Beyond Problems Analysis

This final progress report details a partnership between the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), MYRADA, and the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) from July 1999 to December 2001. The project field-tested Appreciative Inquiry (AI)—a participatory development approach focusing on strengths and aspirations rather than problem analysis—within rural India to support sustainable development, gender equity, and livelihoods.

• The project significantly exceeded its initial target of 12 participating organisations, training over 804 people from 70 different organisations. This included approximately 320 MYRADA staff, representing about 80 percent of their workforce, and an estimated 500 community-based organisations (CBOs) representing roughly 10,000 people.
• Appreciative Inquiry was found to be highly complementary to existing Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques. Project participants modified common PRA tools, such as mapping and Venn diagrams, to facilitate the development and prioritisation of community visions rather than focusing on problem analysis.
• The AI approach supported gender equity by providing a platform where women, particularly those in self-help groups, felt valued and could articulate future possibilities. This led to visions focusing on economic independence, equal education for girls and boys, and the elimination of female infanticide and discriminatory practices.
• The project observed a shift in community group behavior from reactive problem-solving to proactive planning. CBOs began developing action plans for goals that did not rely on MYRADA funding, such as creating parks, improving reproductive health, and establishing scholarships for poor children.
• The project produced several knowledge-sharing resources to propagate the AI methodology, including a 35-minute training video titled “Appreciative Inquiry: A Beginning”, a multimedia internet site, and a professionally published field-guide titled “The Positive Path: Using Appreciative Inquiry in Rural Indian Communities” of which 2,000 copies were printed in November 2001.
• While the project aimed to develop a formal measurement and indicator system, this was not completed by the report date. The team suggested moving from traditional 'evaluations' to 'valuations', using the cyclical nature of AI to reflect on achievements and modify visions as circumstances evolve.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Beyond Problems Analysis. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Beyond Problems Analysis. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Beyond Problems Analysis |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndbeyond, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Beyond Problems Analysis }}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }