Assessment of Policy Outcomes

We have discussed assessment of research under Assessing Interdisciplinary Research. If interdisciplinary researchers wish to influence policy they must also worry about the assessment of policy outcomes. Policies tend to generate winners and losers, and winners often become fierce advocates. Without careful and early analysis of policy outcomes it is all too easy for bad policies to become locked in place.

Bergmann, Matthias , Thomas Jahn, Tobias Knobloch, Wolfgang Krohn, Christian Pohl, Engelbert Schramm (2012) Methods for Transdisciplinary Research: A Primer for Practice. Berlin: Campus have a section on assessing policy outcomes.

• They urge (in their first two strategies) multifaceted assessment that reflects the concerns of all. Assessment also needs to reflect an appropriate time frame. When there is conflict, reference to guiding principles can be useful. Consensus on ranking of different criteria can be pursued.

• Their third strategy is not formal assessment. Rather experts are asked to estimate the strength of each posited causal relationship. Answers are aggregated (using the Delphi technique, averaging etc.) and then system outcomes are calculated.

• The fourth strategy recommends formative assessment to guide decision-makers.