In needs assessment planning, which step directly precedes data collection and analysis?

• A. Identify the specific population within the community to be studied
• B. Select a survey instrument
• C. Collect and analyze data
• D. Conduct exploratory interviews

Answer: (B)

In needs assessment planning, you move from deciding what information you need to how you will obtain it. Selecting a survey instrument is the step that directly precedes data collection and analysis because it defines the exact tool you’ll use to gather information—the questions, response formats, and administration method. This choice shapes what data you’ll collect and how you’ll interpret it later, making it the immediate setup for the collection and subsequent analysis.

Other options describe activities that either happen during data collection (such as conducting exploratory interviews) or are broader planning steps that occur earlier in the process (like identifying the population), but they do not establish the concrete method for collecting data in the way choosing an instrument does.