This article is written by Mark Sutherland, Director, Policy Management Office, Provincial Health Services Authority of British Columbia.

  • The problem: Policymaking is often assigned to one person but requires a diverse set of specialised skills that are not held by any single individual.
  • Why it matters: Lack of skills, knowledge and experience with policymaking can lead to low-quality policies that spend years in development and contribute to systemic inequities.
  • The solution: Invest in people and internal supports to ensure the skills and resources are available to produce quality policy work at your organisation.

Policymaking occurs in many places and spaces; broadly at a national level for entire governments and populations, within and across industries, and more narrowly at small non-government organisations.

Regardless of the scope, policymaking processes require a plethora of technical skills to support the entire cycle. While governments approach policymaking by considering possible options, most government-adjacent organisations have to determine how they move forward with the option selected by governments. Furthermore, acknowledgement of the role policymaking has played in the historical harms that Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people and other equity-deserving groups have experienced (and continue to experience) is crucial. 

Writing policy is an art in and of itself. Unlike a Shakespearean sonnet, a policy author's job is to be clear and concise.

Starting off policymaking in a good way means benchmarking similar organisations and collecting various sources of information that take into account characteristics of the policy context: Indigenous Knowledge, experience and ways of knowing; evidence-based practice that involves the integration of the best research evidence with professional expertise and the client’s unique values and circumstances; other forms of evidence and knowledge. Reviewing and synthesising all data collected is a challenge that often persists throughout the policymaking process. Additionally, knowledge of the impacts on Indigenous Peoples and application of the Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) on the policy topic needs to be top of mind.

How to write policy well

Writing policy is an art in and of itself. Unlike a Shakespearean sonnet, a policy author's job is to be clear and concise. Ensuring the content is organised logically, language is appropriate and terminology is used consistently throughout, and proper formatting is all essential to ease the reader’s experience. Take this policy and procedure writer’s oath moving forward:

“I do solemnly swear to avoid excess verbiage, fancy phrases, and long work and sentences. I will resist the temptation to display my grammatical mastery and linguistic skill. I will devote myself to the pursuit of short, clear messages. I will dazzle with speed and clarity,” – taken from Nancy J Campbell’s ‘Writing Effective Policies and Procedures’.

Policymaking takes a village – and so it should!

Once that first draft has been written, policymakers have to engage leaders, subject matter experts, community members and other relevant key players to ensure inclusiveness. These various groups may not always agree on the content within the policy, which might necessitate further discussion, negotiation and compromise. 

Coming to a conclusion

Finalising a policy draft, getting all the necessary endorsements and sign-offs, and then navigating governance structures to get a policy approved requires tenacity and patience. These structures may not be clearly established and can evolve along with organisational changes – occasionally, this can be a moving target!

While many consider approval to be the finish line, policymakers need to enlist skills in communications, education and change management to support the actual implementation of their policy. And how else to measure the success of the policy other than by establishing evaluation metrics to determine the effectiveness and suitability of the policy? When it’s time to update or revise the policy based on changing population needs, legislation, organisational culture, or any number of factors, this information can make the policy better.

To summarise, policymaking includes the technical skills as mentioned in this article:

Policymaking takes a village – and so it should! No single individual can specialise in all the above technical skills, nor can they fully inform the content within a given policy. Policymaking is relational, evolving and highly complex.

Often there are operational pieces that need to occur outside of the policymaking process in order to address barriers to implementation. Policymaking can’t be done off the side of one’s desk. Dedicated skilled human resource for policymaking is instrumental in creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive society. Organisations need to be steadfast in pursuing mechanisms to provide greater opportunities, awareness, and better outcomes for people who have been marginalised by systems of oppression.

I acknowledge my place of work is within the homelands of xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ /Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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