Opening Agora
All guidesCommunity problem-solving

Turn a community complaint into an actionable problem

Move from frustration to a problem statement that residents, experts, organisations and public authorities can investigate and act on.

Describe what is happening

Name the location, frequency, affected people and observable consequences. Avoid exaggeration and personal accusations.

Separate evidence from assumptions

Photos, dates, counts, service records and resident accounts can show the pattern. Possible causes should be labelled as hypotheses until verified.

Make collaboration possible

State what has already been attempted, who may be responsible and what kind of help is needed: research, technical advice, advocacy, funding or implementation.