1. How to Influence Policy Tips for Evaluators
Presented By
George F. Grob
Center for Public Program Evaluation
October

2. In a Nutshell Evaluations Geared for Policy Makers
Relevant
Connected to Decision Processes
Timely
Practical/Actionable
Persuasive
Easy to Absorb
Known To Policy Makers

3. What is Policy? A Really Big Decision About Several Programs
Or One Huge One
A Lot of Money
Affecting
Many People
A Large Economic Sector
Spanning
Several Years
A Large Geographic Area
Involving
High Level Officials
Attracting Attention
Trade Press
National Media

4. Grand Strategy Policy Mechanisms Master Them!
Thought Leaders Know Them!
Help Them!
Become One!
Body of Work Contribute to It!
Reporting Keep It Simple!
Tell Everyone!

5. Policy Mechanisms Budget Legislation Regulation
Administrative Processes
Public Affairs
Management
Initiatives
Reorganization
Key Appointments
Goals

6. How to Exploit Them BE ON TIME!!!!!!!! Use them all
Learn all you can about them
Work through the gate-keepers
Respect their frantic lifestyle
BE ON TIME!!!!!!!!

7. Thought Leaders Congress GAO CBO OMB Researchers Secretary’s Office
Members
Staff
OMB
Secretary’s Office
Budget
Planning and Evaluation
Program Office
GAO
CBO
Researchers
Interest Groups
Think Tanks
Reporters

8. Be Helpful LISTEN TO THEM!!! Learn their names Meet them if you can
ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS!!!

9. Body of Work
Know It
Fill In the Gaps

10. Reporting Simple Message All Kinds of Formats Distribution
Short reports
Briefing charts
Distribution
Tell Everybody
Use Today’s Electronic Technology

11. Features of a Successful Evaluation Report
Relevant Context
Persuasive Evidence
Compelling Findings
Recommendations Geared for Action and Impact
A Killer Executive Summary

12. Persuasive Evidence Use more than one type of evidence
Especially, combine
Quantitative
Qualitative
Use more than one source
Be cautious about using anecdotes
Center for Public Program Evaluation

13. In a Nutshell Evaluations Geared for Policy Makers
Relevant
Connected to Decision Processes
Timely
Practical/Actionable
Persuasive
Easy to Absorb
Known To Policy Makers

14. President, Center for Public Program Evaluation
Learn More
George F. Grob
President, Center for Public Program Evaluation
38386 Millstone Drive
Purcellville, VA 20132

15. References
See New Directions in Evaluation, Volume 2006, Issue 112, Promoting the Use of Government Evaluations in Policy Making, edited by Rakesh Mohan and Kathleen Sullivan. See especially “Managing the Politics of Evaluation to Achieve Impact,” (pp 7-23) by Mohan and Sullivan, and “The Evaluator’s role in Policy Development,” (pp ) by George Grob
Grob, G. “How Policy Is Made and How Evaluators Can Affect It.” Evaluation Practice, 1992, 13, 175–183.
Grob, G. “A Truly Useful Bat Is One Found in the Hands of a Slugger.” American Journal of Evaluation, 2003, 24, 499–505.
Grob, G. “Writing for Impact.” In J. Wholey, H. Hatry, and K. Newcomer (eds.), Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2004.
Henry, G. T. “Why Not Use?” In V. J. Caracelli and H. Preskill (eds.), The Expanding Scope of Evaluation Use. New Directions for Evaluation, no. 88. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Henry, G. T., and Mark, M. M. “Beyond Use: Understanding Evaluation’s Influence on Attitudes and Actions.” American Journal of Evaluation, 2003, 24, 293–314.
Jonas, R. K. “Against the Whim: State Legislatures’ Use of Program Evaluation.” In R. K. Jonas (ed.), Legislative Evaluation: Utilization-Driven Research for Decision Makers. New Directions for Program Evaluation, no. 81. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999.
Kirkhart, K. E. “Reconceptualizing Evaluation Use: An Integrated Theory of Influence.” In V. J. Caracelli and H. Preskill (eds.), The Expanding Scope of Evaluation Use. New Directions for Evaluation, no. 88. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.