Many organizations do not conduct formal needs assessments or spend time thinking about whether or not training is the solution to their performance problems. This means you run the risk of misdiagnosing a problem and wasting time and money. A properly conducted assessment will lead directly to an informed decision about whether a problem needs to be fixed in the first place and the most effective way to fix it. If training is NOT the answer, you will have all the ammunition you need to recommend another solution.