förutredning

Förutredning is a term used in Swedish public administration and project planning to describe a preliminary, structured assessment conducted before a full investigation or major decision. It aims to clarify the issue, map needs, and determine whether further work is warranted.

The purpose of a förutredning is to establish the basis for a decision by defining the problem, setting scope and objectives, identifying stakeholders, and assessing feasibility, risks, costs, and potential benefits. It often includes an overview of legal or regulatory constraints, available data, and existing solutions. The outcome is typically a report that recommends next steps, such as proceeding to a full utredning (investigation) or a förstudie (feasibility study), or halting the project.

The process usually involves information gathering, document review, stakeholder consultations, and initial analyses. Methods may include interviews, surveys, workshops, and comparisons with existing cases. The work is time-bound and intention-driven, providing a concise basis for decision-makers to determine if more comprehensive work is justified.

Common contexts for förutredning include municipal planning and service delivery, social welfare and child protection, environmental and infrastructure projects, and organizational or policy reforms. It is often used to decide whether a project should move forward, be redesigned, or be abandoned, and is typically conducted by a responsible public agency or project sponsor.

Relation to other terms: a förutredning is more preparatory than a full utredning and is distinct from a förstudie, which tends to focus on technical or financial feasibility.