Develop Systems to Involve Stakeholders in the Planning free essay sample

Module 5: Planning for Change: Project planning Module aims This module will help you facilitate stakeholders to work from an understanding of resource management issues to a project design. Specifically, it covers how to facilitate a: ? Solutions tree activity. ?Participatory impact assessment activity. ?Discussion of project options. Topics 5. 1Developing a solutions tree 5. 2Assessing social, economic and ecological impacts 5. 3Selecting options 5. 4Checklist of project planning issues IntroductionThe previous modules have taken project staff and stakeholders through a process of understanding resource management issues, and their social and economic context. The next stage in a participatory resource management program is planning. During this stage, facilitators working with the project can use the activities in this module involve stakeholders to develop potential solutions and selection appropriate options for development into a project plan. Topic 5. 1 Developing a solutions treeOnce the causes of resource management issues have been analysed, stakeholders are in a better position to develop targeted strategies to address some of the ‘root causes’. The solutions tree activity that follows works with the outputs of the Participatory Problem Analysis (Topic 3. 3) to develop potential solutions to the identified causes of the resource management problems. It is important to clarify that not all of the solutions identified in a solutions tree would be picked up in a project plan. In any event, time, skill and money constraints are likely to limit the ability of projects to tackle a problem from every possible angle.Therefore, the solution tree activity discussed overleaf aims to provide a logical basis for considering alternative solutions and planning for the implementation of the solutions selected. After the potential solutions have been identified, stakeholders can discuss criteria for choosing between alternative strategies to develop into a project map (see Module 6). The activities solutions tree activity can also identify potential areas for action that stakeholders may be able to work on outside of the project framework. Activity: Developing a â€Å"Solutions tree†Purpose To show stakeholders how the problem analysis can be used to identify solutions and possible activities for the pilot project. To better understand what stakeholders believe are possible solutions and valid activities for the pilot project. The identification of solutions at this stage is not final. The options are assessed and discussed. A ‘project map’ is later developed for the set of objectives and actions that are likely to gain the greatest benefit with the least negative consequences (the greatest ‘net’ benefit). Participants:Stakeholders who have worked on the participatory problem analysis process follow on to this activity. Materials: Flip-chart paper Post-it notes Coloured marker pens. Preparation: Organise the workspace to enable groups of up to 5-6 to work on the task. Time: 1 ? to 2 hours Steps: 1. Ask participants to review their problem tree and make any needed revisions based on further thoughts and discussions on possible underlying causes. 2. When they are finished with revisions, invite participants to construct a Solutions Tree by converting each ‘problem’ (the negative statement) into a future positive action.For example, the negative statement ‘lack of public awareness of the impact of waste on water quality’ may be converted to a positive action such as ‘increase public awareness of the impact of waste on water quality’. 3. As participants work, ask them to keep checking the logic of the relationship between different levels to ensure that activities clearly address the problem. Do this by asking IF†¦THEN as you move up the chart (see figure below on â€Å"checking the logic of the solutions tree†). They could do this by asking IF we do the positive action, THEN will the specific problem to which the action is related be alleviated?This is sometimes known as the IF †¦ THEN test. An example would be the question: IF we increase public awareness of the impact of waste on water quality THEN will we reduce ignorance of the impact of waste on water quality? If the answer is ‘yes’, the logic of the solutions tree holds firm. Think creatively and holistically about the solution! 4. If there is any problem with the logic of the solutions tree, you may need to rephrase the positive action. There could be an error in the logic in the Problem Tree so check this also. 5.Check the solutions tree to see if the solutions that may have come up in earlier discussions by participants are represented. If they are not, ask why not? Was the problem tree correct? Perhaps the problem tree needs further revisions? Go back and make more changes to the problem tree if necessary. 5Ask each group to present their work to the others. Checking the Logic of Solutions Tree Check that the lower box will lead to what is written at the box on the next level, and so on. This will help to make sure that the actions on the solutions tree flow logically.Source: (adapted from Worah et al. , 1999) Example: Solutions tree to address chemical pollution of coastal waters from Niue Topic 5. 2 Assessing the social, economic and ecological impacts of possible solutions Any potential solution is likely to have ecological, social and economic impacts. It will, for instance, have intended ecological impacts because the objective of the project will be to alter resource management practices. The solution would also have economic and social impacts because it involves changing behaviour and thereby changing people’s access to wealth and resources.At the same time the project may also generate unanticipated ecological, social and economic impacts. To select the ‘best’ option to address the environmental problem, project staff will need to work with stakeholders to consider the social, economic and ecological impacts of alternative options. This is because negative impacts on any option may jeopardise the success of the project. For instance, there would be no point in pursuing an option that offers positive ecological benefits if the social and economic impacts of this are so damaging to stakeholders that compliance would be impossible.In fact, severe social and economic implications are a warning sign that an option will ultimately be unsustainable or unviable. One way of conceptualizing the relationships between the economic, social and ecological is as an ‘egg’ (see Figure 9), where economic and social actions are nested within the biophysical environment. Action in one area will ripple through the others. Impact assessment helps us to work out what these connections are, so that we can maximise outcomes across these three dimensions and develop more sustainable resource management activities (Lal and Keen, 2002).Figure 9: Three dimensions of sustainability Source: (Lal and Keen, 2002) Environmental impact assessment Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process to support planning and decision-making. It is based on the identification, prediction and evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of about projects, plans and policies. Impact assessments can involve very detailed technical examinations of the environmental impacts in policies and projects, particularly where projects are likely to have significant negative environmental impacts (Modak and Biswas 1999).The scale of the impact assessment can and should be matched to the project. However, the steps are broadly similar, and aim to integrate consideration of the ec onomic, social and economic impacts of an intervention. In this section, we will focus of the social impacts of alternative solutions and will only consider economic and ecological impacts as they relate to these. Project managers would need to consider all these sets of impacts – social, economic and ecological – in practice. Information on the economic aspects of solutions is discussed in detail in Lal and Holland (2004).Social Impact assessment Social impact assessment is a specialised form of impact assessment. It focuses on: ? The likely social impacts of what is planned; ?The likely consequences for various stakeholders (eg improvement or deterioration in people’s well-being); and ? How to improve positive benefits or minimize negative impacts. Social impact assessment, like EIA, can be a relatively large and complex process. However, the scale of the impact assessment can and should be matched to the project (Goldman, 2000). Impact assessment can be done when consensus has been reached on the viability of two or three main options. Alternatively, it can begin in the early stages of stakeholder consideration of problems and with information about likely social impacts being collected and analysed as part of the baseline assessment. Social impact assessment is linked to stakeholder analysis because it involves considering how stakeholder interests would be affected by different options to solve the problem. A stakeholder analysis in relation to potential solutions (see Topic 3. 2) can be used to help identify these impacts.Subsequently, actions can be refined to increase any positive effects on stakeholder interests and or reduce or avoid any negative effects from alternative solutions. The information collected during preliminary community profile and baseline assessments are also important inputs to the impact assessment process. Who assesses impacts and when? Project staff may carry out a preliminary assessment of potential social, economic and environmental implications of a project on their own or in consultation with government in the process of determining where to locate projects.This preliminary assessment can help avoid the strategic mistake of selecting a project site that is unlikely to have viable or politically acceptable solutions. It is not wise politically to go through all the public stakeholder activities leading up to the preliminary assessments only to conclude that â€Å"Do Nothing Different† is the best option. Project managers and other project staff might also begin thinking about environmental impacts in the early stages of stakeholder consideration of problems and information about likely impacts being collected and analysed as part of the baseline assessment.Stakeholders are likely to raise issues of concern or risks early in the process of consultations—even during th e first round of stakeholder meetings. Project staff needs to think about potential social impacts and need to assure stakeholders that possible impacts will be considered in the decision-making process. EIA is thus central to the selection of social, economically and ecologically viable options. A participatory activity to assess the environmental impacts of options is outlined in Topic 5. 4. Topic 5. 3 Selecting OptionsBefore assessing impacts, it is important to select two to three options from the wider set of potential solutions developed in workshops. This is necessary because of time constraints, and also because it is unlikely that one project will be able to accommodate the full range of activities. The topics in this module are intended to support stakeholders to take a considered decision on which options for action they will pursue. The solutions tree Activity (Topic 5. 1) will have assisted them to identify potential solutions (options).The impact assessment below will help them consider the likely positive and negative impacts of certain options, including the option of taking no action. In this topic, we look at the decision-making process and your role in it as a facilitator or manager of a project. We also look at some criteria and techniques that can help stakeholders to assess the costs and benefits of options and choose the actions that are likely to bring the greatest overall benefit in social, economic and ecological terms. Decision-making in groups: processes and issuesBefore moving on to the specifics of selecting options, lets pause and consider the decision-making processes involved. The selection of options for action on a resource management issue is a key decision-point for stakeholders. Your facilitation role at this stage is crucial, and it is important for you to have an understanding the group dynamics of decision-making. Groups can arrive at a decision on an issue in many different ways. Some common rules that you may have come across are shown in Figure 10. Figure 10: Common decision-making rules. (Braakman and Edwards, 2002)Looking at these ‘common decision rules’, you will see that some rules are more consistent with a participatory program than others. For example, a chairman deciding after discussion is a very limited form of participation. In contrast, decision through consensus can allow broad participation, as long as rules are followed to ensure participation in the discussion process. Without explicit ground rules to guide the discussion, those with power, influence, and confidence are likely to hold sway, or the process can get bogged down and issues are not considered fully or systematically. The decision-making scenario may then look more like Figure 11 below. Figure 11: Decision making without rules (Braakman and Edwards, 2002) To avoid these problems, it is important for facilitators to discuss and establish decision-making rules with the group. You may even find it useful to use these diagrams in your discussions. Another important aspect of the facilitator’s role is the need to encourage the group to look broadly at issues before moving towards a decision-point. Such an approach challenges the group to move beyond ‘business as usual’ discussions to look at new ideas and angles.As a facilitator, you can help this process along to broaden discussion and then move back to a decision point (See Figure 12 and Issue 15 below on how to promote divergent thinking). Figure 12: Divergent and Convergent thinking Source: Braakman and Edwards, 2002: 47 As the group explores ideas a further challenge for the facilitator is to help them find the point at which f ree ranging discussion can be focused back to a decision point. This transition point is sometimes called the ‘groan zone’ because it can be a confusing time for the group as it struggles to find a shared framework.Your facilitation skills are crucial in helping a group move through the ‘groan zone’ towards a decision point (See Issue 16 below on getting through the ‘groan zone’). Issue 15: How to promote divergent thinking †¢Alert the group of ‘business as usual’ discussions. †¢Help the group avoid making decisions too quickly by pointing out how limited their input is. †¢Encourage everyone to contribute. †¢Think about the tools and skills needed to learn about other diverse points of view. †¢Suggest ways to structure thinking activities. †¢Respect other people’s point of view.