Description:
Diagramming is a way of structuring information clearly, visualizing linkages between certain subjects or factors, and providing a basis for further analysis. Diagrams can be tables, 'trees', 'pie charts', or any other form appropriate to support the discussion of a particular topic.

Objectives:
To enable participants to facilitate exploring and documenting seasonal changes during a year.

Activities:
1. Present a prepared chart showing an example of a seasonal calendar to the participants Explain how the diagram or calendar is structured.
2. Divide the participants into sub-groups of three to five people.
3. Either you or the participants select key informants for each sub-group who have some special knowledge of a certain subject (like a health worker on seasonal trends of diseases or an agricultural extension worker on cropping activities, water availability, labor demand of agricultural activities). For example, if you have four sub-group each could draw up a different seasonal calendar like calendars of rainfall, agricultural activities, daily activity diagrams of women and frequency of human diseases.
4. Each sub-group interviews its key-informant about the chosen subject.
5. Ask the groups to produce diagrams of the information gathered in order to illustrate trends and changes in activities and/or events during a year, month or just a single day (daily routine diagram), whatever they feel is appropriate.
6. After the sub-groups have completed their work, ask them to present and discuss their results in the plenary, concentrating on possible applications and restrictions of this tool in a real village situation.

Time:
90 minutes

Materials:
Local materials like stones, sticks, leaves, pebbles etc. or big sheets and colored markers.

Hints:
If possible make use of the knowledge of the link persons from the villages/communities where the Action Fora will take place and relate the exercises to the conditions there. This will help the whole group to get beforehand some insight into the problems and potentials at the grassroots they presumably will have to expect.

Source: Berg, C./Beck, C./Beckmann, G./Chimbala, C./Erko, C./Fleig, A./Kuhlmann, M./Pander, H. (1997): Introduction of a Participatory and Integrated Develpment Process (PIDEP) in Kalomo District, Zambia - Volume II - Manual for Trainers and Users of PIDEP. Centre for Advanced Training in Agricultural and Rural Development, Humboldt University Berlin (Editor). Weikersheim: Margraf.