Issue landscape
What
A issue landscape is a representation of (developments in) behaviour, norms and values, economic structures and institutional structures around the issue.
Why
The issue landscape shows you which factors affect the issue, how they are interrelated and how they result in changes or, instead, provide stability. This helps create an overview and identify the ‘buttons’ needed for setting the issue on the right course.
How
- Decide which issue you want to create an issue landscape for.
- Elaborate the structure of the issue landscape on a whiteboard, flip chart, wall or table, or use the sample template.
- Identify long-term developments around the issue. Place these in the issue landscape’s central circle.
- Discover the current system of long-term developments by identifying cultural and behavioural factors and institutional and economic structures. Place these in the issue landscape in the right places.
- Identify innovative initiatives and projects around the issue. Place these in the issue landscape in the right places.
- Where there are connections, draw lines between the innovative initiatives and projects, the system and the long-term developments. Indicate the nature of the connection (e.g. with a text, a plus or minus symbol or an arrow).