Up-Front Assessment of Needs

This chapter discusses needs analyses in connection with front-end planning of large-scale public works projects. Relevant methods for needs analyses include normative, market-oriented and interest group based approaches. The analyses may be carried out within more or less objectivistic versus interpretative perspectives, reflecting different interpretations of the notion of need. Based on a review of different methods of analysis and experience of deficient and misleading needs analyses in large public investment projects, the chapter provides advice regarding the extent and demarcation of needs analyses, what documentation is needed, appropriate scheduling and organizational responsibility for the analyses.