Introduction
The Front End Analysis (FEA) is a crucial step in the instructional design (ID) process.
FEA is primarily done to know whether ID solves the problem.
Usually, a client or stakeholder initiates the request for instruction. However, in some cases, the request for instruction is uninformed, meaning that the requesting party doesn’t fully understand the root cause of the problem, hasn’t explored other solutions to the problem, or both.
Because of this possibility, the instructional designer (IDer) has to investigate the actual cause of the problem and whether ID is truly part of the solution to the problem.
The main questions that FEA answers are
1. What exactly is the problem?
2. What is/are the root cause(s) of the problem?
3. What is/are the solution(s) to the problem?
4. What is the cost-benefit of ID in comparison with the other solutions?
To answer these questions, various analyses are needed to be performed. These analyses are part of the bigger FEA.
If the IDer confirms that ID will be an effective and optimal solution after performing the FEA, the ID process may continue to the next phase. If however the IDer confirms that other solutions will be better, then the IDer has to inform the requesting party about this and recommend other more effective solutions to the problem, aside from ID.
Background Analysis
The first type of analysis that can be performed is a background analysis.
Here, the IDer tries to understand the 5Ws related to the problem namely the Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
Each of these questions leads to more detailed questions allowing the IDer to understand the problem better. Below are examples of detailed questions that stem from the 5Ws:
Who: Who is the requesting party? Who is/are the stakeholder(s)?
What: What is the reason for the ID request? What is the problem that is being solved? What is the perceived timeline for solving the problem? What is the organizational structure of the requesting party? What is the initially expected solution(s)? What is the initially set budget (time, money, manpower, other resources) for resolving the problem? What are the identified constraints?
Where: Where is/are the target venue(s) for delivering the solution(s)? Where can necessary information be retrieved?
When: When did the problem begin? When is the expected completion date?
Why: Why is ID considered to be a solution to the problem? Why did this become a problem?
These questions can be asked from the requesting party, relevant stakeholders, previous team members of past similar projects, and other key personnel who are knowledgeable about the answers to these questions.
After obtaining the data, the IDer moves on to the next analysis which is the root cause analysis.
Application of Background Analysis to a Case
Below is a hypothetical scenario wherein I have applied a background analysis to try to better understand the requesting stakeholder.
As a background to the case, a call center was experiencing a decline in customer satisfaction scores. The personnel who initiated the request for ID is the Director of Customer Service. The Director is requesting training for his managers since it is suspected that the managers are underskilled in fully utilizing the scheduling software that the organization purchased.
After receiving this request, I should start performing a FEA. To begin the FEA, a background analysis is done to better understand the nature of the problem and to potentially identify immediately whether ID is indeed needed to solve the problem.
To start the background analysis, I drafted the questions to ask stakeholders who are knowledgeable about the problem. In this case, the Director of Customer Service is the main person to interview.
Below is a summary of the responses of the Director to the questions and my notes during the background analysis.
Who:
Who is the requesting party?
The request for instructional design has been initiated by the Director of Customer Service at a large telecommunications company. The director oversees a team of 150 customer service representatives and 10 managers.
Who is/are the stakeholder(s)?
Primary stakeholders include the Customer Service Director, the customer service managers, the representatives who will be affected by any changes, and the IT department responsible for supporting the call center software. Secondary stakeholders include the company’s upper management and customers who are directly impacted by service quality.
What:
What is the reason for the ID request?
The Customer Service Director has noticed a consistent decline in customer satisfaction scores over the past six months, which is attributed to longer wait times and frequent scheduling errors by the managers. The director believes that insufficient training on the call center software is the reason behind these issues.
What is the problem that is being solved?
The problem to be solved is the poor performance of customer service managers in using the call center software, which has led to suboptimal scheduling, longer customer wait times, and declining satisfaction scores.
What is the perceived timeline for solving the problem?
The director wants the problem addressed within the next three months, aligning with the upcoming quarterly review, where performance improvements are expected.
What is the organizational structure of the requesting party?
The telecommunications company has a hierarchical structure. The Customer Service Director reports to the Chief Operations Officer (COO), and the customer service managers report directly to the director. The IT department is a separate entity that works closely with the customer service team but reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
What is the initially expected solution(s)?
The director expects a comprehensive training program for the customer service managers that will improve their ability to use the call center software effectively. This might include live workshops, online training modules, and one-on-one coaching.
What is the initially set budget (time, money, manpower, other resources) for resolving the problem?
The budget for resolving the problem includes $50,000 for training development and delivery, a time allocation of up to 20 hours per manager for training, and additional support from the IT department to ensure software functionality during the training period.
What are the identified constraints?
Constraints include the limited availability of managers for training sessions due to their ongoing responsibilities, the fixed budget, and the need to avoid disrupting customer service operations during the training period.
Where:
Where is/are the target venue(s) for delivering the solution(s)?
Training is expected to be delivered in a hybrid format, with initial workshops held at the company’s headquarters and follow-up online modules accessible from any location. The training needs to accommodate managers based in different geographical locations, some of whom work remotely.
Where can necessary information be retrieved?
Information can be retrieved from internal customer satisfaction reports, call center performance data, interviews with customer service managers, and software usage logs. Additionally, feedback from the IT department regarding software issues can provide insight.
When:
When did the problem begin?
The problem began approximately six months ago when the company upgraded its call center software. Since then, customer satisfaction scores have steadily declined.
When is the expected completion date?
The Customer Service Director expects the solution to be implemented and show measurable results within three months, with a hard deadline set for the next quarterly performance review.
Why:
Why is ID considered to be a solution to the problem?
ID is considered a solution because the director believes that the managers’ lack of familiarity with the new software features is the root cause of the scheduling issues and, consequently, the decline in customer satisfaction. Proper training is expected to bridge this knowledge gap.
Why did this become a problem?
The problem arose because the managers were not provided with adequate training during the software upgrade. The transition to the new system was rushed, and the focus was on maintaining operations rather than ensuring that managers fully understood the new tools at their disposal.
The conclusion from the root cause analysis
The background analysis reveals that the decline in customer satisfaction scores at the telecommunications company is likely linked to insufficient training provided to customer service managers following a recent software upgrade. The problem’s root appears to be a knowledge gap in utilizing the new features of the call center software, leading to poor scheduling decisions and longer customer wait times. With a clear understanding of the stakeholders, constraints, and expectations, the next step will be to delve deeper into the root cause analysis to confirm whether instructional design is the most effective solution and to explore potential alternative or complementary interventions.