In the Analyze stage—the “foundation” of the ADDIE model—the goal is to gather information to ensure the training actually solves a problem. Before you design a single slide or activity, you must determine who you are teaching, what they need to know, and why they don’t know it yet.

Think of it as the “Research & Investigation” phase.

Key Questions Asked

  • The Problem: Is training the solution, or is it a lack of resources/tools?

  • The Audience: What is the students’ current level? What are their interests?

  • The Constraints: How much time do we have? What technology is available (e.g., Zoom vs. In-person)?

Real-World Examples

1. In a Corporate Setting (Sales Training)

  • Scenario: Sales are down in a software company.

  • Analyze Stage: The designer interviews the sales team. They find that the staff knows how to sell, but they don’t understand the new features of the updated software.

  • Outcome: The training will focus specifically on “Product Knowledge,” not general “Sales Skills.”

2. In a TEFL Classroom (Your Lesson Plan)

  • Scenario: You want to teach the Past Continuous Interrupted (PCI).

  • Analyze Stage: You look at your students’ previous test scores. You realize they have mastered the Past Simple ($I \space watched$), but they always use it for long actions too ($I \space watched \space when \space the \space phone \space rang$).

  • Outcome: Your lesson must prioritize the “ongoing” nature of the Past Continuous to contrast it with the Past Simple.

3. In Healthcare (New Equipment)

  • Scenario: A hospital buys new heart monitors.

  • Analyze Stage: The educator checks the nurses’ schedules. They find that nurses only have 15-minute breaks and cannot attend a 2-hour lecture.

  • Outcome: The training is developed as a series of 5-minute “micro-learning” videos they can watch on their phones.

What happens if you skip it?

If you skip Analysis, you might build a perfect lesson that is too easy, too hard, or completely irrelevant to the learners’ actual needs.

Let’s create a “Learner Profile” template you can use for the Analyze stage of your next lesson.

 

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