Social Needs Assessment According to Bradshaw’s Classification
By: Mustafa Bosh
Societies face numerous issues, such as water scarcity, lack of education, poor healthcare services, unemployment, and more. The primary purpose of non-profit organizations is to find solutions to these issues to create a real impact and change within society. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to achieve this impact because they do not understand the real problems of society. They focus only on the symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of the problems. This is where needs analysis comes in, which is one of the initial steps in designing any project. It helps in identifying the real problems and needs of society and the proper ways to address these issues. Unfortunately, many organizations overlook this analysis and begin with inaccurate assumptions about societal problems, leading to the design of projects that create no real impact and merely waste resources.
The importance of needs analysis can be summed up in a simple phrase: “Solving the right problem the right way.” Without understanding the root cause and fundamental reasons behind a problem, designing an effective project becomes very difficult. Many organizations fall into the trap of addressing the symptoms of a problem rather than the problem itself.
One common mistake in needs analysis is assuming that the need is only what society tells you. If people complain about something, it is often taken as the real problem, and projects are designed based on this understanding. However, the opinions of the beneficiary society represent only one type of need. British researcher Jonathan Bradshaw identified four basic types of social needs, which are as follows:
- Felt Needs: These are the needs expressed by society, encompassing their aspirations, dreams, and desires. These needs can be realistic or unrealistic and cannot be relied upon solely. For example, an oil company working in an area asked the community leader about their needs. The leader requested a personal car while the area lacked basic services such as roads, hospitals, and drinking water facilities. This indicates that asking society about their needs does not necessarily reveal the real problem.
- Expressed Needs: These needs become apparent through observing society’s daily behaviors, habits, and actions. For instance, you might see people standing in long lines to get water or bread, or observe them disposing of waste in water bodies or defecating in the open. These issues are not explicitly mentioned by society but are identified through observation.
- Normative Needs: These are based on local, national, regional, or global standards set by competent authorities such as ministries or other government bodies. These standards indicate when a situation is normal and when there is a problem. For instance, a health ministry might set a specific threshold for the presence of microbes in drinking water; if this threshold is exceeded, the water becomes unsafe and causes diseases. This can be determined by laboratory analysis of the water.
- Comparative Needs: These are identified by comparing with other areas. For example, a village that has agricultural machines that increased its crop production might lead another community to demand the same equipment. This desire might not have arisen if the project had not been implemented in another area.
When conducting any social needs analysis, it is important to consider all four aspects (felt, expressed, normative, and comparative needs) to gain a comprehensive view and identify the real problem or need of society. A problem is considered a genuine need if society feels it, its effects are visible in their behaviors, there is an official standard or scientific analysis indicating the problem, and it has been identified and resolved in other areas before.
Importance of Bradshaw’s Analysis
Collecting data using only one method can lead to errors in understanding the need, as data collection methods are often influenced by the personal experiences and biases of the data collectors. Using multiple methods to collect data helps in comparing and confirming the need in various ways, increasing the reliability of the results. Bradshaw’s classification emphasizes not just focusing on the desires of society but also observing their behaviors, considering official standards, and comparing with neighboring areas. This approach confirms the need from four different sources, greatly increasing the reliability of the results and leading to the identification of the true problem and need of society, ultimately resulting in the design of a suitable project to solve the problem and create a real impact and value in society.
Conclusion
Understanding societal problems and real needs requires looking at the need from multiple aspects and using different methods of data collection to arrive at a project that can create genuine value for society.
By: Mustafa Bosh – PMP & PMD Pro Certified Project Manager
