“Create a bottom-up problem tree analysis of high youth unemployment in Riverside District. Below the core problem, show limited entry-level jobs and skills mismatch leading to few pathways into work; costly and unreliable transport and limited career guidance leading to barriers to applying and attending; and low employer confidence in new hires leading employers to favour experienced applicants. Above the core problem, show household income falling, young people losing work experience, and young people leaving the district, followed by greater financial hardship, declining long-term employability, and a smaller local talent pool.”
Read the decisions behind it.
Root causes sit at the bottom so the team can distinguish underlying constraints from symptoms.
Related root causes are grouped into three immediate barriers to make intervention areas easier to discuss.
The central problem is phrased as a current condition rather than as the absence of a solution.
Short- and longer-term effects appear above the problem to show why inaction matters.
Use a problem tree when a group needs to diagnose one issue before designing responses. Use a causal loop diagram instead when feedback cycles and changing conditions are the main concern.
Other examples in this family.
Common questions
What is a problem tree analysis?
It is a cause-and-effect diagram that places a core problem between its underlying causes and its effects.
How do I make a problem tree analysis?
Define one core problem, work down to immediate and root causes, then work up to direct and longer-term effects.
How do I read a problem tree?
Read upward from root causes through the core problem to its consequences. Each connection should describe a plausible causal relationship supported by evidence.
Is this a template or an example?
It is a worked example of youth unemployment that you can adapt to another issue, place, or population.
Do I need an account?
Yes, a free one. No card is asked for.