“How To”: Write a Policy Brief based on Evaluation Findings



“How To”: Write a Policy Brief based on Evaluation FindingsIntroductionEvaluators are often faced with the challenge of communicating their evaluation findings to the right audiences; those with the power to make decisions about policy and practice. How can you translate your results into action? Policy briefs are one such tool that – when done well – can serve as an effective call to action to policymakers. This “How To” note presents a comprehensive guide to writing policy briefs based on evaluation findings. What is a policy brief?A policy brief is a short and concise document aimed at influencing decisions around policy. A policy brief based on an evaluation presents the key findings and conclusions with regard to the performance of a project, programme or policy, and recommendations for improvement and change. A policy brief synthesises large amounts of information into a few salient points so that policymakers can easily and quickly understand the issue at hand and the policy recommendations being put forward.A policy brief based on evaluation findings will present:The project, programme or policy and why it has been evaluated;The key questions and approach used to evaluate this project, programme or policy;Key findings responding to the question and the conclusions from the evaluation that are relevant to the policy suggestion;Recommendations for improvement or change, based on those findings.Developing the messageThese questions will help you to break down your findings and develop the content of the brief:The Topic What are the key themes emerging from the evaluation?Are there any findings that are particularly important, interesting or contradict conventional wisdom?Translating findings into recommendationsWhat are the lessons and policy implications of the findings?What audience are they most relevant for (international/national/district/local level policymakers, NGOs)?Identifying the policy recommendations and the target audienceWhat is their job – what can they change, influence, what are their interests?What would you recommend (for policy and implementation, what do they need to change or do differently (only recommendations that are appropriate for this audience, and that they can feasibly implement)?Is there any other research that supports these recommendations?How to structure a two-page policy briefPolicy briefs are aimed at policymakers who generally have limited time to read long documents, thus the ideal brief should be no longer than two pages, using clear language and including only very relevant information. The table below presents a model structure for a policy brief. NB/ Each organisation will have its own formats for such documents, and different structures may be appropriate for different target audiences, so each time you write a policy brief it should be adapted/applied accordingly. TitleThe title should be clear, simple and attractive in order to capture the interest of target audience. Be bold. Catchy subtitles should also be used, breaking the brief into sections to make it more visually appealing. Using questions can generate interest amongst the target audience.AbstractThis should be a small section that acts as a mini executive summary and encourages readers to continue reading. This section should include:- A description of the problem and what needs to be addressed- A description of evaluation findings - Recommendations for action Write this section after you have completed the brief.Introduction The introduction sets the scene for the brief by presenting the context and problem area, the evaluation that was conducted, and introducing the purpose: why this evaluation and why are your findings important for policy/practice? The urgency of the problem should be emphasised thus compelling the reader to continue reading the brief.MethodologyThe evaluation methodology should also be introduced briefly in the introduction. What was the research objective and the methodology employed by the evaluators?Subject of the Evaluation – the Project/ Programme/ PolicyWhat is the project/programme/policy? What was it set out to achieve?If the purpose is to suggest improvements to the project/programme/policy, explain why it is inadequate or failing.If the purpose is to suggest a new project/programme/policy, describe what the current problem is and why there is a need for action.Key Findings of the EvaluationHighlight the key findings of the evaluation that are relevant to the problem area and link these to the recommendations you will present.Highlight the evidence that supports the findings.Conclusions The conclusions section should draw together the evaluation findings and link these to the policy recommendations to be presented below. NB/ Conclusions are not a summary! Conclusions draw key issues from findings presented earlier.RecommendationsThe policy recommendations should be clear, specific, realistic, practical, actionable, cost-effective and socially-acceptable. They should be presented as precise steps and should take these questions into account:- What specifically needs to be changed?- How will this change come about?- What resources will be needed?- Where will these come from?- What is the benefit to the policy maker and to society?Stick to few, well-presented recommendations; those that are the most relevant and feasible for the target audience, and present them in the most actionable way possible.Some points to remember (adapted from the IDRC toolkit – see References): - Implications are what could happen- Recommendations are what should happen- Both flow from conclusions- Both must be supported by evidenceFor a policy brief template and examples of good policy briefs, refer to the Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network guidelines, pages 6-10 (see References).Key points to remember when developing your briefThe policy brief should be written with the pre-identified target audience in mind. Is your target audience an individual or an organisation?What is their level of influence and what sort of change can they bring about?How does the target audience make policies – are your recommendations realistic?How much previous knowledge do they have and how open would they be to the message?What language would be most suited to the target audience? Focus on one topic and ensure that all information in the brief aligns to this. Ensure the document flows in a logical manner.The brief should be visually appealing. This can be achieved by breaking up the text into sections; using diagrams, graphs and tables to display information; and highlighting important themes throughout the text.The language should be professional but not technical: avoid using jargon. As the policy brief is a call to action, use language that is active and persuasive, and talk about benefits and advantages. The language should also be simple and to the point; the policymakers have limited time to read such briefs. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Create the dissemination plan for your brief in advance.ReferencesMusandu, Nyasha (2013) How to write actionable policy recommendations. Blog post: , 16/07/13IDRC, Toolkit for researchers: How to write a policy brief. Online PPT: Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (2008) Guidelines for writing policy briefs. Available online: FAO (2008) Writing Policy Papers and Policy Briefs. Available online: docs/policy_paper_guide.pdf PEP Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Network Coordinating Team, Guidelines for Writing a Policy Brief. Available online: ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download