Boundary Analysis
To be certain that one is defining the whole problem, one needs methods to establish boundaries. To define the scope of the problem, the analyst should employ broad survey techniques, review pertinent data, conduct field inspections, and the special nomenclature associated with that particular policy area. Like a good journalist checking alternative sources to ensure that nothing major has been left out of the story, the policy analyst may employ three procedures.
First, there should be "saturation sampling," which consists of contacting stakeholders by telephone or personal interview and asking them to name additional stakeholders. Stakeholders should include dissident groups of administrators that are often excluded from defining problems. Saturation sampling is continued until no new stakeholders are named. This method also provides a list of the key influences in policymaking and can be used to estimate their influence in actual problem definition.