Needs Assessment
Hawaii Financial
Embedded Files
Organization
Organization
Hawaii Financial (pseudonym), one of the largest credit unions in Hawaii, proudly serves over 130,000 members statewide. Committed to empowering families and businesses, the credit union helps members achieve their financial goals and build lasting prosperity.
The organization is currently undergoing a strategic transformation, with significant investments in technology, particularly in enhanced Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). This initiative aims to shift Hawaii Financial from a transactional service model to a consultative approach, enabling branch personnel to focus on higher-value interactions, such as personalized financial advising.
Key Stakeholders
Key Stakeholders
This initiative is championed by the Chief Experience Officer (CXO), whose strategic vision is guiding the organization’s shift toward a consultative service model. Operational oversight and day-to-day coordination are led by the Regional Manager, who serves as the primary client for this project.
Client
Hawaii Financial
Sponsor
Chief Experience Officer
Stakeholder
Regional Manager
Upstream Stakeholders
Digital Marketing
Org Transformation
Data Analytics
Card Manager
Branch Personnel
Downstream Stakeholders
Customers
Problem / Opportunity
Problem / Opportunity
Achieving this transformation depends on increased member adoption of enhanced tools, particularly Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). However, a critical performance barrier exists: low member adoption of enhanced ATMs. Despite strategic investments in self-service technology, many members continue to rely heavily on traditional, in-person transactions. This behavior restricts the organization’s ability to reallocate staff time toward consultative roles, hindering progress toward its strategic goal of supporting financial wellness for the island communities it serves.
To stay on course, Hawaii Financial has set a goal to increase ATM adoption by 20% over the next calendar year.
Organizational Analysis
Organizational Analysis
To assess the organization’s readiness to fulfill this mission, especially through enhanced ATM adoption, we applied the Grant and Moseley Model (1999) to evaluate three core dimensions:
Desired State: Deliver convenient, fast, and flexible service through enhanced ATMs.
Current Business State: Assess organizational capacity, systems, and processes to support this service shift.
Identified Gap: A misalignment between the organization’s intent to increase ATM adoption and its current ability to drive behavior change.
Through review of internal documents (strategic plans, stakeholder decks, and member feedback) and client discussions, we identified several organizational factors contributing to the performance gap:
Strategic Alignment: Leadership has clearly articulated a vision for transitioning to a consultative model.
Executional Gaps: Challenges remain in translating that vision into member-facing experiences, particularly in ensuring ATM reliability and ease of use.
Member Feedback & Expectations: Surveys and anecdotal input suggest that current ATM experiences fall short of what members define as quality service.
This analysis highlights the need for alignment between strategic intent, operational execution, and member experience to close the performance gap.
Environmental Analysis
Environmental Analysis
Using the Updated Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) (see Appendix B2), we analyzed environmental factors that affect member behavior regarding ATM usage:
Information: Both staff and members lack consistent, clear communication regarding ATM capabilities (e.g., check holds, withdrawal limits). Signage exists but often fails to bridge informational gaps at the point of service.
Resources: Technical issues, such as rejected deposits and denomination shortages, erode trust. Inconsistent experiences, noted by both staff and members, further undermine confidence.
Incentives: There are no direct incentives for members to use ATMs instead of tellers. Similarly, staff are not actively encouraged or equipped to promote ATM use. This lack of behavioral reinforcement perpetuates traditional habits.
GAP Analysis
GAP Analysis
To quantify the gap between current and desired performance, we used Chevalier’s Performance Gap Analysis (Chevalier, 2010) with a Reasonable Goal.
ATM usage data from November 2024 to January 2025 indicates an average of 2,313 monthly deposits. In collaboration with the client, an aspirational goal of 3,500 monthly deposits was set, representing a 20% increase and a meaningful behavioral shift from teller-based to self-service transactions.
Cause Analysis
Cause Analysis
Grant and Moseley Customer-Focused Performance Analysis Model (Grant, D.A. and Moseley, J.L., 1999)
This model helps assess the alignment between customer expectations and the organization’s capacity to meet them. It is particularly useful for identifying performance gaps rooted in service delivery and operational capability.
