SKILL BDAR EXT St.

1. • Dev’t projects are usually proposed as a response to addressing &
overcoming identified dev’t problems.
Problem analysis involves
• Identifying what the main problems are
• Establishing cause & effect r/ship b/n these pbs
• Ensuring identification of root causes( ensuring sustainable benefit)
• Providing a sound foundation on which to develop a set of relevant &
focused project objectives
• Problem tree- one main tool used in pb analysis
2.3 PROBLEM ANALYSIS :
PROBLEM ANALYSIS

2. A.FOCAL PB METHOD-
• D. pb are brainstormed by the group
• A core or focal pb is identified
• Cause & effect analysis pivots around the focal pb
B. OBJECTIVE ORIENTED METHOD
• A broad/ high level D objective is specified at the start of the analysis
• Constraints to achieving this objective are brainstormed, analyzed &
sorted into a cause & effect logic.
.TWO APPROACHES TO PROBLEM ANALYSIS

3. Problem Analysis
• What is the problem to be addressed?
• What is the event or series of events that act as a catalyst for
action?
• Is it a problem or crisis that demands immediate attention?
• Is the problem one of national security, economic development,
diplomacy?
• What interests are at stake for the actor (e.g. state) overall?
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4. Problem Analysis
• State the problem meaningfully:
• Determine the magnitude & extent of the problem
• Continually re-define the problem in light of what is possible
• Question the accepted thinking about the problem
• Question initial formulations of the problem
• Say it with data
• Clear definitions allow people to communicate with one another
• Measures are important for clarification (e.g., how many people are
living in poverty)
• Often have different ways to measure problems
• Quantification
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5. Problem Analysis
• Politics of problem definition
– Based on perspectives
• What will change in the future?
– Projections & forecasting
• Think about causes
– Must ask why the problem came about
– Answers may help determine how to resolve problem
– Often problems have multiple causes; conflict over which one to
address
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6. Problem Analysis
• To establish the hierarchy of problems in light of the cause & effect
relationships to find the focal problem
• Identification of priority problem
• Problem analysis
– Problem tree
– Solution tree
• Linking the solution tree to Logframe (we will discuss this under
planning)
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7. Steps in problem analysis:
Problem Analysis
1. Agree on the main problem
2. Identify the causes of the main problem by asking ‘But why?’
3. Identify the effects of the main problem by asking ‘So what?’ until
we can go no further.
4. Copy the complete tree on a paper
– Establishing a hierarchy of problems in a problem tree helps to
form a base for the objectives.
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8. • Brainstorming Participatory group decisions
• The role of the facilitator
• The “no-criticism” & “no-cross talk” ground rules
• The use of a board or paper on the wall
• The content & its order of topics
• The “Prioritization” process &
• The call for organizing & action
PROBLEM ANALYSIS

9. 9
ProblemTree
Causes & Effects Relationships
EFFECTS
CAUSES

10. Focal Problem
Primary E1 Primary E1 Primary E1
Secondary E1 Secondary E1
Tertiary E1
Primary C1 Primary C2 Primary C3
Secondary C1
Secondary C2 Secondary C3
E
f
f
e
c
t
s
C
a
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s
e
s
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11. 11
Source: MDF, 2005

12. econdary
Effects
Secondary
Effects
Secondary
Effects
Secondary
Effects
Primary
Effects
Primary
Effects
Primary
Effects
FOCAL
PROBLEM
Primary
Cause
Primary
Cause
Primary
Cause
Secondary/
Root Cause
Secondary/
Root Cause
Secondary/
Root Cause