DIRECTORATE OF RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIP
BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO
PROBLEM TREE AND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS
Engr. M. M. Maina, PhD
Deputy Director Research, DRIP
[Link]@[Link]
Outcomes
Participants will be able to
conduct Situation and
Stakeholder Analysis
Participants Will be able to
Analyse Research Problem
Understand and Construct a
Problem Tree
Perform Objective and
Strategy analysis
WHAT’S NEW IN
FUNDABLE PROPOSAL
• Funder may be looking for measures
for evaluating the success of your
proposal.
• Stay current on the kind of buzzwords
and topics that really catch people’s
eyes these days
• Adding multidisciplinary and
transdisciplinary collaboration is very
important.
8/10/2025 3
THERE IS MORE - hint
• Make sure you are eligible
• Develop guidelines for proposal
production
• Identify competent staff
• Don’t make the reader work
• Don’t argue with the
funder’s assumptions
8/10/2025 4
Some Important Rules
of Grant Proposal
Read the instruction
Don’t be afraid to ask
Critique your proposal
before submission
Stay positive and be
Optimistic
8/10/2025 5
Set the Right Proposal Writing Team
Strong visionary leader
1 – 2 Key members
1 – 2 young (mentally) energetic members from
relevant disciplines
Competent facilitator (especially for workshops, might
be available among the persons above)
Good proposal writer (might be available among the
persons above) 6
Inclusive Proposal Writing Process
Core Team
Initial First
idea Final
draft
draft
Workshop Validation
Identify the Core Team 7
NRF Research Themes
Phases in Developing Fundable Proposal Using LFA
Situation
analysis
Strategy
analysis Stakeholder
analysis
Analysis
Phase
Objective Problem
analysis analysis
Situation
analysis
DESCRIBING THE
EXISTING SITUATION
Literature Reviews
Identify recent
statistics and
reports.
Provide ‘baseline’
data from which you
can measure
change.
Situation Analysis
• The situation analysis will
provide the context around
the issue of concern.
• Depending on the
information available, such
as recent statistics, it may
also, provide ‘baseline’
data from which you can
measure change.
Stakeholder
analysis
Stakeholders
stakeholder analysis is about consider potentially
identifying individuals, groups marginalised groups, such as
and organisations that are women, the elderly, the youth,
directly targeted/affected by the disabled and the poor
the proposed project
(positively or negatively).
Preliminary Stakeholder Analysis Matrix
Importance
Unknown Little/No Somehow Significant
importance important importance
Significant
influence
Somehow
Influence
influential
Little/No
influence
Unknown
Project
Beneficiaries
• Target Group:
• The group or entity that will
be directly positively affected
by the project.
• Final Beneficiaries:
• Those who benefit from the
project in the long term at the
level of society or sector at
large
Problem
analysis
Problem Analysis
A problem analysis should consist of:
i. Confirmation of the Focal Problem;
ii. Identification of any additional problems directly linked
to the Focal Problem in the concrete area;
iii. Determining problems important for the beneficiaries,
existing at the moment of project planning; and,
iv. Sorting the problems to create a structure of cause-
effect relations, called a 'Problem Tree'.
• The problem analysis is a critical thinking process
that identifies the cause‐effect relationship Effect
• Results are known as Problem Tree
• A problem analysis should ideally be undertaken
as a participatory process involving those Problem
stakeholders who are knowledgeable about the
topic.
• The problem tree that is produced should be a Causes
robust but simplified version of reality
Rules for Problem Tree Analysis
• Each box in the problem tree shall include
only one problem.
• The problems must be real, not
hypothetical.
• Avoid defining the problem in the form of
negation of the solution.
• Make sure of the sequence of causes and
effects.
• The problem tree may not be designed in
one session; consult the experts, co-
applicants and key stakeholders.
Develop the problem tree for your project
Effect 3
Effect 2C Effect 2B Effect 2A
Effect 1A Effect 1B
Focal Problem
Cause 1 Cause 2 Cause 3 Cause 4
“In many respects, the
problem analysis is the most
critical stage of project
planning, as it guides all
subsequent analysis and
decision‐making on priorities.”
(EC, 2004).
Objective
analysis
SMART versus SIMPLE Objectives
SMART Objectives: SIMPLE Objectives:
S – Specific,
S – Specific, I – Immediate,
M – Measurable, M – Measurable,
A – Achievable, P – Practical,
R - Realistic, L – Logical,
T – Time-bound E - Evaluable
Please Note: Project objectives must NOT ONLY be SMART but SIMPLE. 26
Imagine the desired outcome to each
Objectives problem when;
Analysis a) the negative situation will have
been mitigated,
b) a shortage or limitation will have
been eliminated,
c) specific need will have been
satisfied,
These desired achievements in the
future are interpreted as objectives.
Develop the objective tree for your project
Outcome 3
Long Term Goal
Mid Term Goal Outcome 2C Outcome 2B Outcome 2A
Short Term Goal Outcome 1A Outcome 1B
Project Purpose Specific Objective
Outputs Result 1 Result 2 Result 3 Result 4
Strategy
For
Objective
analysis
Defining the Project Strategy
Project strategy is the direction of a
project that contributes to the success
and survival of the project,
Analyse all separate alternative
strategies and choose the strategy key
to your project.
Decisions should be guided by policy
priorities, budget, human resources,
urgency, social acceptance, etc.
When analysing the possible
objectives, decide which of them:
• best complies with the funder policy for
development,
• complies with the requirements of the Call for
Proposals,
• consists only of realistic, achievable objectives,
• meets the needs of project beneficiaries,
• is highly cost-effective,
• is based on available human and financial
resources,
• ensures sustainability.
To choose your objectives,
Final simply delete the 'branches' of
the Objective Tree that do not
objectives comply with the criteria
presented above.
The branches left become the
objectives of your project - the
strategy to solve the main problem
you identified.
Overall Objectives:
The broad development impact
to which the project
contributes – at a national or
sectoral level.
Normally achieved some time
AFTER the end of the project.
Sustainability plan of the
project.
Specific Objective:
• The development outcome at the end of the
project – the expected benefits to the target
group(s)
• They reflect the main project problem, consisting
of long-term benefits and advantages for
beneficiaries and target groups.
• It is directly related to the problems or needs of
the target group and final beneficiaries
Specific objective can be read from the Objective Tree
Results:
• The direct/tangible results (good and
services) that the project delivers,
and which are largely under project
management’s control,
• All project results must be achieved
by the last day of the project
implementation.