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Seminar paper: Policy Impact Toolkit


Policy Impact Toolkit

“Converting vision into reality”


Introduction
 
This Toolkit has been developed in order to assist policy makers and influencers to ensure that initiatives to develop and maintain policy on a broad range of matters are well conceived and debated, all experiences are integrated into policy directions and that it does actually impact on policy in a visible manner.

The Toolkit, which is based loosely on project management principles, should be used as a vehicle to drive an entire process of policy impacting from conceptualisation to actual implementation. According to ISO 10006, a project is “a unique process consisting of a set of co-ordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates, undertaken to supply a product conforming to specific requirements within the constraints of time, cost and resources” All activities aimed at influencing policy should be based on this in order to ensure the required impact.

In order for it to be successful, participants must buy in to the process. To make this possible, a policy impact Owner must be identified to drive the entire process. This owner must be supported by a number of champions who have sufficient influence to ensure that the process maintains momentum. The selection of these key roleplayers will greatly determine the success of the initiatives.

Although each individual initiative will have different requirements, the following general guidelines can be used to steer the process:

  1. Details of/reason for intervention
  2. Expected outcomes
  3. Action plan/s
  4. Risk assessment
  5. Champions/Owners and stakeholders
  6. Timeframes
  7. Measuring Impact


1. Details of Intervention:

1.1 Policy area involved (Based on an idea, need, event, opportunity or legal requirement)
1.2 Situation analysis
1.3 Roleplayers involved
1.4 Expected stumbling blocks

2. Expected outcomes:

2.1 Description of policy or policy shift envisaged
2.2 Objectives
  • Internal
  • External
2.3 Expected effect of outputs
2.4 Roleplayers involved
2.5 Other spin-offs
  • Positive
  • Negative
3. Action plan/s:

One matrix is completed outlining exactly what is to be done to reach the set objectives. The sections of the matrix are briefly outlined below:

3.1 Conceptualisation/Initiating

Statement of word ± 100 words summarising what will be done
Evaluation of situation  
Planned activities  
Events  
Expected policy impact  


3.2 Appraisal

Statement of word  
Evaluation of situation Weigh against the background of the “bigger picture”
Planned activities  
Events  
Expected policy impact  


3.3 Policy-event/s

Statement of word  
Evaluation of situation  
Planned activities  
Events List all events with dates, venues, persons responsible, etc
Expected policy impact  


3.4 Impacting policies/strategies

Statement of word  
Evaluation of situation  
Planned activities  
Events  
Expected policy impact List the expected impact of each activity and how this will be measured


4. Risk assessment

This needs to be done in order to determine the possible factors that could affect the outcome of an initiative. A simple tool to do this follows:

Source of Risk Risk Event Prob1-10 Impact1-10 Factor1-100 Triggers Response
 
 		  
 		  
 		  
 		  
 		  
 		  
 


The source of risk could be Political Agendas, one event could be non attendance of critical meetings by key politicians with a probability of 8 and an impact of 9 leading to a factor of 81 indicating that should this happen, the expected outcome is at risk. Triggers could include bad press or ignoring of invitations, while responses could be obtaining buy-in from key politicians beforehand.

5. Champions/Owners and stakeholders

The most important issue is the appointment of the Owner of the initiative. This is the person who will drive the entire process and take responsibility for the outcome. In addition, a number of strategically placed Champions need to be identified to assist with this. The role of these champions will be to channel the debate etc and to make sure that the required roleplayers are involved and remain involved.

A list of all roleplayers should also be compiled to ensure that all the views are noted and all the parties are consulted or at least noted.

The roles and tasks of these and other roleplayers can be formulated neatly into a responsibility assignment matrix to ensure that everybody is fully informed of their roles and responsibilities:

  Owner Champion Mr X Ms Y ... ...
Compile documentation x          
Plan activities x x   x    
Attend workshop x   x x x x
Write workshop report     x   x  
...            


6. Timeframes

In order to ensure that the tasks are completed in such time that they will impact on policy, the Owner has to manage time very carefully. The Champions who are nearer to the coalface need to feed the necessary information to the Owner to be in a position to make the necessary time calls. Timeframes should then be linked to all tasks as per the 2 tables above and the Owner must make sure that these are adhered to.

7. Measurement of Impact

The impact of the interventions can be measured in different ways. These are:
  • The impact on the “customer”
  • Successful policy implementation of changes
  • Long term effects