The top 10 policy reads that defined 2024

2024 was a transformative year for governments worldwide. Elections brought fresh perspectives to policy and politics, including a renewed emphasis on mission-driven approaches in the UK. Policymakers everywhere faced pressing challenges, from deciding how to harness AI's potential to addressing the realities of ageing populations and widening skills gaps.

As the year draws to a close, we’re reflecting on what captured the attention of Apolitical’s community of 250,000 public servants.

Here are the top 10 policy articles and insights from thought leaders around the world that resonated most this year. Let us know what you think!

1. How to deliver excellent policy advice by Sally Washington, Executive Director, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia New Zealand School of Government

When we are asked as leaders to critique a policy and understand how it could be implemented better next time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. In this article, the author shares a scalable and repeatable policy advice model that can be applied within any government sector.

Head over to the Adaptive Policymaking community for more insights from Sally and other thought leaders in government.

2. Estonia’s AI vision: Building a data-driven society and government with Dr Ott Velsberg, Estonia's Chief Data Officer

In this article, Dr. Ott Velsberg details how Estonia is building out a new AI strategy. In 2025, the integration of AI with government work will be critical for all leaders and it is important to start understanding how governments around the world have responded to the challenge.

Head over to the AI in Goverment community for more in insights like these.

3. A 10-point checklist for working with policy by Ella Dorfman, Senior Service Designer at the Home Office, UK

As public servants, it is easy to feel siloed from the other departments working within your government. Rather than shying away from the task of collaboration across government departments, the author shares salient advice on how we all can work better within the public sector with one another.

__4. Leaders struggle with generation clashes by April Dorion __

As a leader, have you been frustrated with how to incorporate a younger generation to the existing workflow? We all can benefit from understanding how to work with employees across generational and cultural backgrounds, as we try to better government.

Head over to the People Management community for more insights like this.

5. 4 ways to reimagine policy development by Chris Peters and Jesse Samasuwo

In collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Policy Lab, we presented four creative approaches for policy development. At times, it is easy to be pigeon-holed in the way you approach creating policies and it helps to adopt new frameworks to think through problems.

6. Digital bureaucracies: How data and artificial intelligence are transforming our governments by Dr. Keegan McBride, Lecturer in AI, Government, and Policy, Oxford Internet Institute

Are you scared or excited by the prospect of AI assisting government work? The day is already here where governments are adopting AI to help solve problems within bureaucratic work. The question is – will you adapt to it?

7. Don’t sell off the future to pay for the mistakes of yesterday by Kevin Alberton, Professor of Economics, at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

How should we think about “growth” as government leaders? Is it useful to keep defining growth by increasing GDP? Economist Kevin Alberton shares how they believe it is best to envision growth, in order to secure a better future for the public sector.

Head over to the Futures Thinking community for more insights like this.

8. Empowering the digital journey: Building digital proficiency in the public sector by Sebastian Moore, Assistant Private Secretary to the Group Chief Digital & Information Officer at Integrated Corporate Services, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

How should you upskill the talent working across the civil service? The author lays out practical examples of how they were able to provide upskilling sessions to civil servants, providing guidance for leaders on how to do the same within their governments.

Jump into the Digital Transformation community for more insights like this.

9. Skills for policy: Set expectations and build collective expertise by Sally Washington, Practice Fellow (Policy Capability and Public Management), Australia and New Zealand School of Government

How do you put together the most skilled team of policy practitioners? What should your priorities be when searching for candidates to join your team? In this article, the author relies on the New Zealand Policy Skills Framework, in order to showcase how one can think through the skills expectations of policy professionals.

10. Goodbye ribbon cuttings, hello works in progress: An iterative approach to projects by Jessica Lax, Director of Business Experience at the New Jersey State Office of Innovation

In this article, the author shares how the New Jersey Office of Innovation adopted a human-centred design approach to solve a problem. As leaders, it is critical to consider examples from around the world, in order to understand how to better show up for our own communities.

Head over to the project management community for more insights like this.

Have your own policy insight you want to share? Take it a step forward and publish your own policy article today!