Situational analysis

Situational analysis involves "analysing needs and assets, problem diagnosis and examining relevant research, knowledge and experience. Involving others in situational analysis helps to build a better understanding..."

This is the definition of the Program Development and Evaluation Unit of University of Wisconsin - Cooperative Extension, which has a useful website of resources on Situational Analysis, including articles and tools for:

• building involvement and ownership in Situational Analysis (PDF,2 pages, 10 KB) ,
• a planning matrix for identifying a diverse advisory committee (PDF,5 pages, 472 KB),
• identifying, mapping and mobilising our assets (PDF,11 pages, 100 KB) (see also Appreciative Inquiry section), 
• setting up a community advisory committee (PDF,7 pages, 183 KB),
• conducting a community-wide mail survey (PDF,5 pages, 44 KB),
• using a key informant approach (PDF,3 pages, 44 KB),
• drawing on existing assessments (PDF,2 pages, 44 KB) and
• using a dual scan approach (PDF,2 pages, 44 KB).