The tools included here have been presented with the ‘context, evidence, links’ framework in mind, grouped under the headings Research Tools, Context Assessment Tools, Communication Tools, and Policy Influence Tools, plus an overarching framework section. This overview is not meant to be all-inclusive; there are several other tools available – for example within the communications field or knowledge management field – that would complement the policy influencing tools presented here.

Click on the links below to view further information on each tool.

Overarching Frameworks

The RAPID Context, Evidence, Links Framework for Analysis

The CEL framework can be used as a conceptual framework to help researchers and policy entrepreneurs understand the role that evidence-based research plays, amongst other issues, in influencing policy.

Knowledge Economy Framework

The World Bank’s Knowledge Economy framework is used to evaluate the quality, adaptation, and use of knowledge in an economy, with the goal of creating effective knowledge economies capable of competing in the global economy.

National Systems of Innovation (NSI)

The National Systems of Innovation (NSI) framework aims to enhance understanding and provide policy advice about how to innovate successfully and increase the impact of research.

Research Tools

Episode Studies

Episode studies are a method of investigating the influence of research on policy. Each study focuses on a clear policy change and tracks back to assess what impact research had among the variety of issues that led to the policy change.

Focus Group Discussion

A focus group gathers together people from similar backgrounds or experiences to discuss a specific topic of interest, guided by a moderator who introduces topics for discussion and helps the group to participate in a lively and natural discussion amongst themselves.

Context Assessment Tools

The Planning Cycle: What, Who, How?

All good influence planning has three simple stages at its core: identification of objectives, careful analysis of the policy audience and targeted promotion of the evidence-based message.

Force Field Analysis

Force field analysis is a powerful method for gaining a comprehensive overview of the different forces acting on a potential policy issue, and for assessing their source and strength.

Problem Tree Analysis

Problem tree analysis helps to find solutions by mapping out the anatomy of cause and effect around an issue in a similar way to a Mind map, but with more structure.

Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder analysis is a method used to identify all parties engaged in conducting the research, those who make or implement policy, and the intermediaries between them. It can help define a way to engage stakeholders so that the impact of research on policy can be maximised.

Influence Mapping

Influence Mapping identifies the individuals and groups with the power to effect a key decision. It further investigates the position and motives of each player and the best channels through which to communicate with them.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis uses a framework of internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats, to provide a simple way to assess how a strategy can best be implemented.

Triangle Analysis

Triangle Analysis is a technique for both analysing and finding answers to a problem, structured around structure, content and culture in the policy system.

Country Social Analysis

Country Social Analysis combines social, economic, political and institutional analysis to improve the understanding of the linkages between development dynamics and the political and social structures that shape development and policy outcomes.

Drivers of Change

DFID’s Drivers of Change analysis aims to improve the understanding of political, economic, social and cultural forces that bring about change in a regional and country context in order to identify the key policy and institutional drivers of change.

Power Analysis

Sida’s Power Analysis is used to understand and analyse power relations at the macro level.

Governance Questionnaire

GTZ’s Governance Questionnaire is used to analyse the political and institutional framework of a country, including the actors and processes within a government.

Communication Tools

Mapping the Product Life Cycle

Mapping the product life cycle draws on diffusion theory to understand how the roles of the change agent leaders vary in adoption, level of support and spread through the different stages of the cycle.

The Marketing Approach

The marketing approach emphasises understanding the state of the market audience, those to be targeted with a social change message or policy innovation, and developing the innovation or message so that it is fills their needs.

Organisational Readiness Assessment

The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation’s handbook provide a series of worksheets and tools designed to assess readiness and commitment to take on public policy issues. It reviews existing champions and initiatives, helps focus goals and begins the planning process.

Market Segmentation and the Battlemap

Drawing on marketing theory, the Segmentation Matrix Business Battlemap involves the identification of subsets within a market who share similar needs and plotting various products on a matrix against these market segments.

The Marketing Mix

The Marketing Mix is probably the most famous phrase in marketing and involves mixing and varying elements of marketing tactics including: product, price, place and promotion.

The Promotions Mix

Modes of promotions can be plotted along an axis of confrontation vs collaboration, set against involvement of the public, thus different organisations may choose the same overall methods, but may use them in very different ways, with different language.

Positioning and Position Mapping

After segmenting a market and then targeting a consumer, a product is positioned within that market. Products or services are ‘mapped’ together on a ‘positioning map’ which allows them to be compared and contrasted in relation to each other.

The Copy Platform

Once a message’s position is clarified and simplified, the ‘copy platform’ provides the vehicle for bringing it alive. This might be a story, a joke or an analogy that will appeal to the target audience.

Pre-testing Your Message

There are three ways to pre-test your message: polls, focus groups and the brother-in-law test.

Camera Ready: Using the Media

The Wilder Manual summarises the steps necessary to go through to be ‘camera ready’ and provides a checklist for reflecting on how to be camera ready and how to build up a rapid response team who can respond to relevant media opportunities.

Writeshops

A writeshop is a very intensive process aimed at bringing together a range of relevant stakeholders – along with desktop publishing specialists – to produce a publication in a very short time.

Policy Influence Tools

4X Policy Entrepreneurs

Life and literature point to four broad styles of policy entrepreneur: story-tellers, networkers, engineers and fixers. Identification of a researcher’s style can help to capitalise on their strengths, develop their weaknesses and improve the impact of research on policy.

Boston Box

The Boston Box is a classic tool of strategic planning which uses a matrix to plot the degree of influence generated by a new idea or research against the rate at which this influence is being gained, and the (usually proportional) rate at which resources are being consumed.

Policy Papers

The LGI / Urban Institute have developed a series of guidelines for writing effective policy briefs or papers, ensuring they are an effective problem-oriented, value-driven communication tool designed to aid decision making.

Networking

Four modes and techniques have been identified through which policy research institutes engage with one another and with policymakers, business, and civil society: person-to-person, organisational, research and virtual networks.

A Lobbyist’s Hierarchies of Need

Much useful lobbying is about building relationships with decision-makers and allowing information to flow; Politico describes these levels in a hierarchy of needs: Need to Know, Need to Inform and Need to Negotiate.

Getting to Yes

Getting to Yes involves four steps to reach agreement with others without giving in: separating the people from the problem; focusing on interests; inventing options for mutual gain; and insisting on using objective criteria.

The 4 Ps of Being Influential

While principles of persuasiveness should determine the style of communication, the type of person making the case is also important. Wilder calls these skills ‘the four Ps’: passion, position, power and persuasiveness.

Engaging Public Participation

Most think tanks will at some point want to engage in a public consultation or engagement process. The International Association for Public Participation provides a set of core values which it feels such processes should benchmark themselves.

Campaigning Alliances: Pros and Cons

Coalitions and alliances are difficult to form and sustain, and can suffer from unrealistic expectations on how much they will agree. Pros and cons for building such partnerships are discussed in this tool.

Visit http://www.odi.org.uk/rapid/tools/toolkits/policy_impact/Tools.html

for links