This document provides guidance on writing effective policy briefs. It outlines key challenges policymakers face in accessing and using research evidence, such as lack of relevant or reliable research. It recommends that researchers establish strong linkages with policymakers, provide evidence in user-friendly formats, and interpret research in its specific context. The document also cautions against criticizing policies without solutions or biased recommendations. Effective policy briefs are focused, evidence-based, succinct, understandable, and practical. They typically include sections on context, critique of current policies, and recommendations. The brief should be tailored to the specific dispositions and interests of its intended readers, which can include policymakers, lawyers, and academics from various backgrounds.

1. 1
Policy Briefs
by
Donatilla K. Kaino

2. 2
Outline
 Introduction
 Challenges for policymakers when trying to access and use
research evidence for decision-making
 Three key things that researchers should do, and should not
do, to maximise research uptake
 Current policy opportunities for research to both inform and
influence public policy
 Two examples where research has successfully engaged and
influenced policy and development practice

3. Introduction
Policy has broadly been defined as broad statements
which spell out the government’s priorities or purposive
action to deliver desired changes within a given time
frame
Viable and appropriate policies are necessary for the
optimal economic management as well as sustainable
growth and poverty reduction
Policies are made by policy makers
These are the persons bestowed with the power, either
by society or a group of people in a society, to make key
decisions
In modern world policy makers are required to make
research/evidence based policies.3

4. Challenges for policymakers when trying to access
and use research evidence for decision-making
The answers to this question are various
 Difficult to pursue political democracy and economic
reforms at the same time. E.g. prioritization in project
implementation – projects suggested are unpopular
but have big economic impact.
 Lack of capacity for evidence-informed policy
development
 Determining the credibility of a given research
organisation & the real motive behind the research &
findings (Profession? Association?);
4

5. Research findings are not relevant
Research findings are not reliable – look at the
source of data and information used
Formats for research syntheses are not User-friendly
Research findings are not accessible
Research findings are not produced at the right time
Some relevant researches are not practical – e.g.
requiring every village to have a technical college by
2020
 Some Researches are not of good quality
5

6. Challenges of Policymakers…..
 Information explosion – Different research
institutions come up with different research findings,
sometimes contradicting findings
 Researches lack robust evidence about interventions
and strategies that work and about those that may
be potentially useful.
 Policymakers do not understand how to fit
researched solutions into complex and under-
resourced sector systems.
 Some recommendations are against policemaker’s
interests and interests of their voters6

7. What researchers should do to
maximize their research uptake
 To have strong linkages with policy makers and
establish rapid response mechanisms to meet
policymakers’ needs for research evidence within short
time frames (hours or days)
 User-friendly formats for research syntheses
 Provide evidence to clarify what services and programs
to offer or cover, how to deliver those services,
financial arrangements, governance arrangements,
and how to implement and monitor the change
 Interpret research evidence in relationship to the
specific context
7

8. What researchers should not do
 Use data and information from unreliable source
 To use the media to criticize government policies
without offering plausible solutions
 Offer biased policy options based on opinions &
sectoral views rather than properly supported
research evidence
8

9. Policy Spaces
 Invited policy spaces,
 Practical spaces,
 Conceptual and/or Discursive spaces
9

10. Examples where research has successfully
engaged and influenced policy and development
practice
 Agricultural sector policy
 Identification of Growth sectors and drivers
 Health sector policy in Kenya
10

11. 11
Effective Police Briefs
 In constructing a policy brief that can effectively
serve its intended purpose, the following features are
important to observe:
– Focused – all aspects of the policy brief (from the message
to the layout) need to strategically focus on achieving the
intended goal of convincing the target audience
– Professional not academic –The common audience for a
policy brief is not interested in the research/analysis
procedures conducted to produce the evidence, but are
very interested to know the writer’s perspective on the
problem and potential solutions based on the new evidence

12. 12
Pre-requisites for an effective Policy Brief 2
 Evidence-based – The policy brief is a
communication tool produced by policy analysts
and therefore all potential audiences not only
expect a rational argument but will only be
convinced by argumentation supported by
evidence that the problem exists and the
consequences of adopting particular alternatives
 Limited – The focus of the brief needs to be
limited to a particular problem or area of a
problem

