CPP CPP Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The purpose of a gap analysis in program planning is to:
- Identify staff scheduling gaps
- Determine the difference between what is currently offered and what is needed to meet community demand (Correct answer)
- Review gaps in program marketing materials
- Analyze competitor program weaknesses
Correct answer: Determine the difference between what is currently offered and what is needed to meet community demand
A gap analysis in program planning identifies the difference between current service offerings and what is needed to adequately address identified community needs.
Question 2: Which of the following tools is commonly used to map assets and gaps within a community?
- Balance sheet
- Community asset mapping (Correct answer)
- Gantt chart
- RACI matrix
Correct answer: Community asset mapping
Community asset mapping identifies existing strengths, resources, and gaps within a community to inform more targeted and strengths-based program planning.
Question 3: Triangulation in needs assessment refers to:
- Using a single data source for consistency
- Using multiple data sources or methods to cross-validate findings (Correct answer)
- Dividing the community into three equal zones
- A geometric method for calculating resource distribution
Correct answer: Using multiple data sources or methods to cross-validate findings
Triangulation strengthens needs assessment findings by cross-validating results across multiple data sources or methods.
Question 4: A CPP professional conducts a 'comparative needs' analysis by:
- Comparing current program costs to last year's budget
- Comparing the condition of one group or area to another to identify relative unmet need (Correct answer)
- Comparing staff qualifications across departments
- Comparing the number of programs offered each year
Correct answer: Comparing the condition of one group or area to another to identify relative unmet need
Comparative needs analysis identifies relative unmet need by benchmarking one group or community against another with similar characteristics.
Question 5: When designing a survey for a needs assessment, a CPP professional should avoid:
- Using clear, simple language
- Including only relevant questions
- Leading questions that suggest a desired response (Correct answer)
- Pilot testing the survey before full deployment
Correct answer: Leading questions that suggest a desired response
Leading questions bias respondents toward particular answers, compromising the validity and usefulness of needs assessment data.
Question 6: The 'felt need' category in a needs assessment refers to:
- Professional standards for service levels
- What individuals say they want or need when asked (Correct answer)
- Need inferred from usage statistics
- Need revealed by comparing two similar populations
Correct answer: What individuals say they want or need when asked
Felt need captures what individuals themselves identify as their needs or wants, providing a participant-centered perspective in the assessment.
CPP CPP Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis 2
The purpose of a gap analysis in program planning is to: