I understand that:
___Communities, like people, try to solve their problems
___Analyzing those problems helps in their solution
I have taken into consideration the following criteria for analyzing the problem:
___Frequency of the problem
___Duration of the problem
___Scope or range of the problem
___Severity of the problem
___Legality of the problem
___Perception of the problem
I understand the reasons to analyze the problem:
___To better identify what the problem or issue is
___To understand what is at the heart of a problem
___To determine the barriers and resources associated with addressing the problem
___To develop the best action plan for addressing the problem
I understand how to analyze a community problem:
___State the problem, in general terms
___Give some specific examples of the problem
___Think of some possible reasons or causes
___Find the most probable reason
___Identify some possible solutions
___Choose the best solution
___Implement that solution
___Evaluate the solution
I understand the value of analyzing community problems:
___Analyzing community problems can be hard work
___Real community problems are likely to be complex and hard to solve
___When I look for reasons and underlying causes for significant problems, I'm likely to find more than one
___The problem may not only have more than one reason; it may have more than one solution too
I have taken into consideration the following common criteria for the best possible solution:
___Cost
___Time
___People
___Obstacles
___Impact
I have asked the following questions to measure impact of the problem and its potential solution:
___How many people will be affected/ will benefit?
___For how long will they benefit? How long will the solution last?
___How intensely will they benefit -- what is the extent of impact on their lives?
___Are there any possible unanticipated consequences or side effects?
___What is the community's preference?
___What is the likelihood of success?
I have asked the following questions about the likelihood of success:
___What is the best evidence that this solution is going to work?
___Where has this solution been tried before, and what has been the outcome?
___What does expert opinion say on the probability of this solution being successful?
___Have there been research studies showing that this solution works, or is likely to work?
___Does my situation match others where this solution has been successful?
___Do I have personal direct experience using this kind of solution?