Policy Writing as Problem Solving

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Policy Writing as Problem Solving

• Rob Wassmer
• Visiting Consultant, SOR
• Professor, Public Policy/Econ, CSUS

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Introduction

• Why are we here?
• faculty research fellows
• skills development
• not as a professor, but facilitator/learner
• Bardachs 8-step policy path
• JPAM article Tradecraft Professional Writing
  as Problem Solving
• Discussion of our own experiences

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Bardachs 8-Step Plan More art than science
Client orientated

• 1. Define problem
• 2. Assemble evidence
• 3. Construct alternatives
• 4. Select criteria

• 5. Project outcomes
• 6. Confront tradeoffs
• 7. Recommend
• 8. Tell story

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• 1. Define problem
• in one simple sentence
• common pitfall solution in problem
• no There is too little shelter for homeless.
• yes There are too many homeless families.
• no New schools are being built too slowly.
• yes Too many children relative to school
  space.
• 2. Assemble evidence
• think before collect
• survey best practice, use analogies
• touch base with potential critics and experts

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• 3. Construct alternatives
• consider causes of problem
• also client, political and institutional
  environment
• usually four
• status quo, liberal, moderate, conservative
• not necessarily mutually exclusive
• 4. Select criteria
• be specific on what used
• room for both positive and normative criteria
• efficiency (b/c analysis, cost effectiveness),
  equity (justice), legality, political
  acceptability, robustness (even if implementation
  not perfect), improvabilty (ability to improve
  original design, flexibility)

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• 5. Project outcomes
• for each alternative (most difficult step)
• optimism problem adverse scenarios
• moral hazard, rent-seeking
• use an alternative-criterion matrix
• see p. 640 in Tradecraft article
• 6. Confront tradeoffs
• become obvious in matrix
• usually no solution dominant
• filter through earlier criteria decided upon
• 7. Decide
• if difficult, rethink previous steps

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• 8. Tell story
• consider client as audience, also political
  environment
• N.Y. City taxi-driver test
• logical narrative flow
• Common problems
• compulsive qualifying
• showing all of your background research
• report over 15 pages
• lack of executive summary or well-crafted memo

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Tradecraft Professional Writing as Problem
Solving

• Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (Fall,
  2000)
• uses Bardach as a base
• Basic premises
• decisionmakers value good writing
• inept writers lose credibility
• writing is excruciatingly painful, but becomes
  less so with practice

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• Professional writing
• client orientation, action, what can be found
  out, honesty
• Useful engagement in problem solving
• not salesmanship, but design
• opportunity for improvement
• frame issue clients jurisdiction, no
  preordained solution
• overt about values that structure analysis
• design for implementation
• consider status quo
• use theories and evidence

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• Finding the answer
• clarify tradeoffs
• compare possibilities against common criteria
• matrix to highlight extremes, winners/losers
• seek better, not best
• Data collection first?
• no, think and write
• work backward, not forward
• consider time available
• use multiple sources

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• Build credibility
• no straw-man alternatives
• do not conceal negative consequences
• talk to opponents early
• build support early
• Organization
• like a pyramid, point on top, support below
• digestible supporting info
• create punch lines
• respect format
• encourage comments
• rewrite as much as possible

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• Increase chance clients act upon
• anticipate their needs
• make it easy by laying out plan
• describe negative consequences of status quo
• Top ten list on Tradecraft at close of article
• this and Bardachs 8 step list might make a
  valuable wall hanging next to your office
  computer
• Discussion
• what was valuable?
• what was irrelevant?