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.
Root Cause Analysis
The root cause analysis is a methodology used in various disciplines to find out the originating cause of an event or a situation. Several ways are available to perform root cause analysis, but a simple ‘5 Whys’ methodology is usually enough. This method involves asking the question ‘why?’ about five times to find out the actual cause of the problem.
You can use less or more than five ‘whys’ when using this methodology, but the point is to continually ask what the reason is for the existing situation until you reach what seems to be the originating cause of the problem.
After finding out the root cause of the problem, you can then proceed to the next analysis which is the gap analysis.
Below is an example of the application of this methodology during the FEA.
Application of Root Cause Analysis to a Case
This section will now feature a hypothetical scenario wherein root cause analysis was applied to discover the ultimate cause of the problem reported by one of the primary stakeholders, which in this case is the Director of Customer Service.
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.
To see the complete background analysis of this case, you may go to this link.
Continuing from the background analysis, a root cause analysis using the 5 Whys methodology is performed to identify the originating cause of the customer satisfaction issues at the telecommunications company.
You will see below the summary of the responses of the Director to the questions and my notes during the root cause analysis.
Problem Statement:
Customer satisfaction scores have declined steadily over the past six months.
1st Why: Why have customer satisfaction scores declined?
Customer satisfaction has decreased because customers are experiencing longer wait times and frequent scheduling errors when interacting with the customer service department.
2nd Why: Why are customers experiencing longer wait times and scheduling errors?
These issues are occurring because customer service managers are not effectively using the call center software to optimize scheduling and manage call distribution.
3rd Why: Why are customer service managers not effectively using the call center software?
The managers lack adequate training on the new features and functionalities of the upgraded call center software, leading to inefficient use and mistakes in scheduling.
4th Why: Why do the managers lack adequate training on the new software features?
The software upgrade was implemented quickly, and the focus was on maintaining operational continuity rather than providing comprehensive training. The initial training provided was minimal, and managers were expected to learn the new system on the job.
5th Why: Why was the software upgrade implemented without sufficient training?
The software upgrade was rolled out under tight deadlines due to external pressures from upper management to improve operational efficiency quickly. As a result, the training component was deprioritized in favor of immediate deployment, and managers were not given the necessary time or resources to fully adapt to the new system.
The conclusion from the root cause analysis
The root cause of the declining customer satisfaction scores can be traced back to the rushed implementation of the call center software upgrade without sufficient training for the customer service managers. This lack of preparation has resulted in managers being unable to effectively use the software, leading to scheduling errors and increased wait times for customers. Addressing this root cause through targeted training interventions may be critical to resolving performance issues and improving customer satisfaction.
Based on this hypothetical interview, we have found out using the ‘Five Whys’ method that although management implemented an initiative to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction, the target result was not attained because the personnel who were supposed to implement the solution were not properly and sufficiently trained in properly utilizing the scheduling software.
This analysis provides valuable information that may be used in the next analysis of the FEA: the gap analysis. There, we can explore potential solutions, including whether ID is the optimal approach or if other interventions are required or better than ID.