Developing Problem Tree & Solution Tree. What is a Problem Tree? A problem tree provides an overview of all the known causes and effects to an identified.
Post on 31-Mar-2015
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Developing Problem Tree & Solution Tree
What is a Problem Tree?
Why do a Problem Tree
The Process
A problem tree is best completed with the project proponent and other stakeholders present.
You may need anything from a couple of hours, to half a day or more depending on the complexity of your problem and the diversity of stakeholders present.
Steps to undertaking a problem tree
1. Settle on the core problem2. Identify the causes and effects3. Develop a solution tree4. Select the preferred intervention
What does a Problem Tree look like?
The Core Problem
A project should have a specific problem (eg. saving water inside the home) that it seeks to overcome if change is to occur.
A vague or broad problem (eg. saving water) will have too many causes for an effective and meaningful project to be developed.
Identifying the causes and effects
OUTPUTS
Financial incentives provided to households
The core problem is placed at the centre of the tree.
You then need to consider the direct causes to the problem. These are placed below the core problem. Each cause statement needs to be written in negative terms.
The direct effects of the problem are placed above the core problem.
Identifying the causes and effects
OUTPUTS
Financial incentives provided to households
You then need to consider the causes to the immediate causes- these are called secondary causes, and so on. You can do the same for the effects.
You will likely need to move causes around, as you decide whether they are a primary, secondary or other cause.
Lets look at an example
People do not know what a problem tree is.
There are not enough problem trees conducted. People do
not know how to do a problem tree.
There are no easily accessible resources.
Resources are too hard to understand.
Project designs do not consider the full context.
An example of a core problem
Lets look at some causes…
And now the effects
An example of a completed problem tree
Develop a solution tree
OUTPUTS
Financial incentives provided to households
A solution (also called objectives) tree is developed by reversing the negative statements that form the problem tree into positive ones.
For example, a cause (problem tree) such as “lack of knowledge” would become a means such as “increased knowledge”. The objectives tree demonstrates the means-end relationship between objectives.
An example of a completed solution tree
Select the preferred intervention
This step is designed to allow the project team to select and focus an intervention on a preferred strategy.
The solution tree may present a number of separate or linked interventions to solve a problem. Depending on project funding, time, and relevance, a planned intervention may not be able to tackle all the causes.
An example of selecting a preferred intervention
Select the preferred intervention
If all the causes cannot be overcome by a project, or complementary projects, it is important to identify if any of the branches are more influential than others in solving a problem. This may impact on the success of your project.
You can also consider the impact of other branches in your monitoring and evaluation.
Using the solution tree to inform your project design
Core
Cause Cause
Cause
Cause Cause
Cause
Effects Effects
Effects Effects
The core can become your project goal or immediate outcome
The causes/solutions become your activities and objectives
The effects become your intermediate and long term outcomes
Next Step
Now that you have a problem/solution tree, you can go on to develop a LogFrame matrix, or a Program Logic.
How to guides for the logframe and
program logic can be found on the online toolbox
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