Benefits-Harms Design Tools
- Objective: To help programmers move from understanding an opportunity or problem to acting on it, as well as identify the constraints to action, both internally (within an organization or project) and externally (in the outside world).
- Materials/Preparation: Benefits-Harms Handbook Impact Tools. Teams should decide which areas are most important for discussion and reflection.
- Participants: It often involves not only field staff, but staff at various positions across the organization.
Related Tools
View more tools related to:
Steps
These tools raise important questions for teams to discuss, and should be adapted to the real issues being faced. “Internal” and “external” exercises can stand alone, and one can be done without the other to meet the needs of a given situation.
Political Decision Tool
I. Identify your issue, and decide what you should do to address it
Name unintended impact(s) here |
How can the project address the harm or take a new opportunity to benefit people? |
| From your discussion of the Political Impact Tool, what is the one problem or opportunity that most requires action?
Your decision should concretely address an unintended harm, caused by the project, to people's political rights, or aim take a new opportunity to benefit people as bearers of political rights. |
If you need to address a harm, note here the concrete change that you need to make. E.g. The project should stop empowering one political structure over another. The political authorities have too much control over the operations or impact of the project, and are using the project to undermine the community's rights to political participation. The project needs to stop exacerbating tensions between groups X and Y through its hiring processes and decisions on where to provide services.
If you should be capitalizing on an opportunity, note here the concrete change that you need to make. E.g. The project needs to commit to hold itself accountable to the community politically. The project needs to work through local decision making structures and/or ensure the community participates in political decision- making in truly representative fashion. The project needs to create forums for people to speak out about political issues, or organize politically to protect their self-interests. |
II. Identify and discuss internal constraints and support
Internal constraints |
Attributes of your organization impacting your decision making |
Internal support |
| Note here the internal constraints to making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Consider why this decision was not made before. E.g. Staff are worried about their physical or job security if we make the change. |
|
Note here the supporting factors internal to your organization for making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Think about what would have to change to take this opportunity. E.g. The organization's mission and core values are pushing us to make this kind of change. |
III. Identify and discuss external opposition and support
External opposition |
Consider how any of the following actors might react to your decision |
External support |
|
Which of the following actors might oppose your decision?
Why? What can you do to ensure that opposition does not prevent you making the necessary change? |
|
Which of these actors might support your decision?
Why? How can you use that support to help you make the necessary change? |
Security Decision Tool
I. Identify your issue, and decide what you should do to address it
Name unintended impact(s) here |
How can the project minimize the harm or capitalize on the opportunity? |
| From your experience or discussion of the Security Impact Tool, what is a problem or opportunity that requires action?
Your decision should concretely address an unintended harm to people's security rights (caused by the project), or aim to take a new opportunity to benefit people as bearers of security rights. |
If you need to address a harm, note here the concrete change that you need to make. E.g. The project needs to stop attracting insecurity to the community. The project needs to stop creating tensions between two groups in the community. The project needs to stop causing insecurity within households.
If you need to capitalize on an unforeseen opportunity, note here the change that you need to make. E.g. The project could explicitly and systematically hold itself accountable to the community on security issues. The project could use "do no harm" tools to build peace or resolve conflict between two groups, or between individuals in the community. The project could use community participation events to raise awareness about security rights and protection from security rights violations. |
II. Identify and discuss internal constraints and support
Internal constraints |
Attributes of your organization impacting your decision making |
Internal support |
| Note here the internal constraints to making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Consider why this decision was not made before. E.g. Staff are worried about their physical or job security if we make the change. |
|
Note here the supporting factors internal to your organization for making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Think about what would have to change to take this opportunity. E.g. The organization's mission and core values are pushing us to make this kind of change. |
III. Identify and discuss external opposition and support
External opposition |
Consider how any of the following actors might react to your decision |
External support |
|
Which of the following actors might oppose your decision?
Why? What can you do to ensure that opposition does not prevent you making the necessary change? |
|
Which of these actors might support your decision?
Why? How can you use that support to help you make the necessary change? |
Economic, Social and Cultural Decision Tool
I. Identify your issue, and decide what you should do to address it
Name unintended impact(s) here |
How can the project address the problem or take an opportunity? |
| From your discussion of the Economic, Social and Cultural Impact Tool, what is the one problem or opportunity that most requires action? Note here the concrete change or decision that your organization needs to make.
Your decision should concretely address an unintended negative impact from the project on people's economic, social and/or cultural rights (problem), or take a new opportunity to treat people as bearers of economic, social and/or cultural rights. |
If you need to address a harm, note here the concrete change that you need to make. E.g. The project needs to stop harming the community's economic assets or capacities. The project needs to stop harming the community's social attitudes, increasing dependence or diminishing cooperation between groups. The project should stop undermining the community's cultural practices or identity.
If you need to capitalize on an opportunity, note here the concrete change that you need to make. E.g. The project should help the community protect its environmental resources. The project should build on the community's capacity to earn income through X activity. The project should strengthen the community's Y positive cultural practices. |
II. Identify and discuss internal constraints and support
Internal constraints |
Attributes of your organization impacting your decision making |
Internal support |
| Note here the internal constraints to making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Consider why this decision was not made before. E.g. Staff are worried about their physical or job security if we make the change. |
|
Note here the supporting factors internal to your organization for making the necessary change, either to fix the problem or take the opportunity.
Think about what would have to change to take this opportunity. E.g. The organization's mission and core values are pushing us to make this kind of change. |
III. Identify and discuss external opposition and support
External opposition |
Consider how any of the following actors might react to your decision |
External support |
|
Which of the following actors might oppose your decision?
Why? What can you do to ensure that opposition does not prevent you making the necessary change? |
|
Which of these actors might support your decision?
Why? How can you use that support to help you make the necessary change? |