Developing Problem Tree & Solution Tree

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What is a Problem Tree?

A problem tree provides an overview of all the known causes and effects to an identified problem.

Why do a Problem Tree

There are often more than one cause to a problem, and you may not be able to overcome them all, so it is important to know if this will impact your project.

A problem tree identifies the context in which an intervention is to occur, and starts to reveal the complexity of life.

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

There are not enough problem trees conducted.

Project designs do not consider the full context.

An example of a core problem

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.

An example of a core problem

Lets look at some causes…

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.

An example of a core problem

Lets look at some causes…

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

www.evaluationtoolbox.net.au