Needs Assessment: An Overview (Book 1)

"The strength of the book is its thoroughness and how it actually takes the reader inside the experience, step-by-step, of conducting a Needs Assessment…"

―Jody Bortone, Sacred Heart University

This book focuses on how results have to be utilized in an organization for an assessment to be considered a success. The authors describe the three phases of needs assessment in depth along with subtleties in implementing them.

Although this book can be used in a stand-alone fashion, it is part of the Needs Assessment KIT―five interrelated and sequenced books that take the reader through the needs assessment process (ISBN: 978-0-7619-2595-8).

James W. Altschuld, PhD, is Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University where he taught program evaluation, needs assessment, and research methods. He has published and presented extensively in the field of evaluation particularly with regard to how needs are assessed.


Dr. David Devraj Kumar is professor of science education at Florida Atlantic University. He earned his doctorate in science education from Vanderbilt University, a master’s in analytical chemistry from the University of Louisville, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry from the University of Kerala, India. He is a former associate dean of research and graduate studies in education at Florida Atlantic University, a former postdoctoral fellow at The Ohio State University, and a former guest scholar at The Brookings Institution. His research interests include hypermedia learning environments, science-technology-society studies, evaluation and policy. His publications include refereed journal articles and books. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Salzburg, Austria). His recognitions include the Best Program Evaluation Research Award (with J. Altschuld) from the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, the Chemical Pioneer award from The American Institute of Chemists, and the Researcher of the Year Award from Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Kumar sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Science Education and Technology, and the Journal of Materials Education, and the Policy Futures in Education. He was appointed by the Governor of Florida to the Board of Directors of the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc.