This is a presentation I gave at an impact evaluation field coordinator training on how to help policymakers to incorporate research into their decisionmaking.

1. How to Influence
Policymakers
David K. Evans
World Bank
June 2018
@tukopamoja
$

2. How can research affect policy?

3. Two types of impact
Direct Indirect

4. Fantasy Model of Direct Impact
Policymaker
reads my study
Changes
everything
Ends poverty
“They have this just unbelievably Cro-Magnon simple model
of policy adoption that essentially asserts that once there is
better knowledge in the world about policies, that will lead
to better policies being adopted and implemented.” –Lant
Pritchett, Experimental Conversations

5. Real Model of Direct Impact
Source: Rogers (1983)

6. Cloud Model of
Indirect Impact
“Bad”
research
RESEARCH
GOVERNMENT
“My crude theory about the impact of research is not that
research feeds into policy directly. Research kind of goes
up in into the air, into the clouds. If it’s good, if it’s
interesting, and perhaps especially if there is some
compelling behavioral story behind it, as is often the case
with an RCT, it gets circulated and cited. Eventually it
filters down to World Bank operational people and donor
staff and people in the ministries.”
- Nancy Birdsall, founding president,
Center for Global Development
(in Experimental Conversations)

7. Are you aiming for
direct or indirect
impact?

8. Indirect Impact
Prepare good
evidence.
Draw on great
evidence.

9. 4 Principles for Direct Impact

10. Principle 1
Build Relationships
Trust Engagement on
array of issues
Brief, brief, and
brief again

11. Principle 2
Share Ownership
Co-generate
research
questions
Co-generate
surveys
Sharing the credit

12. Principle 3
Good Timing
Answer a
question they
have right now
Provide policy
options

13. Principle 4
Clear Communication
Clear, simple
language 1-2 messages Brevity

14. 4 Principles for Direct Impact
1. Build relationships
2. Share ownership
3. Good timing
4. Clear communication
Thank you!
devans2@worldbank.org