Analysing Trends

Lifeline

Lifeline provides a valuable insight into past experiences and developments of communities, organisations, but also individuals. Significant positive and negative events or years are visualised in a chronological line. It puts projects into the context of the overall realities in a community. Thus, Lifeline encourages a reflection on causes of past developments and on future priorities.

Guide Lifeline (4 pages, 200 KB) Download.

Trend Analysis

Trend Analysis is used to gain a differentiated understanding of changes over a period of time. Members of a community or organisation select criteria on social development, or the quality of life. They analyse the development of their community or organisation regarding each criterion to see when their life improved and when it became worse.

Guide Trend Analysis (4 pages, 250 KB) Download here.

Road Journey Diagrams

Road journey diagrams are useful for charting aims and to see how original aims relate to the actual developments in a community. Workshop participants draw the map of a common road, which may be straight or winded, diagonally upwards or downwards. Buildings, bridges or other elements are drawn to symbolize key events, opportunities, achievements, problems, obstacles, shocks or support received along the way.

Road Journey under PALS Diagrams.

Kasese Tool

With the Kasese tool, community members compare their past situation at the start of a development activity with their expectations and assessed on a scale where they are currently. This is followed by a reflection on what they have achieved so far and what they have not achieved. The Kasese Tool is amongst the easiest, “tiniest” of the Tiny Tools. It was actually developed as an introduction into group and individual gaol setting, which is the focus of the NGO-IDEAs Impact Toolbox.

Kasese Example (6 pages, 300 KB) Download.

For short descriptions of more tools, see the Overview Tiny Tools (14 pages, 900 KB) Download.