The Problem Tree Analysis belongs to the family of participatory planning techniques, in which all parties involved identify and analyse the needs together.
Participatory methods aim to create ownership and commitment among the involved parties.
The main output of the exercise is a tree-shaped diagram in which the trunk represents the focal problem, the roots represent its causes and the branches its effects.
Such a problem tree creates a logical hierarchy of causes and effects and visualizes the links between them.
It creates a summary picture of the existing negative situation.