13. 13
Pre-requisites for an effective Policy Brief 3
 Succinct – The type of audiences targeted commonly do
not have the time or inclination to read an in-depth 20
page argument on a policy problem. Therefore, it is
common that policy briefs do not exceed 6 – 8 pages in
length (i.e. usually not longer than 3,000 words)
 Understandable – This not only refers to using clear and
simple language (i.e. not the jargon and concepts of an
academic discipline) but also to providing a well explained
and easy to follow argument targeting a wide but
knowledgeable audience

14. 14
Pre-requisites for an effective Policy Brief 4
 Accessible – the writer of the policy brief should
facilitate the ease of use of the document by the
target audience and therefore, should subdivide the
text using clear descriptive titles to guide the reader
 Promotional – the policy brief should catch the eye
of the potential audience in order to create a
favourable impression (e.g. professional, innovative
etc). In this way many brief writers, many of the
features of the promotional leaflet (use of colour, use
of logos, photographs, slogans, illustrative quotes
etc).

15. 15
Pre-requisites for an effective Policy Brief 5
 Practical and feasible – the policy brief is an action-oriented
tool targeting policy practitioners. As such the brief must
provide arguments based on what is actually happening in
practice with a particular policy and propose recommendations
which seem realistic to the target audience

16. 16
Common Structural Components of the
Policy Brief 1
Title of the Paper
 The title aims to catch the attention of the reader and
compel him/her to read on and so needs to be
descriptive, punchy and relevant
Executive Summary
 A description of the problem addressed;
 A statement on why the current approach/policy
option needs to be changed (Context);
 Your recommendations for action
– In-depth investigation
– 1 to 2 paragraphs

17. 17
Common Structural Components of
the Policy Brief 2
Context and Importance of the Problem
 A clear statement of the problem or issue in focus;
 A short overview of the root causes of the problem ;
 A clear statement of the policy implications of the
problem which clearly establishes the current
importance and policy relevance of the issue
– the length of the problem description may vary considerably
from brief to brief depending on the stage on the policy
process in focus

18. Common Structural Components
of the Policy Brief 3
Critique of Policy Option(s)
 The aim of this element is to detail shortcomings of
the current approach or options being implemented
and therefore, illustrate both the need for change
and focus of where change needs to occur
– A short overview of the policy option(s) in focus ;
– An argument illustrating why and how the current
or proposed approach is failing
18

19. Common Structural Components
of the Policy Brief 4
Policy Recommendations
 The aim of the policy recommendations element is to
provide a detailed and convincing proposal of how
the failings of the current policy approach need to be
changed. As such this is achieved by including
– A breakdown of the specific practical steps or
measures that need to be implemented;
– Sometimes also includes a closing paragraph re-
emphasizing the importance of action
19

20. Common Structural Components
of the Policy Brief 5
 Appendices
 Sources Consulted or Recommended
20

21. Readers of Policy Briefs 1
 Readers of Policy Briefs are from different
backgrounds and ages
 They are policy makers, lawyers, academics,
legislators, engineers, liberal, conservatives
etc
 Perhaps the biggest mistake many people
make involves not properly understanding
the disposition of their readers
21

22. Readers of Policy Briefs 2
 Instant familiarization of your readers is key
 A Policy Brief must quickly identify problems or
concerns faced by its readers and lead them down
the path to a solution provided by your product or
service
 Different readers look at problems differently
(because they are from different origin)
 For example, an engineer might care about technical
issues, whereas a Business Bureaucrat is more
interested in business benefits
22

23. Conclusions 1
 Policy Brief is a simple document in terms of
its size.
 However, it should be noted that, it is one of
the most complicated and difficult publication
to construct or make.
 This is particularly true when the research
report or study is voluminous with many
relevant and pertinent issues in it.
23

24. Conclusions 2
 Despite its complication, policy brief is handy
and manageable in terms of distribution and
reading
 It is easy to read and appropriate document
for bureaucrats, technocrats, top and senior
political as well as government executives,
who find it difficult to read big documents
24

25. End
Asante sana for Listening
25