Participatory Systems Analysis An Introductory Guide.

Abstract

In this guide I provide a general outline of PSA as well as an introduction to some of the more useful tools that I have encountered over the years. There are many more tools available than I will discuss-this is inevitable with such a broad field. At root the participatory approach is one of experimentation and practitioners are encouraged to innovate and see what works. Adaptation is the key. At the end of this guide I provide some useful references for those who would like to pursue the fuller range of available tools. The next section begins with a general overview of PSA and discusses how it is linked to more formal systems analyses. Then, in Section 3, I discuss some of the tools that have proven most useful as well as briefly mentioning some that show great promise.