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Analysing the problem and planning for change

Analysing the problem

Introducing the tool

A good starting point for any campaign is to gain a better understanding of the issue you are working on. Big or small, local or national, the issue at the centre of your campaign needs to be understood fully so that you can plan your campaign strategy and give yourself the best chance of success.

To get started, it’s important to ask some questions about the issue you are working on so that you form a clear understanding of its causes and effects. 

The Problem Tree is a practical tool that helps you delve deeper into the issues you want to tackle.

a tree that is segmented into three sections which are each labelled. At the top, the leaves and branches are labelled ‘The effect/impact’. Below that, the trunk of the tree is labelled ‘the problem’. Finally, the roots of the tree are labelled ‘the root cause’.

The trunk of the tree represents the core problem a campaign is trying to address.

The roots of the tree represent the underlying causes of the problem. These could relate to government policies, public attitudes, corporate behaviour, environmental factors or social problems. Try and dig as deep as you can into these root causes.

The branches represent the impacts that the problem is having in the world. These could include health issues, economic problems, inequality, environmental damage, or any form of human suffering. These impacts will often be the main drivers of campaign action.

The problem tree can benefit campaigns in several important ways.

  1. It ensures that you’ve thought about all the potential causes of your problem, not only the first one that comes to mind.
  2. It can help to identify ‘mini-issues’ that form part of the main problem.
  3. It provides material for your campaign communications and messaging.
  4. It can help you generate ideas for different angles you can tackle the issue from.
  5. It helps you identify if more information or resources are needed to tackle the problem.

Working through the exercise with your team creates shared understanding and purpose.

Case study: Fuel Poverty

If we fill in the problem tree, using the example of fuel poverty, it looks like this:

The problem tree - example

In this example the causes and impacts of the problem are varied. Some causes are local and individual, such as the lack of influence of the people affected. Others are bigger societal problems, like poor housing stock.

Similarly, some of the impacts – like making the difficult choice between heating a home and eating – affect individuals, whereas others – like winter deaths – affect the whole of society.

The purpose of the Problem Tree is to draw out these varied causes and impacts. As well as identifying the obvious causes of a problem, you should try and find the underlying or hidden causes. This activity gives us a clearer picture of the current situation. In turn, that allows us to make more effective decisions about routes to change.

Homework Exercise

For this exercise, you’re going to put the problem tree approach into practice. The problem you’re trying to understand is homelessness. Print or draw your own blank copy of the problem tree. Then take 10-15 minutes to fill in possible causes and impacts of homelessness.

a tree that is segmented into three sections which are each labelled. At the top, the leaves and branches are labelled ‘The effect/impact’. Below that, the trunk of the tree is labelled ‘the problem’. Finally, the roots of the tree are labelled ‘the root cause’.

Next, reflect on how you could apply the problem tree approach to your own issue or campaign. Ideally, brainstorm ideas with other members of your campaign team.

Download this exercise and work offline

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