0395 87.3 100.058 12.758 12.7
452 100.0
YesNoTotal
Valid
9Total
Missing
Total
Frequency PercentValid
PercentCumulative
Percent
ATTEND PLAYS (ATTEND)
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Report data in desired format
Cases weighted by GENWT
ATTEND PLAYS (ATTEND)
NoYes
Pe
rce
nt
80
60
40
20
0
71
29
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Show data by categoryAttendance by Gender
Cases weighted by GENWT
ATTEND PLAYS (ATTEND)
NoYes
Cou
nt
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
gender
Male
Female
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Resulting Recommendation
• Neither men nor women attend plays in this community. Perhaps more opportunities are required or there might not be enough interest in this activity.
• You can test that too!
• Let’s create a graph of interest broken by gender
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Interest by Gender
Cases weighted by GENWT
ATTEND PLAYS
Great InterestSome InterestNo Interest
Per
cent
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
gender
Male
Female
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
Interest by Gender
Cases weighted by GENWT
ATTEND PLAYS
Great InterestSome InterestNo Interest
Per
cent
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
gender
Male
Female
Now we see that women are more interestedthan men
Conclusion:Women will attend more if they are given the
opportunity
NR
PA 1
9 99,
Se s
sio n
12 3
The Feedback Solution becomes much more powerful with the use of the CompuRec analytical tool