Needs Assessment Tool #2:
HotSpot Mapping of Conflict on Your Campus

What Questions May Be Addressed by This Measure?

This measure allows people to visually identify where conflict occurs on campus. By physically locating the hot spots where various types of conflict occur, program coordinators and planners know where to focus their services.

How Do I Use This Measure?

This tool is best administered to several people who are familiar with conflict episodes on your campus (e.g., campus security personnel, ombuds representatives, administrators, residence monitors). Photocopies of the HotSpot map, labeled with locations appropriate for your campus (e.g., library, residences, classrooms), can be given to key informants to identify the intensity of conflicts that happen in each place. For areas that see frequent, intense conflict (e.g., the campus pub, if there is one), instruct informants to place three (3) large Xs in that spot on the map. For areas of low conflict, instruct your informants to place few or no Xs in the corresponding map location. This tool may be used in a group setting or by individuals. There are likely to be few, if any, issues of confidentiality around using this tool, although it is wise to indicate answers will be anonymous.

What Information Will the Results Give Me?

If you collect between 10 and 20 maps from different key informants (including yourself), you should be able to identify the spots where the frequency and intensity of conflict is highest. This does not give you information about the type of conflict occurring in such spots, however. More digging may be necessary to get this information.

HOTSPOT MAPPING EXAMPLE

Library                       Fraternity/Sorority House        Residence/Dorms Labs  Cafeteria          Offices               Campus Pub Playing fields   X X X = frequent, intense conflict X X = medium conflict X = low or no conflict   Classroom Any Other Hotspots?

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