Isolating the problem effectively will help you to determine whether there is one main issue, or whether several smaller issues are having a significant impact. Several techniques are available in this process, and each has its own benefits and shortcomings. Sometimes a mixed approach is best if time and resources are available, in order for you to get the most comprehensive answer.

Techniques may include observation of people as they work; questionnaires; consultation and interviews; testing; reviewing work samples; and researching documentation included in employee evaluations, policy manuals, audits, program reports, and so on.

You are looking for surface problems, such as an obvious need for skill development, where employees need to learn new skills in order to perform their tasks effectively. You also have to be able to identify underlying problems. These underlying issues can be more difficult to define, but they are an important part of a thorough analysis.

An additional benefit of isolating the problem is that it can help you to obtain background material that you can draw on for training. Using real, concrete examples in your case studies and training examples makes the training much more meaningful for participants. In addition, trainees who do not enjoy training, or find it difficult to learn from artificial scenarios, are more successfully engaged in training that uses real examples.