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Needs assessments should be done before the challenge course experience. Gathering information about participants—such as fitness level, medical considerations, goals, prior experience, and any accessibility needs—early on lets you tailor the activities, set appropriate objectives, and plan safety measures, staffing, and equipment. This proactive step supports safer, more engaging programming and helps align expectations with what the group can handle.

If you wait until during or after the experience, you lose the opportunity to adapt the plan to individual needs, which can affect safety and learning outcomes. It isn’t only for participants with obvious needs either; collecting this information helps all participants have a smoother, more personalized experience.