In this project, the model guided our identification of disconnects between what members need to confidently use self-service channels and what Hawaii Financial currently provides. It highlighted areas where misalignment between strategic intent and operational execution may be limiting progress.
Updated Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) (Chevalier, R., 2008)
The BEM offers a systemic approach to identifying root causes of performance issues. It distinguished between environmental and individual factors, helping determine whether barriers are due to lack of support, unclear expectations, skills deficits, or motivational challenges.
We used this model to evaluate whether obstacles to ATM adoption were primarily driven by external conditions (e.g., system reliability, signage, policies) or internal factors (e.g., member motivation, staff capability). This analysis informed our root cause strategy.
To understand and address this performance gap, a comprehensive needs assessment was conducted using two complementary frameworks: the Grant and Moseley Customer-Focused Performance Analysis Model and the Updated Behavior Engineering Model (BEM). These models helped identify misalignments between strategic intent, service delivery, and member behavior, while providing a structured lens to explore both environmental and individual factors contributing to the adoption challenge.
External Alignment: Using the Grant and Moseley model to assess how well Hawaii Financial’s service delivery aligns with member expectations.
Internal & Environmental Factors: Using the BEM to uncover systemic or behavioral contributors to the performance gap.
Intervention Selection/Feasibility Analysis
Intervention Selection/Feasibility Analysis
Based on the findings in our cause analysis, we developed targeted interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of the performance gap across both environmental and individual factors.
To assess, identify, and select interventions, we used an ease vs. impact matrix. The tool helped us to measure both how easy it would be to implement an intervention, and the impact of said intervention. High ease, high impact interventions are ideal, as they offer significant potential for performance improvement, while simultaneously taking minimal effort and time to
implement.
We used separate ease-impact matrices for members and the organization (employees) because, while both groups are affected by the same strategic transformation, they experience different barriers and enablers. We prioritized items in the high-impact column, categorizing them into quick wins (high ease) and longer-term opportunities (low ease) to pursue strategically.
Limitations & Implications
Limitations & Implications
Cash Withdrawals: No data was available regarding typical member cash withdrawal needs. It remains unclear whether the current $500 daily limit meets the average or expected transaction amounts. Further, it is unknown how and where members are informed of this limit (e.g., at the ATM screen or elsewhere), and whether this communication affects usage.
Cash Deposits: There is limited data into the volume and flow of cash deposits, specifically how much is deposited versus withdrawn via ATMs. Additionally, occasional holds placed on cash deposits raise concerns about consistency and trustworthiness of ATMs. It would also be helpful to understand the breakdown of the percentage of denominations deposited.
Check Deposits: Variability in check processing across channels emerged as a concern. It was noted that hold times for ATM-deposited checks may be longer or less transparent than those handled in person, which could further discourage adoption
ATM Downtime and Stocking: Limited access to vendor data restricted analysis of ATM uptime and cash availability. It is unclear whether the stakeholder’s uptime target of 98% is realistic. ATMs will need to be reprogrammed to adapt cash denominations that better fit the business and member needs. Similarly, the feasibility of increasing ATM stocking frequency to prevent running out of larger bills remains undetermined and will also require new contract requirements.
No Comparative Data: was available to assess Hawaii Financial’s ATM withdrawal policies and how they align with industry standards. Additionally, questions around compliance constraints (raised by the client) were flagged but not resolved and out of scope of this analysis.
References
References
Chevalier, R. (2008). The evolution of a performance analysis job aid. Performance Improvement, 47(10), 9–18. https://doi-org.libproxy.boisestate.edu/10.1002/pfi.20034
Chevalier, R. (2010, August). Gap analysis revisited. Performance Improvement, 49(7) 5–7.
Client organization
● Website
● Strategic plan
● Stakeholder Shared PowerPoint (Digital Adoption Initiative)
Grant, D.A. and Moseley, J.L. (1999), Conducting a customer-focused performance analysis. Perf. Improv., 38: 15-18. https://doi-org.libproxy.boisestate.edu/10.1002/pfi.4140380606
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