I’ve found a set of questions from Carl S Dudley in Basic Steps toward Community Ministry (or here) seem to sum up well the kinds of things that I have discovered I want to know early on in a pastoral or missional ministry in a community. So here they are, consolidated from several chapters.
Step 1: define your community.
You can define your community from many perspectives, but we will focus on three: (a) chart the physical boundaries, (b) identify the anchor institutions, and (c) look for the gathering places.
Step 2: identify your people.
… (a) observe populations and lifestyles, (b) note historical changes and current trends, and (c) review statistical summaries.
Step 3: find the “invisible” people
Every community has people who are ignored, marginalised, or simply out of sight. By identifying these groups, … [you] become more sensitive to a range of conditions in your community.
Step 4: analyse the intangible forces.
… spiritual forces, … social, economic, political and religious forces operating in your community. These forces may be intangible but they are real incentives and barriers in the lives of the people you are trying to reach and in the development of your ministry.
Step 5: listen to your community.
based on this wealth of data and feelings, you can initiate conversations with a wide variety of people from every segment of community life … note that the same issues that you uncover in community study are relevant as [you] seeks to reach out in a variety of ministries, from pastoral care to evangelism … stewardship … For each programme you may shift the focus of your study, but basic questions remain: what are your natural, functional communities, and who are your marginalised peoples? What are the most evident human needs, and how effective is your community response? What does the Gospel call you to do, and who might be allies in this ministry?
Step 6: choose your focus of ministry
… finding a comfortable fit between your social context and your … identity, … bring your community analysis into focus by deciding on a possible ministry (or ministries). This preliminary inclination toward a particular ministry will greatly facilitate your later decisions.

I’m considering adapting these when I move into my next sphere of ministry. Perhaps in a kind of wiki blog as I address the various dimensions.