KT-EQUAL/ CARDI Workshop:

‘Lost in Translation’ 23 June 2011

Communicating research results to policy makers: A practitioner’s perspective.

Structure

1. What do policy practitioners expect from researchers?

2. The policy process - Implications for:

3. Communicating research results to policy makers

4. Opportunities for improving links between research & policy practitioners

Better policy-making agenda: Aims:

To improve the capacity to address strategic, cross-cutting issues;

To promote innovation in the development & delivery of policy;

To promote evidence-based policy making, including the dissemination of relevant information and research.

Evidence-based Outward looking

Innovative, flexible & creative

Forward looking

Inclusive

Joined up

Learns lessons

Communication

Evaluation

Review

10 Features of Good Policy Making(OFMDFM, 2003)

May not always proceed as neatly as suggested;

No two policies will need exactly the same process;

Sources of policy making will vary from case to case;

Existing state of policy and its complexity will vary;

Policy process can be blown off course;

Implementation and evaluation stages can be neglected.

The policy process (1)

2. The Policy Cycle

The Policy Cycle

Political Mandate

Policy Evaluation Policy Development

Policy Maintenance Policy Implementation

The Policy Cycle - Contested Space

Stakeholders: statutory agencies, NGOs, community, business & other

interests

Policy Evaluation

Political Mandate

Policy Maintenance

Policy Development

Policy Implementation

Experience&

Expertise

Judgement

Pragmatics &Contingencies

Resources

Lobbyists &PressureGroups

EVIDENCE

Habits &Traditions Values

Factors Influencing Policy Making in Government (Davies 2004)

The policy process (2)

Time pressures

Use of in-house expertise at branch level

Role of economists / statisticians and other experts

Focus on ‘policy development’

Identified training needs

Policy networks at different levels – EU / Regional / Local

Communicating research results to

policy makers

Essential to develop & sustain a dialogue

Language

Make it policy relevant. Examples:‘Patterns of demographic ageing and related aspects’; ‘Sustainable Regional development from Rhetoric to Practice’; ‘Social impact Assessment in Regional & Land Use planning’

Nature of the policy process

Communicating research results to

policy makers

Theory & Practice

Transfer of Learning

Consider a variety of communication formats to promote

research findings: Examples:‘Britain in 2011: Annual Magazine of the ESRCCommunity newsletters / Alumni news / www.

Think of How the research will be used and quoted.

Early dissemination of research e.g. Working papers.

Communicating research results to

policy makers

Quality is important: Need for internal & external

validity.

Policy cycle: how do the research findings relate to the

policy cycle? (see next slide).

Facilitate collaboration & multi – disciplinarity.

Utilise or develop policy networks.

Communicating research results to

policy makers

Perceptions: Consider how different research disciplines may be perceived: (e.g. Economics / Sociology / Occupational Psychology / Political Science / Public Health /Science / Law).

Policy evaluation: Maximise utility of evaluation findings.

Highlight innovation & creativity: identify the value added contribution of the research. Define the policy challenge – make clear the policy recommendations but outline the limitations of the work.

Communicating research results to

policy makers Examples of research findings presented to policy

officials

Fuel poverty

Devolution in practice

Implication of the ageing population

Equality issues

Early childhood disadvantage

Communicating research results to

policy makers

CONCLUSIONS Identify policy implications of research findings in a

comprehensible way.

Recognise the difficult choices policy makers have to make.

Be clear on the key messages for policy makers and other key

stakeholders.

Need for ongoing dialogue - from design to dissemination.

Communicating research results to

policy makers CONCLUSIONS continued.....

Recognise the complexity of the policy process:‘…the

complex interplay between political interests, competing

discourse and the agency of multiple actors’.

Enhancing communications skills for researchers

Encourage the utilisation of research by policy practitioners

Devolution - opportunity for differentiated policy making

Professionalisation of policy making function

Potential for collaborative approaches

Dissemination of research results

Engagement of specialist staff in policy process

Utility of Research programmes

Contribution to ‘joined up’ thinking

Sustainable development agenda

Improving the links between research and policy

A Policymakers view of issues

policylink

www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/policylink