Series: Building policy capability

This series is written by Sally Washington, Executive Director, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia New Zealand School of Government (ANZOG). She set up, and was inaugural director of the New Zealand Policy Project, a collaborative program to improve policy quality and capability across government, based in the New Zealand Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Part 1: “Steal with Pride” – critical factors for improving policy capability

Government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted cracks in government decision-making around the world. Many are not new: poor use of evidence, lack of coordination between organisations (the ‘silo’ problem) and shortages of skilled policy advisors. Governments need to take a deliberate and systematic approach to building policy capability. There is international experience to draw on or “steal with pride”.

Part 2: Building policy capability - an infrastructure approach

Many organisations and jurisdictions recognise that their policy advisory systems need improving. They report remarkably similar challenges, including concerns about the quality of policy advice, shortages of skilled senior policy advisors, a lack of investment in future capability, and weak systems for collaboration, alignment and prioritisation. This article discusses the insights from a ‘curated conversation’ with senior Australian and New Zealand officials to improve policy capability.

Part 3: Lessons from practice - Creating an infrastructure for building policy capability

A new Policy Design and Practice article entitled ‘An infrastructure for building policy capability – lessons from practice’ articulates key dimensions of policy capability based on the practical experience of policy practitioners from a range of jurisdictions, and explains how the key components of policy capability form a self-reinforcing ‘policy capability infrastructure’.

Part 4: Putting the ‘public’ into public policy. Engaging for better decision-making.

Good policy depends on engagement with the people likely to be affected by it. That doesn’t mean a quick ‘consultation’ after policy has already been developed. Engaging the public in policy — seeking the views of stakeholders, community groups and especially populations often excluded from the policy process, like Indigenous people, youth, people with disabilities — can help shape policy and enhance its likely success. This article explores the implications for ‘how we do policy’ and for public service capability.

Part 5: Hindsight, foresight and insight: three lenses for better policymaking

A multiple lens approach is needed in policy design and delivery involving; hindsight (looking back), foresight (looking forward) and insight (looking broad and deep). These lenses require new government capabilities and expertise in methods not typically in the traditional policy toolbox.

Part 6: How to deliver great policy advice

This article introduces the ‘5D Policy Advice Value Chain’ model, promoting an iterative, stakeholder-engaged approach to policy development. Emphasising adaptability, the model aims to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical aspects, with ongoing refinement based on feedback from practitioners and academics.

Part 7: Skills for policy: Set expectations and build collective expertise

Governments need skilled policy staff, but few have articulated what a skilled policy professional looks like. This article sets out how governments can set expectations about the skills required of policy professionals — and use them to build the collective expertise of teams, organisations and the overall public service as part of building a high-performing policy advisory system.

Part 8: Delivering quality policy advice? Think D, E and F-words

This article, first published in The Mandarin, looks at how to build a repeatable, scalable model policy process model, and how governments can support the development of high-quality policy advice. This article covers the importance of engagement and evaluation, and the need for fearless and frank delivery of policy advice.

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(Image Credit: Mark Boss, Unsplash)