Diagnostics – process and methods

Goal

• In this lesson, you will learn methods for local community diagnostic

Activities

Have you ever come across the term social diagnostics? It is a process that makes it possible to investigate the real state of a given community, for example, to examine its needs. You can use different tools/methods to carry out a diagnosis. The recommended method varies according to the needs, age, preferences, and availability of the studied group and the extent of the diagnosis. Familiarize yourself with the lesson’s attachment, a multimedia presentation, for information on the different methods used in a diagnosis. Some of them are more formal, others less so. An important element of the diagnosis is a report containing the analysis of the obtained results. Making a diagnosis using informal tools does not usually require a detailed report. You can conclude continuously during the study or in a final evaluation. The use of formal tools such as a survey requires the collection of responses and the creation of a database. If you conduct the survey online using tools such as Google Forms or Survey Planet, the results will be compiled as responses and displayed graphically once the process is complete. Collecting the results and presenting them in a graphical form will allow you to draw conclusions and take appropriate steps as a result.
Your task will be to create a sample survey in Google Forms on the topic: The needs of young people in the X community.
Think about the following before starting the task:

• What is the purpose of the survey? Be sure to narrow it down as much as possible, allowing you to get to the heart of the issue you are researching.
• What data do you need? The answer to this question will allow you to formulate meaningful questions that answer the stated purpose of the survey.
• How many questions do you want to ask? Remember that short surveys are better. A bored respondent will not answer all the questions or do so superficially.
• What questions will you use? Remember that it is easier to analyse answers from closed questions. If you want to get a wide range of opinions, use open-ended questions.
• In what order will the questions be arranged? Remember that you should design the survey in a logical order. Start with the easier questions and move on to the more complex ones at the end.
• How large should the pool of respondents be for the survey to be credible? To be representative, the respondent group should be large enough in relation to the whole population of people in each age group, in this case, youth.
• Should there be anything else in the survey besides the questions? A good survey communicates the purpose of the survey and motivates the respondent to participate. Remember to write a short welcome text.

Good luck!

Summary

The ability to make a diagnosis is one of the key competencies of young decision-makers. The chosen method depends on many factors. Well-collected data will help you draw the right conclusions from the analysis and thus make the right decisions regarding young people’s affairs.