Situation analysis is mainly used as a means to gather and make use of information in physical development planning. Its content and method must match the task and process that it is a part of. Some situation analyses prove to be very useful over a longer period of time others less so. This may be due to insufficient clarity in the preparatory stages. The checklist brings to attention factors which are meaningful for the shaping of a useful analysis process, starting with the basic question: What kind of situation analysis do we need?