BRAINPOoL (Bringing alternative indicators into policy) is an EU-funded project aimed at identifying and overcoming the barriers to ‘Beyond GDP’ indicators being used in policy.

1. How to move Beyond-GDP?
An Action Plan….
International knowledge brokerage workshop
October 28-29, 2013, Venice (IT)

2. This morning we identified four
kinds of problem (?solution)
• Policy objectives
• Policy process
• Communication – including with indicators
• Data gathering and indicator design

3. This morning we identified four
kinds of problem (?solution)
• Policy objectives
– Vision
– Integrate long term objectives
– Understand consequences of non-action – integrate science
• Policy process
– Deliberation re domains and trade offs
– Well-being function
– Break down silos
• Data gathering and indicator design
– Harmonisation of data gathering, indicators et – with local variations
• Communication – including with indicators
– Clarity about Beyond GDP – common standard (Stiglitz 2)
– Link to SDGs
– Dramatic indicators – that are actionable

4. In our case studies we identified
five kinds of problem…
1. Resources – but this is really a symptom of other
problems
2. Resistance - natural conservatism, ‘Beyond GDP is
redundant’
3. Communication issues – ignorance, lack of strong
narrative, politically difficult language
4. Complexity – many indicators, multi-dimensional
policy decisions
5. Organisation – need for indicator entrepreneurs,
silos, lack of co-operation, human resource
shortages

5. …and several recommendation
themes
To overcome resistance
• Demonstrate the difference Beyond GDP indicators will make
To deal with communication issues
• Develop a strong narrative and find opportunities to
communicate
To deal with complexity
• Develop new approaches to policy analysis
• Develop a database to facilitate use of indicators
To develop organisations
• Identify potential users with power and meet their needs
• Introduce mechanisms facilitating internal/external co-operation
• Invest in human resources

6. The two sets of ideas fit
To overcome resistance - policy objectives
• Demonstrate the difference Beyond GDP indicators will make
–
–
Vision, Integrate long term objectives
Understand consequences of non-action – integrate science
To deal with communication issues - communication
• Develop a strong narrative and find opportunities to communicate
–
–
–
Clarity about Beyond GDP – common standard (Stiglitz 2)
Link to SDGs
Dramatic indicators – that are actionable
To deal with complexity – policy process, data gathering and indicator design
• Develop new approaches to policy analysis
–
–
Deliberation re domains and trade offs
Well-being function
•
Develop a database to facilitate use of indicators
•
Harmonisation of data gathering, indicators et – with local variations
To develop organisations – policy process
• Identify potential users with power and meet their needs
• Introduce mechanisms facilitating internal/external co-operation
•
•
Break down silos
Invest in human resources

7. We also identified actions this
morning
To overcome resistance
• Demonstrate the difference Beyond GDP indicators will make
–
–
–
Vision, Integrate long term objectives xxx
Understand consequences of non-action – integrate science xx
Deeds framework xxx
To deal with communication issues
• Develop a strong narrative and find opportunities to communicate xxxx
–
–
–
Clarity about Beyond GDP – common standard (Stiglitz 2) xxxxx
Link to SDGs xxxx
Dramatic indicators – that are actionable - xxx
To deal with complexity
• Develop new approaches to policy analysis x
–
–
Deliberation re domains and trade offs xxxx
Well-being function
•
Develop a database to facilitate use of indicators
•
Harmonisation of data gathering, indicators et – with local variations xxxx
To develop organisations
• Identify potential users with power and meet their needs
• Introduce mechanisms facilitating internal/external co-operation
•
•
Break down silos xx
Invest in human resources

8. Is this the start of a plan?
Who needs to be involved?
To overcome resistance
• Demonstrate the difference Beyond GDP indicators will make
–
–
–
Vision, Integrate long term objectives xxx
Understand consequences of non-action – integrate science xx
Deeds framework xxx
To deal with communication issues
• Develop a strong narrative and find opportunities to communicate xxxx
–
–
–
Clarity about Beyond GDP – common standard (Stiglitz 2) xxxxx
Link to SDGs xxxx
Dramatic indicators – that are actionable - xxx
To deal with complexity
• Develop new approaches to policy analysis x
–
–
Deliberation re domains and trade offs xxxx
Well-being function
•
Develop a database to facilitate use of indicators
•
Harmonisation of data gathering, indicators et – with local variations xxxx
To develop organisations
• Identify potential users with power and meet their needs
• Introduce mechanisms facilitating internal/external co-operation
•
•
Break down silos xx
Invest in human resources

9. Thank you!
www.brainpoolproject.eu
Géraldine Thiry, Tom Bauler, Léa Sébastien, Valérie Lacroix, Sébastien Paris
(2013), Indicators Beyond GDP. Characterizing Demand: Institutional
Analyses and Actors' Consultation by "Road Show", Brainpool Project
(FP7), Working Package 2 Deliverable, February 2013, 274 p.
Seaford Charles (2013), Barriers to the use of alternative indicators in
policy-making and how they are being overcome and can be overcome.
Synthesis report based on 7 action research case studies. Brainpool
project (FP7), Working package 3 Deliverable, October 2013.