Real-World Examples

These examples demonstrate how Problem Tree Analysis applies across different sectors and contexts. Each example includes the complete tree structure, (E/A) tagging, and stakeholder validation questions.

Example 1: Youth Economic Participation

Context: Rural youth employment in East Africa

graph TB
    %% EFFECTS
    E1["High rates of youth income<br/>insecurity & poverty E"]
    E2["Increased rural-urban<br/>migration E"]
    E3["Growing social tensions<br/>& crime A"]
    E4["Lost economic potential &<br/>demographic dividend A"]

    %% CORE PROBLEM
    CP["🌳 CORE PROBLEM<br/>Young adults 18-25 in rural<br/>communities have limited access<br/>to decent, stable employment"]

    %% DIRECT ROOT CAUSES
    RC1["Skills-labor market<br/>mismatch E"]
    RC2["Geographic & infrastructure<br/>barriers A"]
    RC3["Weak entrepreneurship<br/>ecosystem A"]
    RC4["Social & cultural<br/>factors A"]

    %% UNDERLYING CAUSES
    UC1["Curricula not aligned<br/>with market needs E"]
    UC2["Limited vocational<br/>training access E"]
    UC3["Rapid economic<br/>transition A"]
    UC4["Poor rural-urban<br/>transportation E"]
    UC5["Limited internet<br/>connectivity A"]
    UC6["Opportunities concentrated<br/>in urban centers E"]
    UC7["Limited startup<br/>capital access A"]
    UC8["Few business<br/>mentors A"]
    UC9["Complex regulatory<br/>requirements E"]
    UC10["Family migration<br/>expectations A"]
    UC11["Limited professional<br/>networks A"]
    UC12["Gender norms affecting<br/>participation A"]

    %% RELATIONSHIPS
    UC1 --> RC1
    UC2 --> RC1
    UC3 --> RC1
    UC4 --> RC2
    UC5 --> RC2
    UC6 --> RC2
    UC7 --> RC3
    UC8 --> RC3
    UC9 --> RC3
    UC10 --> RC4
    UC11 --> RC4
    UC12 --> RC4
    RC1 --> CP
    RC2 --> CP
    RC3 --> CP
    RC4 --> CP
    CP --> E1
    CP --> E2
    CP --> E3
    CP --> E4

    %% Colors
    style CP fill:#10B981,stroke:#059669,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff
    style RC1 fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#D97706,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style RC2 fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#D97706,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style RC3 fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#D97706,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style RC4 fill:#F59E0B,stroke:#D97706,stroke-width:2px,color:#1F2937
    style UC1 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC2 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC3 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC4 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC5 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC6 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC7 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC8 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC9 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC10 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC11 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style UC12 fill:#72B043,stroke:#5A8F36,stroke-width:1px,color:#fff
    style E1 fill:#E12729,stroke:#B91C1C,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style E2 fill:#E12729,stroke:#B91C1C,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style E3 fill:#E12729,stroke:#B91C1C,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style E4 fill:#E12729,stroke:#B91C1C,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff

Below is the detailed breakdown of each component:

🌿 EFFECTS / CONSEQUENCES

🌳 CORE PROBLEM

🌱 ROOT CAUSES

Stakeholder Validation Questions

1. "How would you describe the biggest economic challenges facing young people in this area?"
   Validates core problem from community perspective.
2. "In your experience, what are the main reasons young people struggle to find good work here?"
   Open exploration of root causes.
3. "What skills do local employers most need vs. what skills do young people typically have?"
   Validates skills-market mismatch cause.
4. "What makes it difficult for young people to start their own businesses or find employment?"
   Uncovers barriers (causes) without leading.
5. "What existing programs or supports work well for young people? What's missing?"
   Identifies assets and gaps.
6. "How do location and transportation affect young people's opportunities?"
   Validates geographic barriers assumption.
7. "Can you tell me about young people who have found good opportunities? How did they do it?"
   Uncovers success factors and protective factors.
8. "How do family expectations and community attitudes affect young people's choices?"
   Validates social/cultural factors assumption.
9. "What would success look like for young people in this community in 2-3 years?"
   Begins visioning for Theory of Change.
10. "Who are the most important people or organizations that could make a difference for young people's economic opportunities?"
    Identifies key stakeholders for engagement.

