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2017 | Book

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The Art and Craft of Policy Advising

A Practical Guide

Author: David Bromell

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

About this book

This book offers a practical guide for policy advisors and their managers, grounded in the author’s extensive experience as a senior policy practitioner in central and local government. Effective policy advising does not proceed in ‘cycles’ or neatly ordered ‘stages’ and ‘steps’, but is first and foremost a relationship built on careful listening, knowing one’s place in the constitutional scheme of things, becoming useful and winning the confidence of decision makers. The author introduces readers to a public value approach to policy advising that uses collective thinking to address complex policy problems; evidence-informed policy analysis that factors in emotions and values; and the practice of ‘gifting and gaining’ (rather than ‘trade-offs’) in collaborative governing for the long term. Theory is balanced with practical illustration and processes, tools and techniques, helping readers master the art of communicating what decision-makers need to hear, as well as what they want to hear.

Frontmatter

1. Introduction: Theory and Practice of Effective Policy Advising

Abstract

Public servants fulfil three distinct but related functions in policy-making: analysis, advising and advocacy. This book is a practical guide to effective public policy advising. While policy cycles and staged models of policy analysis provide useful reminders of things to think about, in practice, effective policy advising is less about cycles, stages and steps, and more about relationships, integrity and communication. Developing and applying the competencies for effective policy advising requires an apprenticeship of learning, practice and reflection—mastering the craft. A policy apprenticeship extends beyond what we know and can do, to who we are and developing ethical competencies for public service.

This chapter introduces:

Who this book is for and what it’s about;
Public servants as analysts, advisors and advocates;
Policy making in theory and practice;
Learning on the job—policy advising as an apprenticeship;
Ethical policy advising; and
How to use this book.

David Bromell

2. Who Are My Clients and What Do They Need from Me?

Abstract

A policy advisor juggles the demands of multiple clients, and often must distinguish primary from secondary clients. Service excellence is constrained, moreover, by public servants” responsibilities to the long-term public interest. The developing field of stakeholder theory provides a framework to help prioritise who and what we pay attention to, when and why. Good policy process, tools and techniques support a consistent focus on service excellence to meet legitimate client needs.

This chapter introduces:

The challenge of working effectively with multiple clients;
The importance of a consistent customer focus;
Knowing one’s place in the constitutional scheme of things, and constraints on an unqualified customer focus in a public sector context;
Stakeholder theory, as a framework for prioritisation; and
Process, tools and techniques to support service excellence: clear commissioning; the art of active listening; and anticipation, timeliness and “working backwards”.

David Bromell

3. Creating Public Value

Abstract

Public policy advisors work in contexts of relative resource scarcity and need to demonstrate value for money in the work we do and how we go about doing it. We should not assume that government is or has the answer to every issue, and we need to be thoughtful about what is private, what is public, what is ‘in the public interest’ and how we might best create public value in the policy advice role.

This chapter introduces:

‘Big ideas’ (capitalism, liberalism and democracy) that shape many of our assumptions about how much government is good for us;
Distinctions between ‘private’ and ‘public’, and a definition of ‘the public interest’;
A public value approach to policy advising;
A set of questions to guide definition of ‘the value proposition’;
An introduction to cost-benefit analysis and its strengths and limitations; and
Reflections on winning the confidence of decision makers and ‘leading from behind’.

David Bromell

4. Doing Policy Analysis

Abstract

Doing policy analysis in practice is not as rational and systematic as textbooks make it sound. To understand this, we need to unpack the relationships between science, policy and politics, and between evidence, emotions and values in public persuasion and political decision making. Public policy making is incremental social problem solving. The most important contribution policy analysis makes is crafting the right questions, and facilitating collective thinking to support problem solving.

This chapter introduces:

Relationships between science, policy and politics;
Policy analysis as crafting the right questions to facilitate collective social problem solving;
The roles of evidence, emotions and values in the art of public persuasion;
A ‘fair go’ framework for public policy;
Collective thinking and the technique of storyboarding;
Multi-criteria decision analysis, as a tool to supplement cost-benefit analysis; and
Some further reflections on free and frank advice.

David Bromell

5. Effective Communication

Abstract

Policy making in a democracy is incremental social problem solving through public persuasion. Skills in argument and effective communication are, therefore, essential tools for the art and craft of policy advising. This requires ongoing training and development in both written and oral communication. Document templates, quality assurance processes, post-project review and on-the-job training provide structure and support for effective communication of policy advice.

This chapter introduces:

Plain English and the 7 Cs of effective communication;
Crafting recommendations to support decision making;
Post-project review to support on-the-job learning;
How to design and use policy document templates;
Peer review, and giving and receiving feedback; and
Preparing and presenting oral briefings.

David Bromell

6. Working Together … in the Public Interest

Abstract

Increasingly, policy advisors need to acquire and practise skills in co-ordination, collaboration and networked governance, finding new ways to work with others to facilitate incremental social problem solving. Collaboration is not the answer to everything, however, and incurs costs as well as benefits.

Responsible policy advising in the long-term public interest embraces a number of functions and tasks that policy managers and their teams need to review periodically. In the drive for continuous improvement, “scheming virtuously” becomes part of our repertoire, along with developing ethical competencies for public service. Effectiveness in the policy advice role requires more than technical skills. It challenges us to be and become our best selves.

This chapter introduces:

Modes of working together, on a continuum between competition and collaboration;
Benefits and costs of collaboration;
“Gifting and gaining” in networked governance;
Dimensions of policy advising in the long-term public interest;
Interpersonal skills, and scheming virtuously; and
Ethical competencies for public service.

David Bromell

Title: The Art and Craft of Policy Advising
Author: David Bromell
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-52494-8
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-52493-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52494-8

Springer Professional

About this book

Table of Contents

Frontmatter

1. Introduction: Theory and Practice of Effective Policy Advising

2. Who Are My Clients and What Do They Need from Me?

3. Creating Public Value

4. Doing Policy Analysis

5. Effective Communication

6. Working Together … in the Public Interest