3. Situation analysis issue context phase 1 - Wageningen UR

Planning Strategically
Analysis of problems, Issues and Visions
and planning strategically
Kumasi, Ghana, 2008
Wageningen International

Issues analysis what is it?
A critical issue = usually a complex situation, event
or trend that is likely to affect the project and its
organisation.
Issue analysis = an assessment of the external and
internal environmental factors that are likely to have
the greatest impact on the future of the project and
project organisation.

Key questions: problems & issues
What problems or issues are central to the project?
What are the main problems or concerns of the
different stakeholder groups and how do these
relate to the focus of the project?

Importance of analysis of problems and issues
To increase relevance:
by ensuring that the project will focus on the real (felt)
problems, real (felt) needs
by creating a common understanding of the current
situation and a shared vision for the future
And thereby increasing impact

Definition: opportunities / strategies analysis
The process of identifying & analysing the various
opportunities / strategies to realise the visions
The process of deciding which (combination of)
strategies will definitely have to be chosen for the
project to really make an impact on solving the
main problem

Tools: problems & issues analysis
Problem tree
Rich picturing
Matrix ranking
Secondary data
Focus group discussions
Historical Analysis
Issue analysis
Card technique, etc etc
See http://portals.wi.wur.nl/msp/

Definition: analysis of visions
The process of identifying & analysing what changes
the project / programme / organisation would like to
bring about
Vision: also called ‘development goal’ or ‘overall
objective’

Key questions: visions & opportunities
What changes would different stakeholder groups
like to see the project bring about?
Generally what visions, hopes or dreams do different
stakeholders have and are there implications for the
project?
What opportunities do stakeholders see for realizing
their visions?

Importance of analysis of visions & opportunities
To identify realistic changes in the current situation
of beneficiaries or of an organisation
To increase impact

Tools: visions & opportunities analysis
Objectives tree (cause & effect linkages)
Flow diagram
Rich picturing
Role play
Visioning
Matrix ranking
Decision matrix
Resource mapping
Pocket chart, wall chart etc etc

Group work
Group 1: problem/issue analysis
Group 2 and 3: vision/opportunities analysis
Each of the tools described is facilitated by another
group member. Feedback on facilitation is
provided.

Feedback for participant facilitator
Remember:
feedback on what happened (facts), not on personality
neutral
Feedback on what went well & what could be
improved, first by participant facilitator, then by
group, then by course facilitator.

Feedback guidelines
Descriptive (instead of evaluating or making a judgement)
Specific, concrete & clear
Take into account the needs of the ‘receiver’
Useful, requested / wanted
At the right time
Correct
Express impact in ‘I statement’ to stress own
observations and feelings (subjectivity)
Check whether message is understood
Check feedback with other people

Group work
option 1:
Problem tree
Objectives tree
Clustering
Scoping
scoring (decision matrix)
Option 2:
Visioning
Conceptual model (flow diagram)
Matrix ranking

Decision matrix example
S e le c tio n c rite ria S tra te g y 1 S tra te g y 2 S ra te g y 3 S tra te g y 4
R e le v a n c e 4 1 2 3
C o s t 1 3 2 4
S u s ta in a b ility 2 4 1 3
S u b to ta l 7 8 5 1 0
F e a s ib le in te rm s o f
tim e
P a rtic ip a tio n b y
s ta k e h o ld e rs
T e c h n ic a l c a p a c ity
a v a ila b le
3 2 4 1
1 4 2 3
1 4 3 2
T O T A L 1 2 1 8 1 4 1 6

Matrix Ranking
Criteria 1
Criteria 2
Criteria 3
Criteria 4
Strategy 1 Strategy 2 Strategy 3

Option 1
Problem / issue analysis:
problem tree
Objective
Vision / opportunities analysis:
Objectives tree
Clustering
Scoping
Scoring (decision matrix)

Problem tree / hierarchy the steps
Brainstorm problems – each problem one card (phrase as negative
situation)
Place core problem (or 'starter problem') at the top of the model.
Core problem is the one with most of the other problems underlying
and with serious effects.
Identify direct causes of the starter problem. Place these underneath
the starter problem.
Check whether the direct causes are independently leading to the
starter problem.

