Problem and Potential Analysis

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UPA Package 5, Module 4

• Problem and Potential Analysis

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Problem Analysis

• Problem Analysis uses a set of techniques to
• analyse an existing problematic situation in a
  systematic way
• identify major problems in this context
• define one important problem as the starter
  problem
• visualise the cause-effect-relationships in a
  diagram (Problem Tree).

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Problem Tree Analysis

• Step 1 Identify the major problems existing
  within the given problem situation
  (brain-storming).
• Step 2 Select the starter problem and
  characterise it.
• Step 3 Identify causes of the starter problem.
• Step 4 Identify effects of the starter problem.
• Step 5 Design a diagram showing the
  cause-effect-relationship in form of a tree.
• Step 6 Review the diagram as a whole and verify
  its validity and completeness.

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Rules (1)
Word problems as negative conditions
Residential area
Low income area
One problem per card!
Poor living environment
Poor living en- vironment because of lack of
waste collection
Lack of waste collection
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Rules (2)
A negative problem is not the absence of a
solution but an existing negative state
residential area is polluted by waste
no waste collection provided
Avoid general, meaningless formulations
poverty
bad infrastructure
low income
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Rules (3)
Identify existing problems, not possible,
imagined or future ones. Around 30 40 well
formulated and arranged cards are enough. The
position on the problem tree does not indicate
the importance of a problem.
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Cause-Effect-Relationship
The causes and effects of a problem will
be analysed by separation and connection.
then
if
Waste is dumped anywhere
No provision of waste containers
Effect
Cause
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Problem Analysis
Causes Effects 1 2 3 4 5 sum
inadequate housing 1 - - - - 0
polluted environment 2 - - - - 0
bad technical infrastructure 3 - X X X 3
no sanitation facilities 4 - X - - 1
no waste collection 5 - X - - 1
sum 0 3 0 1 1
Vertical Has inadequate housing an effect
on polluted environment? Horizontal Is the
polluted environment a cause for inadequate
housing?
X direct relation
- no relation
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Linear Problem Sequence
Poor housing
Low income of households
Insufficient access to job opportunities in the
city
Rural-urban migration
Insufficient rural employment
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Feed Back Problem Sequence
People drink infected water.
Germs are transferred to utensils Food and water
by flies.
Flies are attracted by excreta.
Unhygienic toilets are used by infected people.
People are infected by deseases.
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Tree Sequence
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Problem Tree
The problem tree is a diagram showing the
cause-effect-relationship of an existing
problematic situation.
Effects
Starter problem
Causes
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Problem Tree Example
Low income areas
Formation of urban low income areas
Residents do not invest
Bad image of area
Effects
Poor living environment
Starter problem
Uncontrolled waste management
Insufficient supply of containers
Insufficient knowledge of maintenance
Insufficient knowledge of use
Causes
Lack of funds for adequate provision of
containers
No co-operation between responsible departments
Inability of self-organisation
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Potential Analysis

• Potentials are
• assets or knowable characteristics of an area
  which can be utilised for development efforts.
• Basic potentials can be
• natural
• human
• institutional
• infrastructural
• Derived potentials
• can be gained by combining existing potentials.