Specific local situations or phenomena pose specific challenges for regional (sustainable) development. These challenges require mostly local or regional solution paths for existing social-environmental systems that have to be investigated. Here the balance between studying and developing solution options can have a high impact on decision making and community choices.

Processes of regional (sustainable) development are controlled by social players and these are the ones who finally decide and interact. These processes can be investigated with practical relevance in order to contribute (information) for sustainable solutions, for examples how to steer regional development processes, how to solve existing conflicts and to deliver information for strategy development.

In this article, the method actor analysis is introduced and different options for implementation in practice are provided by using a case study conducted in the Ore Mountains as illustration. The described steps of an actor analysis can be read as guideline for implementing an analysis, but also the examples given are intended to show the potential and different options which aspects of social interactions could be in focus of investigation and how ideas or solutions with practical relevance can be generated.