1. Logical FrameWork Approach
Gathering information for your Project Charter
START IT!
The Logical Framework Approach is a useful tool in the planning of projects. By working through the LFA process the stakeholders and project manager can derive the bulk of the information needed to complete a project Charter. At the completion of the LFA exercise you will have more clarity around
Goals
Objectives
Outputs and acticvities

2. LFA is a 5 step process Problem Determination
Problem Categorization & Focal Problem
Problem Tree
Objective Tree
LFA Matrix
The LFA is a five step process of determining what problem the project is expected to solve, categorizing the problems, developing a problems tree, converting the problems tree to an objectives tree and finally transcribing that information to and filling out the LFA matrix.

3. 1. Problem Determination
Identify the question to be answered
e.g What are the problems with…..?
One problem per sticky note
Must be in the form of a problem
Try to avoid “lack of..”, “No…”
Write BIG
To begin the….. LFA exercise identify the question that this project is intended to answer. The better the question the more effective the LFA process will be. Oftentimes the question is framed as “what are problems with……
Try to identify the wider problem the project will help to resolve.
The LFA exercise is most effective if all stakeholders of the project participate. This is where you will achieve project clarity and buy in for the work efforts.
To begin the LFA process have each participate write problems on post it notes. Write one problem statement per post it note. Trying to avoid problems that begin with “lack of” or “No”. These are too easy.
Once everyone has exhausted their braindump of problems move on to the next steps of the LFA process Categorization and Focal Problem identification,

4. Bus Example What is the problem with reduced ridership?
Never on time
Smelly fumes
Missed buses
Dirty buses
Old buses
Buses are ugly
Pot holes
Pedestrian Accidents
Cutting into traffic
construction
Break downs
Driving without aloha
Car accidents
Flat tires
Prefer to drive
Out of service
Buses are rusty
Injuries on the bus
Invite each participant to share their post its on the main board. Explaining to the rest of the group what the problem is. It is very likely there will be similar problems identified, that is to be expected and will help with categorization and prioritization.
In this example we show some of the posted problems for a bus example question What is the problem with reduced ridership?
Low ridership
Traffic congestion
No room on the bus
Buses need paint
Do not feel safe

5. 2. Problem Categorization
Group into similar problem categories
Identify a category title
Determine Focal problem
Have the group look at all the problems posted and group them into similar problem categories. For similar type problems identify a problem category title.
Once you have the problems categorized help the group determine what they believe is the focal problem. The core problem that causes or effects all other problems. There is no right answer. The right answer is what is right for the group.

6. Bus Example Problem Categorization
Bad conditions of vehicles
Dirty buses
Smelly fumes
Buses are ugly
Frequent bus accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Car accidents
People are late
Never on time
Missed buses
No ongoing maintenance
Break downs
Flat tires
Out of service
Bad road conditions
-pot holes
-construction
-traffic congestion
Passengers hurt or killed
Passengers do not feel safe
Injuries while on bus
Loss of confidence in bus company
People prefer to drive
Low ridership
Drivers not careful enough
- Driving without Aloha
- Cutting into traffic
Vehicles too old
Old buses
Buses need paint job
Buses are rusty
No room on the bus
In the bus example we categorized all the problems posted into 9 problem types. Bad condition of vehicles, Frequent bus accidents, Bad road conditions etc.
From these 9 problems we selected Frequent bus accidents as the core problem affecting our question “What is the problem with reduced ridership?”
Now that the focal or core problem has been identified we can create a problem tree using the remaining 8 problems.

7. 3. PROBLEM TREE
Analyze the existing situation surrounding a given problem condition
Identify the major problems in this context
Define the focal problem of a situation
Visualize the cause-effect relationships in a Problem Tree Approach
The problem tree approach is how you visualize a caused and effect relationship between your project types.

8. PROBLEM TREE: BUS EXAMPLE
Loss of confidence in bus company
Effects
Passengers hurt or killed
People are late
Frequent bus accidents
Core problem
Drivers not careful enough
Bad conditions of vehicles
Bad road conditions
Causes (why?)
Using the bus example again, the group determined that passengers getting hurt or killed, loss of confidence in the bus company and people are late were all effects of frequent bus accidents.
Looking at which problems were considered causes of frequent bus accidents the group identified; divers not careful enough, bad conditions of vehicles, bad road conditions, vehicles too old and no ongoing maintenance.
Again there is no right or wrong answer. It is whatever is right for the group.
Vehicles too old
No ongoing maintenance

9. 4. OBJECTIVES TREE
Analyze the existing situation surrounding a given problem condition. Flip each negative to a positive.
Identify the major goals in this context
Define the purpose of the project
Visualize the output relationships in an Objective Tree Approach. Why does this problem exist?
The Next Step in the LFA Process is to create the Objectives Analysis tree.
Rephrase each of the problems as a positive statement. Rewrite the post it if you have to. Ask yourself “what do I want instead?”
When that is complete we will Visualize the output relationships in an Objective Tree Approach. Deriving the answer to .Why does this problem exist?

