A Guide to Designing and Implementing Grievance Mechanisms for ...

Chapter 4. Define Scope and
Determine Goals (Phase 1)
Phase 1. Define Scope and Determine Goals
• Define the scope of grievances to be handled
• Determine the purpose and goals
In this phase, the design team determines the scope of grievances to be handled by the system
and the purpose and goals. These elements form the foundation upon which the grievance
mechanism will be assembled. They are crafted from the subjective assumptions and values of
team members and a more objective analysis presented in the situation assessment.
Define the Scope of Grievances
Using the information gathered through the situation assessment, the design team’s next step
is to review the type of grievances that are likely to arise or, in the case of an operating project,
that have arisen so far. Generally, grievance mechanisms should be open to a wide range of
concerns: both those based in factual data and those arising from perceptions or misperceptions.
Perceived concerns can be as critical to address as actual hazards. They often arise when people
do not have adequate information. The mechanism should also be able to address multi-party
and multi-issue complaints. The design team then prioritizes those types of complaints that the
mechanism will primarily target.
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