Example 2: Maternal Health (Summary)

Context: Rural maternal health outcomes in South Asia

Core Problem

"Pregnant women in rural areas experience high rates of pregnancy-related complications and maternal mortality."

Key Root Causes (Sample)

• Limited access to quality antenatal care (E)
  • Distance to health facilities and poor transportation (E)
  • Shortage of trained midwives in rural areas (E)
  • Cost barriers to accessing services (A)
• Cultural and social barriers (A)
  • Preference for traditional birth attendants (A)
  • Limited decision-making power for women (A)
  • Male gatekeepers controlling healthcare access (A)
• Health system weaknesses (E)
  • Inadequate emergency obstetric care capacity (E)
  • Supply chain gaps for essential medicines (E)

Key Effects

• Preventable maternal deaths and morbidity (E)
• Newborn health complications (E)
• Economic burden on families (A)
• Intergenerational poverty cycles (A)

Example 3: Education Quality (Summary)

Context: Primary school learning outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Core Problem

"Primary school students in rural communities have low literacy and numeracy proficiency by Grade 3."

Key Root Causes (Sample)

• Teacher capacity gaps (E)
  • Insufficient pre-service training in early literacy methods (E)
  • Large class sizes limiting individual attention (E)
  • Limited ongoing professional development (A)
• Learning environment challenges (A)
  • Shortage of age-appropriate reading materials (E)
  • Language of instruction different from home language (A)
  • Poor classroom infrastructure (lighting, seating) (E)
• Home-school disconnect (A)
  • Parents with limited literacy unable to support homework (A)
  • Low value placed on girls' education (A)
  • Economic pressures leading to irregular attendance (E)

Key Effects

• Grade repetition and early dropout (E)
• Limited secondary school readiness (E)
• Reduced lifetime earning potential (A)
• Perpetuation of poverty and inequality (A)

Example 4: Environmental Conservation (Summary)

Context: Community forest management in Southeast Asia

Core Problem

"Forest resources in community-managed areas are declining due to unsustainable harvesting and land conversion."

Key Root Causes (Sample)

• Economic pressures (E)
  • Limited alternative livelihood options (A)
  • Market demand for forest products exceeding sustainable yield (E)
  • Low returns from sustainable forest management (A)
• Weak governance and enforcement (A)
  • Unclear land tenure and use rights (E)
  • Limited capacity for community monitoring (A)
  • External actors violating community rules (A)
• Knowledge and capacity gaps (A)
  • Limited training in sustainable forest management (A)
  • Younger generation losing traditional ecological knowledge (A)

Key Effects

• Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services (E)
• Reduced community resilience to climate change (A)
• Declining income from forest products (A)
• Conflict over remaining resources (A)

Key Takeaways Across Examples

Common Patterns

• Specificity matters: Each core problem specifies population, geography, and issue clearly
• Multi-dimensional causes: Problems have economic, social, cultural, policy, and institutional causes
• 3 levels of depth: Direct causes, underlying causes, structural causes
• Balanced (E/A) tagging: Mix of evidence-based and assumptions requiring validation
• Time-horizon effects: Immediate, medium-term, and long-term consequences
• Multiple impact levels: Individual, family, community, and system effects

What Makes These Examples Strong

1. Clear boundaries: You know exactly who is affected and where
2. Actionable causes: At least some causes are within reach of interventions
3. Honest about uncertainty: Many items tagged (A)—shows need for community validation
4. Logical connections: You can trace how causes create the problem and how the problem creates effects
5. Stakeholder-ready: Validation questions target specific assumptions systematically

Next Steps

After reviewing these examples:

• Build your Problem Tree: Use the Step-by-Step Guide and Templates & Tools
• Validate your work: Run through the Quality Checklist
• Prepare for engagement: Move to Lesson 1.2: Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement

You've completed Lesson 1.1! You now understand how to systematically analyze complex problems, leverage AI strategically, and prepare for community validation. This foundation will support every subsequent lesson in the series.