10. OBJECTIVES TREE: BUS EXAMPLE
Customers have a better image of the bus company
Less passengers hurt
Passengers arrive at scheduled time
Goals
Frequency of bus accidents considerably reduced
Purpose
Drivers drive carefully and responsibly
Vehicles kept in good condition
Road conditions improved
Your positively rephrased focal problem becomes your purpose
Your positively rephrased causes become your outputs and
Your positively rephrased effects become your goals
You will notice that the “road conditions improved” is an outlier. It is a problem that the project team has no direct control over. These type of problems will become future risks or assumptions for your project.
Outputs
Old vehicles are regularly replaced
Vehicles regularly maintained and checked

11. 5. LFA MATRIX Summary of Objectives/ Activities Objectively/
Measurable Verifiable Indicators
Data Sources
Important Assumptions
Overall Goal
Project Purpose
Results / Outputs
Activities/Inputs
We are now ready to begin filling out the LFA matrix.
Looking at all the effects identified, restate them as a compound overall goal
Transpose the purpose identified into the project purpose section
Transpose the causes identified into a results/outputs row. One row for each cause.
For each of the results/outputs identified we will ask ourselves “what needs to be done to achieve that output?”

12. LFA MATRIX BUS EXAMPLE Summary of Objectives/ Activities Objectively/
Measurable Verifiable Indicators
Data Sources
Important Assumptions
Overall Goal – High level of satisfaction for bus passengers
90% of departures with less than 5 min delay
Bus logs
Passengers continue to use bus
Project Purpose – frequency of bus accidents reduced
Less than x accidents in 12 months
Safety records
Road conditions improved
Results/Outputs-
Drivers drive carefully
Vehicles in good condition
Old vehicles replaced
Regular vehicle maintenance
100% of drivers safety refresher course in 12 months
Funds allocated
5 new buses in 12 months
100% compliance with maintenance routine
Course attendance
Budget approved
Buses are road ready
Maintenance logs
Trained drivers remain with bus company
Tools and spare supplies procured in time
Using the bus example again. We rephrased the effects of that Passengers arrive at scheduled time, Customers have a better image of the bus company and Less passengers hurt to a goal of a High level of satisfaction for bus passengers
We determined that the way we would know if we met that goal would be
90% of departures with less than 5 min delay
And we determined that the source of data to create the measurement would be the bus logs.
You conduct a similar analysis on your purpose, which from our bus example we determined was “frequency of bus accidents reduced”.
How would we know that? was identified as less than n number of accidents in 12 months..
Where would we get the data to measure that was determined to be safety records.
If any assumptions are being made relative to these measurements we note those as well.

13. LFA MATRIX BUS EXAMPLE cont.
Results/Outputs-
Drivers drive carefully
Vehicles in good condition
Old vehicles replaced
Regular vehicle maintenance
100% of drivers safety refresher course in 12 months
Funds allocated
5 new buses in 12 months
100% compliance with maintenance routine
Course attendance
Budget approved
Buses arrive
Maintenance logs
Trained drivers remain with bus company
Tools and spare supplies procured in time
Activities/Inputs
Bus Driver Safety course
Procure Buses, tools and spare parts
Develop Maintenance Routines
Research safety course providers by end of year.
Submit RFP for buses, tools and spare parts by end of year
Determine preventative maintenance factors in 90 days.
Internet and networking research
State Procurement process
Benchmark with other Bus service providers
Availability of trained procurement personnel
We do a similar analysis for each of the outputs identified. Documenting the objectively verifiable indicators, the data sources and assumptions.
Finally ….
For each output identified we determine what activity would yield that output. For example for the output of drivers drive carefully, we identified an activity to get drivers to drive carefully was a safety refresher course, so one of the activities needs to be research safety course providers.

14. Test the logical framework approach
Summary
Important assumption
Goal
Purpose if
and
Results/Outputs
Activities/Inputs
then
then
You can test your logical framework validity by asking yourself the following questions
If I perform these activities then I will achieve these results
If I achieve these results then I will meet my purpose
If I meet the stated purposed then I will achieve the project goal
Now that you have completed the LFA you can use this information to fill out your project charter.
The more you practice the LFA approach the more intuitive it becomes. If you feel stuck, You can always conduct an LFA on any of the problems identified to drill down even further.
Good luck with your project charter
then