A Seven Step Approach to Using the Relationship Framework

Step 1: Opening up the Context

Step one involves identifying which conflicts are dangerous in terms of their destructiveness or violence (including structural violence and psychological or organizational destructiveness). Every society and community has groups with different interests and identities that contend with other groups. What is the scope of the Do No Harm analysis? What are the groups?

Step 2: Analyzing Dividers and Tensions

When the significant schisms or challenges in a community have been identified, the next step is to examine what exactly divides the groups.

Using the SAVES categories, examine the interactions and relationships between the groups. How are they divided? What do they do with and to each other that demonstrates division? What causes tension between these groups?

Step 3: Analyzing Connectors and Local Capacities for Peace

Now examine what connects these groups. Connectors always exist, though they may be weak or even currently suppressed. Even in conflict-prone, active conflict, and post-conflict situations Connectors continue to exist.

Using the SAVES categories, examine the interactions and relationships between the groups. How are they connected? What do they do with and to each other that demonstrates connection? What decreases tension between these groups?

Where are people attempting to live normally? The effort to bring normalcy into complex and challenging environments points to places where people are trying to build for the future.

Also look for those people and structures that emphasize peace and collaboration. These offer an opening for supporting people in rebuilding non-war relationships.

Step 4: Critical Detail Mapping

Review all aspects of the intervention, using Critical Detail Mapping. Identify the criteria used to make decisions. Identify the groups involved in and with our intervention. Be thorough.

Step 5: Using the ABCs, Analyze the Intervention’s Impact on Dividers and Connectors 

Check each element of the critical details against each Divider and Connector.

Who gains from our intervention? Who loses from our intervention? Who did we overlook in our intervention? Do these groups overlap with the divisions we identified as potentially or actually destructive? Are we supporting military activities or civilian structures?

Are we missing or ignoring opportunities to reinforce Connectors? Are we inadvertently undermining or weakening them?

What Resources are we bringing into the context? What impact are our Resource Transfers having? Which groups gain advantages or lose them based on our Resources? How do other groups feel about the gains or losses?

What Messages are we sending through the way in which we work? What impact are we having through our Messages? Which groups feel supported and respected by our Messages?Which groups feel neglected and disrespected by our Messages? How do other groups feel about the Messages of support or neglect we are sending?

Step 6: Generate Options

If we are having negative impacts, then we must think about how to shift a critical detail or details so that we can stop the negative. We should have identified the Resource Transfers and/or Messages involved. Using that knowledge, we can transform the Resource Transfer and/or Message into one that has a positive impact (or at least not a negative one).

Negative impacts are not just increasing Dividers. Decreasing or weakening Connectors must be avoided.

If we are having positive impacts, we must also note those. How can we make them even more effective and stronger?

Step 7: Test the Options and Redesign the Intervention

Take our Options back through the Framework. How will that Option have an impact on both Dividers and Connectors?

Just because an Option might decrease a Divider, it does not mean it will not also decrease a Connector. Just because an Option might support a Connector, does not mean it will not also support a Divider.

Test our Options. Adapt to the changing social dynamics. Improve our interventions.

Previous Page Evaluation
Next Page When to use the Relationship Framework

Related Topics
Challenges in using the Relationship Framework
Using the Do No Harm Frameworks
The Action Framework
The Do No Harm Frameworks

76 Comments

  1. When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Appreciate it!

  2. Good day very nice web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally…I am glad to search out a lot of useful info right here in the post, we’d like develop extra strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

  3. Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  4. Great website you have here but I was curious if you knew of any forums that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get responses from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks a lot!

  5. I?¦ll immediately clutch your rss feed as I can not to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please allow me recognize so that I could subscribe. Thanks.

  6. But wanna input on few general things, The website pattern is perfect, the written content is real superb. “All movements go too far.” by Bertrand Russell.

  7. Hello my friend! I wish to say that this post is awesome, nice written and include almost all important infos. I’d like to see more posts like this.

  8. I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this kind of house . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this web site. Studying this information So i am happy to exhibit that I have an incredibly just right uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I such a lot indubitably will make sure to don?¦t put out of your mind this website and provides it a glance on a constant basis.

  9. Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the web the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  10. I just could not depart your site prior to suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to check up on new posts

  11. I’m impressed, I must say. Actually rarely do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is outstanding; the difficulty is one thing that not sufficient persons are talking intelligently about. I am very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for one thing referring to this.

  12. I’ll right away grab your rss as I can not find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.

  13. It¦s truly a great and helpful piece of information. I am satisfied that you shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  14. That is very attention-grabbing, You are a very professional blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to looking for more of your magnificent post. Additionally, I have shared your website in my social networks!

  15. An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!

  16. Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was looking for! “If you could choose one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor.” by Jennifer Jones.

  17. Good – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, website theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..

  18. certainly like your web-site however you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the reality however I?¦ll certainly come again again.

  19. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this excellent blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to brand new updates and will share this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon!

  20. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossips and web and this is really annoying. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.

  21. What i do not realize is if truth be told how you’re no longer really much more neatly-liked than you may be right now. You are very intelligent. You realize therefore significantly relating to this matter, made me personally imagine it from numerous numerous angles. Its like women and men are not fascinated unless it¦s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. Always maintain it up!

  22. Thanks for any other informative site. Where else could I get that type of information written in such an ideal way? I have a mission that I am just now working on, and I’ve been on the glance out for such information.

  23. Iran Charter ( ایران چارتر ) is Iran’s first online charter and flight ticket purchase system Charter,as the first comprehensive online ticket service provider of charter airline tickets,seeks to provide easy and convenient services to customers for easy purchase of airline tickets,so we believe that the first principle of e-commerce is the ease of operation, with a contract As a ticket supplier,We have made it easy for you with charter companies and different airlines.

  24. Just wanna comment on few general things, The website style is perfect, the subject material is rattling good. “Some for renown, on scraps of learning dote, And think they grow immortal as they quote.” by Edward Young.

  25. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really frustrating. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web-site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.

  26. Hey I am so thrilled I found your site, I really found you by accident, while I was looking on Yahoo for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thank you for a fantastic post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to go through it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the great work.

  27. Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?

  28. I think this is among the most vital info for me. And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on few general things, The site style is wonderful, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers

  29. I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…

  30. Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! “To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle.” by Lisa Alther.

  31. I’ll right away snatch your rss as I can not in finding your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me understand so that I may subscribe. Thanks.

  32. I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂

  33. Spot on with this write-up, I really suppose this website needs way more consideration. I’ll probably be again to learn way more, thanks for that info.

  34. I’ve been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i’m happy to convey that I have a very good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to don’t forget this website and give it a glance on a constant basis.

Leave a Reply

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>