Needs analysis

Synonyms:
Needs assessment

A needs analysis identifies the current needs of an individual, organisation, or community.

Four different types of need were identified by a classic paper by Bradshaw in 1972:

  • Normative need: Based on expert opinion and research evidence about what is required
  • Comparative need: Based on comparisons to the situation in other areas, especially in terms of access to services or health status
  • Felt need: As articulated by those experiencing those needs
  • Expressed need: As demonstrated by the use of means to meet those needs (for example waiting lists for services)

One important issue to consider when doing a needs assessment is whether the analysis will only look at unmet needs or also needs which are currently being met (and which might not be met if changes are made to an intervention).

It is important for the analysis to focus on what is needed, rather than how these needs might be met – for example, ‘knowledge’ rather than ‘training’ which is one of several ways of meeting these needs. This avoids pre-empting the process of considering alternative ways of meeting those needs.

Resources

Guides

  • A guide to assessing needs

    This book, written by Ryan Watkins, Maurya West Meiers and Yusra Laila Visser for The World Bank, provides detailed guidance on needs assessment during the early stages of project development.

Examples

Bradshaw, J. (1972). The concept of social need. New Society, Vol. 3, 640-643.

Watkins, R., Meiers, M., & Visser, Y. (2012). A guide to assessing needs essential tools for collecting information, making decisions, and achieving development results. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

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