Public Policy Research and Analysis Workshop

A public policy officer undertakes substantial research during issue identification and policy analysis phases. Preliminary research during issue identification involves identifying the dimensions and causes of the policy problem and its linkages into government policy frameworks. This research enables the policy officer to develop a comprehensive understanding of the policy problem. During the policy analysis phase, the policy officer researches the policy problem in detail and gathers information about potential options. This requires the policy officer to become knowledgeable in the problem, its causes, and its effects. The policy officer must be able to analyze the information gathered and identify patterns, relationships, and trends. This analysis enables the policy officer to develop informed policy recommendations. Empirical evidence is a crucial component of public policy research. Empirical evidence is evidence that can be verified, and it must be based on data, information, and knowledge. The policy officer must be able to show how and why they reached a policy recommendation, and the evidence must be reliable and trustworthy. Empirical evidence can be developed through original research or by using evidence generated by others. A literature review is an essential tool for developing knowledge and understanding the policy problem. A literature review involves analyzing existing research and knowledge on the policy problem, its dimensions, and its impact. This review enables the policy officer to identify relevant information, assess its quality, and recognize biases and generalizations. The literature review also helps to identify knowledge gaps and areas where further research is needed. The policy officer must be able to assess the quality of the information gathered and ensure that it is relevant, reliable, and trustworthy. This involves evaluating the sources of the information, identifying potential biases and generalizations, and recognizing the limitations of the data. By doing so, the policy officer can develop informed policy recommendations that are based on a thorough understanding of the policy problem and its causes. In public policy research, data, information, and knowledge are interconnected and interdependent. Data refers to the facts about the world, while information is the use of data to find relationships and patterns. Knowledge is the use of information to understand patterns and trends, and wisdom is the use of knowledge to see patterns, principles, and meta-patterns. A policy officer must be knowledgeable about the public policy problem they are working on and be able to impart that knowledge to decision-makers.