Assess before you act! Intervention Mapping Step 1: Needs and asset assessment

This contribution focuses on the first step of Intervention Mapping (IM), which provides the foundation for later stages by analysing health needs and assets. Step 1 involves four tasks: (1) establishing a diverse, inclusive planning group to involve key stakeholders in programme development, implementation, and evaluation; (2) conducting a needs assessment to comprehensively analyse health and well-being using an ecological perspective; (3) performing an asset assessment to understand the priority population, community, and environment where the programme will be implemented; and (4) translating these findings into clear programme goals. We then illustrate IM Step 1 through a case study.