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# PANDA (Participatory Appraisal of Needs and Development of Action): A Multi-Methodological Framework

## Details

**Authors** Taket A, White L

**Year** 2023

**Publisher** Journal of Systems Thinking 3(1):1-10

**Kind of work** article

**Discipline** Systems Science

**Secondary disciplines** Public Health

**Reading level** technical

**Kind of engagement** scholarly

[Read it at the publisher](https://doi.org/10.54120/jost.0000027) 
10.54120/jost.0000027

## In authors' words

### Abstract

PANDA (participatory appraisal of needs and development of action) is a multimethodological framework that was developed during the 1990s for use in planning and implementing group decision-making in multi-agency settings. The authors developed PANDA in the process of critically reflecting on their own practice and that of others. Much of the author's practice (both individually and together) has been in the field of community or third sector operational research. The term PANDA first appeared in print and was fully described in 2000. PANDA is based on a theoretical stance that is labelled post-structuralist or postmodernist. It represents one particular type of multimethodology, based in a stance of pragmatic pluralism. This chapter covers the development of PANDA, linking it to earlier work, both inside and outside the systems field. It then moves on to consider an example of PANDA in practice, and finishes by highlighting some challenges and directions for the future.

### What they set out to do (purpose)

A chapter on PANDA — participatory appraisal of needs and development of action — a multimethodological framework for group decision-making in multi-agency settings.

### What they found (results)

Grounded in pragmatic pluralism and post-structuralist theory, PANDA links earlier work inside and outside the systems field — shown in practice, with challenges and future directions.

## Commentary

### In short

Describes PANDA, a framework that combines several methods for group decision-making in settings with many agencies.

### Response

Published in the Handbook of Systems Thinking (Cabrera, Cabrera & Midgley, eds., 2023), a volume built on the premise that systems thinking now has a universal theory—DSRP-484. Its contents were selected on that basis by its editorial team in concert with a team of advisors.

**Patterns it shows** P

## Refers to

- [Handbook of Systems Thinking](https://dsrpevidence.org/element/382)

**How to cite this** Taket A, White L (2023). PANDA (Participatory Appraisal of Needs and Development of Action): A Multi-Methodological Framework. Journal of Systems Thinking 3(1):1-10.