GAP ANALYSIS

 

Objetive: Gap analysis is an indispensable method for assessing real performance against potential. Through the identification of how assets and resources are being used, it allows to reach the objectives of a company or personal objective sooner, both in the short and long term. It assesses current performance and improvement efforts needed to close the gap and achieve desired future performance.

The fundamental requirement for gap analysis is consistent, proactive, and effective management throughout the stages of implementation, planning and transformation of the analytical process. Searching for the development of professional gaps means conducting competency management that guides and encourages professionals to be open to specific and focused learning.

To improve your performance, you need to analyze what your gaps are and find out why you have them. For a better understanding of gap analysis, by typing the topic on google, you will find websites that help you to discover your gaps and help you put together a strategy and plans to improve your performance.

 

Reflective - When studying the gap analysis, I learned that, through it, it is possible to check all the points that have not been implemented and still need attention, whether in the personal or company performance.

I realized that gap analysis is based on monitoring and measurement. While monitoring is basically simple, you only need to check changes, the measurement needs to gather various information, such as values, units and dimensions. Through these two actions, it is possible to carry out an accurate assessment of its processes and implementation.

For companies, “a Gap Analysis can help understand and prioritize business needs by helping identify any deficiencies or shortcomings that need to be overcome. Once gaps are uncovered, it becomes easier to quantify them and identify the work effort that will be required to address them.” (Greco, 2020)

It is also extremely important to analyze the gaps of their employees, because in order to retain their talents, the organization must initially know them. It is necessary to detect the level of competencies presented by the employee, the team and define the level that the company considers satisfactory.

When raising training needs, the company detects the skills gap to be developed. This gap is the difference between the minimum degree of competence desired by the company and the degree of competence that professionals have.

It is important to say that “Gap analysis can be used by organizations of varying degrees, from large corporations to small businesses. There is no limit to which areas can benefit from using this strategy.”  (Kenton, 2020)

 

Interpretive – When doing your gap analysis you are prone to growth. When you put on paper where you are and where you want to be and stipulate your strategy to achieve the goal you want, you are already halfway to achieving your desired performance.

By developing your plan and setting a specific time to fulfill, you start to acquire discipline, and this is taken not only into professional life but also into private life.

It is necessary to do the gap analysis to find out why the gap is. Sometimes, just by writing on paper, we can see the whole picture and understand why we cannot achieve that desired performance.

Thus, by doing your gap analysis and following the strategy and plan covered, we were able to achieve incredible levels of performance, we were able to improve and acquire skills that without a gap analysis, we would never be able to.

 

Decisional - To put the gap analysis into practice, I used a method called SWOT. You can do it as well, just make a spreadsheet using your computer or  write it on paper.

The tool works to identify what are your advantages and shortcomings.

The letter S stands for Strengths, at this point, you write down your positive factors in relation to your competitors.

The letter W stands for Weaknesses, that is, in this part the points that need to be improved are identified.

The letter O stands for Opportunities, that is, the environment in which your desired position is inserted has a direct influence on the success of your projects, so the factors related to this must be analyzed as well.

The letter T stands for Threats, in that part, you must predict and analyze where your competitors can excel.

By doing your gap analysis you will be able to set a goal to accomplish what needs to be improved. I figured out my gaps and in a few weeks I have greatly improved my gaps. You should try it.

References

Greco, J.-C. (2020, 11 11). Project Management. Retrieved from Gap Analysis: https://www.projectmanagement.com/wikis/233055/Gap-Analysis

Kenton, W. (2020, 07 28). Gap Analysis. Retrieved from Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gap-analysis.asp

https://www.clearpointstrategy.com/gap-analysis-template/