Table 6: Steps in researching and framing, the purpose thereof and questions to ask Steps Purpose Questions to ask 1. Information gathering To document information on a specific area where community healing is needed. The activity entails looking at the historical, legal and political dynamics of the area where the conflict took place and at the dynamics of the conflict • This comprises mostly desk research, observations, and interactions with knowledgeable individuals. To gather information on all relevant aspects (causes, effects, results, etc.) of a conflict situation and capture them • What is the history of conflict in the community? • Who are the major stakeholder groups/ voices in the community? • What changes need to take place to improve the situation? • What contribution could a dialogue make to the community? • What are the major challenges in holding a dialogue in the community? 2. Conflict and context analysis To synthesise, analyse and summarise information from the consultations which form the bases of the intervention design • What type of conflict are you dealing with, e.g. resource, political, power? • What is hindering healing? • What is the cause/are the causes of the conflict? • Who is a spoiler/are spoilers in the conflict? • Which stakeholders need to be involved or consulted? • Have there been any attempts to resolve the issue? If they failed, why did they fail? • Are there any laws regulating such issues. • What is the proposed strategy in dealing with the issue? • Are there any time considerations that should be take into account regarding the process? • What are the needs, interests and positions of the people involved? What do they need that will promote healing? 3. Intervention design To determine strategies for engagement and for planning for change • What does an analysis of the community’s conflict reveal? • Why will a sustained dialogue? • What are the objectives of the dialogue? • What are the participant criteria? • What is the dialogue action plan? • Who will do what, when and where? • What are the expected outcomes or deliverables? • What is the estimated cost and what are the estimated timelines? Module 3: Dialogue in community healing » 45 3