Developing a Needs Assessment

For my LDT 513 course, I was tasked with developing a solution for a hypothetical workplace scenario at Bitloom Technologies, a company struggling with customer complaints about slow service and poor communication. On the surface, it looked like a classic “soft skills” issue begging for a communication training program. But after digging deeper, it became clear that the real problem wasn’t what employees were saying, it was what they were working with.

In this post, I’ll break down how a needs assessment revealed system failures, staffing shortages, and workflow breakdowns as the true culprits, why a training-only fix would have missed the mark, and how I’d design a smarter, systems-level solution that actually improves performance.

When Training Isn’t the Hero: Unpacking the Real Problem at Bitloom Technologies

When Bitloom Technologies first called me in, the problem seemed simple: customer complaints, slow response times, frustrated clients. As the Lead Learning Designer, I was ready to roll up my sleeves and build a killer training module on empathy, tone, and digital etiquette. But as every learning designer eventually learns if something seems like a training problem, there may be more to it.

So, I did what any good designer would do...I followed the data, not the drama.

It’s Not Them, It’s the System

After talking with managers and customer service reps, it became painfully clear the issue wasn’t that employees couldn’t communicate. It’s that they were fighting a losing battle with outdated tech and impossible workloads. The customer service software was crashing like a toddler after a sugar rush. During peak hours, the system froze, lagged, and occasionally self-destructed mid-ticket. Representatives weren’t ignoring customers; they were rebooting again. Add to that an understaffed department where one person was juggling three roles, and it was no wonder clients were frustrated. The team wasn’t underperforming; they were under-supported. 

When Good Intentions Go Rogue

Here’s the thing about training: it’s often the go-to scapegoat for deeper organizational issues. Someone spots a problem, and the first instinct is to “fix it with a workshop.” But as Stefaniak (2020) wisely reminds us, a needs assessment exists to stop us from throwing training at every problem like it’s glitter on a broken project.

At Bitloom, jumping straight into communication training would’ve wasted time, money, and patience because the root cause wasn’t skill, it was infrastructure. No matter how many empathy workshops you run, if your software crashes every 30 minutes, you’ll still have unhappy customers (and even unhappier employees).

Training would have looked good on paper but done little in practice. Instead, the data told a more complex story: before we could teach people to say the right thing, we needed to make sure they had the tools to do the right thing.

The Solution?

Telling leadership that training isn’t the solution is a bit like telling a chef their soup is bland it requires tact. So, I framed the findings as an opportunity, not a contradiction. Because the proof is in the pudding?

I presented visuals that made the story impossible to ignore outage graphs lined up against response times, workload heat maps showing one rep covering three roles. I tied the data back to key performance indicators: customer satisfaction, ticket resolution rates, and employee turnover. The takeaway? Upgrading systems and adding staff wouldn’t just improve morale it would directly boost the company’s bottom line.

One of the biggest misconceptions about learning designers is that we “just make training.” In reality, our job is closer to being an organizational therapist. We listen, diagnose, and help teams understand whether they need new skills or just a better environment to use the ones they already have.

Here is the proposed game plan:

1. Short-term: Launch bite-sized learning modules focused on communication during system downtime think quick, scenario-based microlearning about handling frustrated customers with grace while the tech team works its magic.
2. Long-term: Partner with IT and operations to fix the root causes the outdated software and the staffing crisis and then roll out a more comprehensive communication and workflow training program once the dust settles.

This approach would allow me to address leadership’s immediate concerns while still advocating for systemic solutions. It’s a bit like giving someone an umbrella in a rainstorm while also fixing the hole in their roof. Both matter, but one’s a temporary fix, and the other’s a lasting solution.

The Bigger Picture

Training shouldn’t be a band aid for broken systems. It should be part of a broader performance strategy that accounts for technology, workflow, and human factors. A strong needs assessment like the one outlined by Stefaniak (2020) gives organizations x-ray vision. It reveals what’s really broken before prescribing a cure. By slowing down and diagnosing the actual cause, Bitloom can invest wisely instead of throwing budget at a shiny new course that doesn’t move the needle.

When done correctly learning design can become more than instruction it becomes influence.

The Conclusion

As learning designers, we’re not just builders of eLearning modules; we’re architects of performance ecosystems. Our real superpower isn’t PowerPoint it’s pattern recognition. We connect the dots between systems, tools, and people, and help leadership see that not all gaps are learning gaps.

At Bitloom, the right solution wasn’t a single training it was a systemic reboot. Once the software is modernized and the staffing stabilized, communication training will have fertile ground to take root and actually flourish. Until then, our job is to be the voice of reason in a room full of quick fixes to remind everyone that you can’t train your way out of a technical problem!

Because at the end of the day, great learning design isn’t just about teaching people what to do. It’s about building environments where they can.

References

Stefaniak, J. E. (2020). Needs assessment for learning and performance: Theory, process, and practice. Taylor & Francis Group.

ChatGPT. (2025). Collaborative brainstorming and revising assistance. OpenAI.