Problem tree / hierarchy the steps
Identify direct effects of the starter problem. Place these above the
starter problem.
Check whether the direct effects are independently resulting from
the starter problem.
Identify underlying causes of the 'direct causes', starting from left.
Check for independance.

Problem hierarchy example
Easier
access to
forests
Adapted from Materials Developed by ITAD
Increased
lopping of
branches for
firewood
Increased price
of firewood
Increased
deforestation
Population
increase
Increased
demand for
land
Agricultural
encroachment
into forests
Decreased
agricultural
production
Department of
Forests unable to
enforce park
boundaries
Effects
Causes

Objectives tree / hierarchy the steps
Turn all the problems (negative situations) into objectives
(positive, realized future states) starting from top
Objectives should be realistically and ethically achievable
Add important causeeffect relationships
Check causeeffect relationships:
as meansend relationships
for validity and completeness
delete unnecessary objectives
draw connecting lines

A hierarchy of results
Widespread
use of fuelefficient
stoves
Balance
between
extraction and
regeneration
Reduced price
of fuel wood
and other
fuels
Reduced
deforestation
Reduced
population
Reduced
demand for
land
Reduced
agricultural
encroachment
Improved surveillance of
boundaries by Department
of Forests
Increased
agricultural
productivity
Ends
Means

Strategies analysis
Clustering:
To create a simple overview of objectives in terms of
similarity in sector, activity or expertise
Scoping:
To focus down the choice of a goal for the project by
making explicit priorities for project implementation
Preliminary choice of intervention strategies
Scoring:
Decision on choice of actions / strategies

Clustering steps
Start at the bottom of the objectives tree to cluster
(group) objectives in terms of same sector /
activity / expertise.
Work sidewards (same level) then upwards (next level)
Draw dotted line around the cluster.
Name the cluster.
Repeat 13 for rest of objectives.

Scoping and scoring steps
Scoping: identify clusters outside scope of project
Eliminate clusters that can NOT be achieved by the implementing
agency and mark with asterisk (*).
Scoring (decision matrix):
Broadly discuss content of clusters / strategies.
Develop scoring / selection criteria.
Indicate order of priority of criteria (column 1).
Make a decision matrix of alternative approaches / strategies by
criteria.
Mark approaches (each strategy in another column):
• The more positive, the higher the score
Identify (combination of) key approaches /strategies.

Option 2
Vision / opportunities analysis:
Visioning
Conceptual model (flow diagram)
Matrix ranking

Dreams realized or visioning
Purpose: to have a focused discussion around people’s
dreams or shared visions for the future of a project or other
activity.
Working from a vision helps to open up people’s minds to
other ways of overcoming problems, rather than the
standard ways of solving problems.
Asking people to describe how they would like the project to
be in the future (indicate period: 3 years )

Dreams realized or visioning
Eg “What are the characteristics of the ideal situation we
wish to achieve here in 3 years time?” or to finish the
sentence “I know that my vision for this situation has been
achieved when I see……” Imagine you have to give a
presentation to your target group:
Personal reflection (510 min): brainstorm ideas & describe
/symbolize key vision on card.
Sharing in group (1015 min): discuss ideas and agree on 1 vision.
Draw the dreams and visualize them with symbols.
Specify dreams in the discussion, with clear time frames for
achievement.

Conceptual modeling (flow diagram / chart)
Purpose:
to identify the links between factors that influence an ideal
situation or vision that the stakeholders would like to
achieve.
Steps:
Define / describe / symbolize vision or ideal situation on
a card and place on a flipchart.
Brainstorm on factors that influence this vision (cards).
Draw links between these factors and the vision and
between each other.

Matrix ranking purpose
To make a relative comparison between different
options of a specific issue or solutions to a
problem, and to make detailed analysis of how
much and why people prefer one option above the
other.

Matrix ranking steps
Review the flow diagram and identify strategies to reach the
vision (describe each strategy on one card).
Place each strategy in a different column.
Discuss criteria (each criteria one card) and place in column
1.
Decide on maximum score (same maximum score for each
criteria).
Use e.g. pins for dividing the maximum number of points
(pins) among the different strategies: high = positive.
Score the strategies by reaching consensus.
Select key strategies.

Thank you!
© Wageningen UR
© Wageningen UR