Front End Analysis
The Front End Analysis was developed by Joe Harless in 1973 because he felt that many of the analysis projects he worked on would be better off if the analyses were done up front versus at the end.In HPT the front end analysis compares the actual performance and ideal performance in order to identify performance gaps.
Rossett (2009) offers five assumptions behind the need for upfront analyses:
Harless created a series of questions that he felt would help companies narrow down the problems they face, determine the most cost-effective way to address the problems, and provide a thorough investigation into the causes of the problem. Harless (1973) lists 13 major smart questions to be asked during a front-end analysis:
Rossett (2009) offers five assumptions behind the need for upfront analyses:
- Study prior to action improves the quality of the effort and the results.
- Incorporation of several sources yields a better program than an approach that relies only on the perspectives of one source.
- Data, broadly defined, are critical to figuring out what to do.
- A systematic approach to analysis is good for the organization and its people.
- A systematic approach to solutions is good for the organization and its people
Harless created a series of questions that he felt would help companies narrow down the problems they face, determine the most cost-effective way to address the problems, and provide a thorough investigation into the causes of the problem. Harless (1973) lists 13 major smart questions to be asked during a front-end analysis:
- Do we have a problem?
- Do we have a performance problem?
- How will we know when the problem is solved?
- What is the performance problem?
- Should we allocate resources to solve it?
- What are the possible causes of the problem?
- What evidence bears on each possibility?
- What is the probable cause?
- What general solution type is indicated?
- What are the alternative sub classes of solutions?
- What are the costs, effects, and development times of each solution?
- What are the constraints?
- What are the overall goals?
In addition to these questions Harless provided the following process for Front End Analysis: