Case Reference

Situation Appraisal Exercise

Situation Appraisal Exercise — Situation Appraisal Practice

Format
The Situation Appraisal Exercise is a paperless case led by the Program Leader. The Program
Leader acts as the information source and participants, in teams, ask Situation Appraisal
questions to sort and organize the concerns.

Purpose
To practice Situation Appraisal questioning skills.
To integrate Problem Analysis, Decision Analysis, and Potential Problem and Opportunity
Analysis skills with Situation Appraisal skills.

Setting
A sample situation describing a person’s concerns about property is provided. Some additional
analysis is offered in the event participants wish to jump into analysis. This will be a familiar
situation for many participants. However, Program Leaders are encouraged to develop a story
that is more relevant to their particular participants. The Program Leader must be very familiar
with information in the situation.
The story for the Situation Appraisal practice should include the following features:
Begin with one major concern.
Separate into 5–8 concerns.
Three of the separated concerns should be high priority concerns. These should compete
for highest priority.
These three concerns should consist of one problem, one choice, and a potential problem or
opportunity. It should be possible to imply an Action Statement from the potential problem
or opportunity.
Remaining concerns can be a mixture of problems, choices, and actions.
Endpoint of resolution should be Problem, Decision, or Action Statements.
Information should be available for participants who want to over-separate.

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Administration of Case
Program Leader Instructions
Explain the purpose of the case.
Form teams of 4–5.
Give instructions.
Tell participants you “are worried about your property” (or use an equivalent statement from
a story tailored to the participants).
Allow teams to take turns asking questions to appraise your situation.
Remind participants to use process questions.
Answer questions to reveal information in the story.
Allow teams to tell you what information to record and where to record it on the easel.
Resist letting teams add their content.
Participant Instructions
Help me with my concern
In teams
Agree on questions to ask
Help separate, clarify, set priority, and determine analysis needed
Focus on process, not content
Tell me what to record
Take _____ min. Finish by _____
Complete in 45 minutes total. (Time breakdown: Introduction - 5 minutes; Teams work - 30
minutes; Debrief - 10 minutes.)

Coaching and Debriefing Points

Give teams the opportunity to discover and improve on their own weaknesses. If participants
need coaching to make progress, deliberately and visibly step out of the information source role
and into a coaching role. Then return to the information source role.
Participants may attempt to over-separate a concern. Be prepared to provide detailed
information on a concern, but get teams back to a clarified and actionable amount of detail.
Present a void if participants question details not planned in the story.

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Reveal and be prepared to explain prior decisions if participants question the level of your
decisions.
Reveal and be prepared to explain why corrective, and not adaptive, action is needed for any
deviations.
Require participants to use turnaround questions and questioning to the void to draw complete
information.
Coach teams to pick the concerns with the highest priority. Suggest they make seriousness,
urgency, and growth information visible on only the high priority and competing priority
concerns.
Coach teams to formulate Problem, Decision, and Action Statements from the concerns that
have been separated and prioritized.

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Identify Concerns Set Priority

List threats and opportunities Separate and clarify concerns Seriousness Urgency Growth

Something might be wrong with Trees on my lot are dying 6 of 18 small Unknown, don’t 2 more trees

the yard — parasites, disease, trees appear know cause H started looking

etc. to be dying H sick this week H

I need to plant new trees and Dead trees Won’t replant Will want more

landscape created until cause is privacy as

windbreak and known weather gets

privacy warmer

My resale value might be hurt I want to pick a home improvement Home is Want to Want new home

project to improve resale value largest complete one in 2-3 years.

investment I project this Resale value will

have H summer. Should become more

start soon L important L

I’ll need to cut some trees I’m worried about getting injured I could be badly Trees must Will remain

trying to cut trees hurt H be cut before worried until I

replanting M have a plan to

avoid trouble M

I need to plant this year’s My garden is a Need to plant in A poorly planned

vegetable garden source of pride six weeks garden will yield

less food

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Plan Next Steps Plan Involvement

Potential
Problem Decision Problem Situation
Analysis Analysis Analysis Appraisal Who does what and when

✔ Collect soil and tree samples to examine

Contact tree surgeon for advice

✔ Purchase and arrange for delivery of new trees

Arrange for help digging holes, planning work

✔ Contact realtor for advice on options

Set objectives with spouse

✔ Ask neighbor for help

Talk to experts to help plan approach

✔ Use reference book for guidelines

Set objectives with spouse and family

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Clarify Purpose

State the decision Pick home improvement project to complete this summer

Develop objectives Classify objectives

MUSTs
Cost less than $20,000

WANTs Weight

I can do much of the work myself

Maximize resale value of home

Maximum enjoyment while we live here

Minimize maintenance

Can be completed by 1 September

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Evaluate Alternatives

Alternative Remodel bath Alternative Remodel kitchen

MUST information Go No Go MUST information Go No Go

$15,000 ✓ $13,000 ✓

Wt. Wt.
WANT information Score Score WANT information Score Score

Can’t do tile work Could do all work

Any improvement to current bath will help Best toward resale — per Realtor

May help us with our morning routine We spend most of our time in the kitchen

No improvement over current bath Would add dishwasher and other

conveniences to speed cooking clean-up
1 August 15 August

Total weighted score Total weighted score

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Evaluate Alternatives

Alternative Add swimming pool Alternative Add a deck

MUST information Go No Go MUST information Go No Go

$17,000 ✓ $11,000 ✓

Wt. Wt.
WANT information Score Score WANT information Score Score

Can’t do any of the work Could do all work

Least valuable toward resale — per Realtor Might return 50% of cost

Great for weekends and parties Great for weekends and parties

Need cleaning and treatment daily Waterproof yearly

1 September 15 July

Total weighted score Total weighted score

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Describe Problem

State the problem (object/deviation) Trees are dying

Specify the problem

Is Is Not
What Maples and poplars Spruce

Leaves brown, wilt, fall off Bark looks fine

Leaves don’t show a fungus

Where Backyard Side and front yard

Entire tree is affected Just parts

When Late August Before

September, October, April Just some months

Before autumn foliage change During spring and summer

Extent 6 of 18 trees 1-5 or 7-18 trees

The entire leaf is brown Less

All leaves on the tree are brown Less

Increasing — 2 more trees are looking sick this Stable

week

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Identify Potential Problems

Assess threat
State the action List potential problems P S

Cut dead trees safely Trees or limbs fall on me

I fall out of tree

Chainsaw cuts me

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Situation Appraisal Exercise

Identify Likely Causes Take Preventive Action

Potential problem
Likely causes Preventive actions

Trees don’t fall as expected Seek advice about how to cut trees
Tie off limbs for better control

Slip on a branch Wear proper footwear and leather gloves

Branch breaks Check strength of branches, look for disease
Use safety line

Improperly used Have neighbor show how to use

Dull blades make it harder to handle Get chain sharpened before beginning

Plan Contingent Actions

Contingent actions Set triggers for contingent actions

Call ambulance — do not cut alone. Have someone Injury needs professional medical attention
standing by

Administer first aid — make sure first-aid kit is Injury is minor and can be treated by a friend
stocked

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