Maximising the impact of research: experience from ODI’s RAPID Programme

1. Maximising the impact of research: experience from ODI’s RAPID Programme John Young Overseas Development Institute J.young@odi.org.uk

2. RAPID programme in ODI • Promoting evidence-based development policy & practice • Through • Research • Advice • Public Affairs • Capacity-building • Working with: • researchers • policymakers • parliamentarians • southern think tanks for further information see: www.odi.org.uk/rapid

3. Commission research Analyse the results Choose the best option Establish the policy Implement the policy Evaluation Policy processes are not... Identify the problem

4. Cabinet Donors Policy Formulation Parliament Agenda Setting Decision Making Civil Society Ministries Monitoring and Evaluation Policy Implementation Private Sector Policy processes are...

5. Policy is chaos “The whole life of policy is a chaos of purposes and accidents. It is not at all a matter of the rational implementation of the so-called decisions through selected strategies” Clay & Schaffer (1984), Room for Manoeuvre: An Exploration of Public Policy in Agricultural and Rural Development, Heineman Educational Books, London

6. Policy is complex • Interconnected • Feedback • Emergence • Nonlinearity • Sensitivity • Changing • Edge of chaos • Adaptive agents • Self-organising • Co-evolution

7. Research plays a minor role Kate Bird et al, Fracture Points in Social Policies for Chronic Poverty Reduction, ODI WP242, 2004 (http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp242.pdf)

8. Policy makers are… …practically incapable of using research-based evidence because of the 5 Ss… • Speed • Superficiality • Spin • Secrecy • Scientific Ignorance Vincent Cable – Lib. Democrat MP & Shadow Minister of Finance More at: www.odi.org.uk/RAPID/Meetings/Evidence

9. Experience & Expertise Pragmatics & Contingencies Judgement Lobbyists & Pressure Groups Evidence Resources Values and Policy Context Habits & Tradition There are many other factors Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

10. Policy Makers’ Evidence Researchers’ Evidence • ‘Scientific’ (Context free) • Proven empirically • Theoretically driven • As long as it takes • Caveats and qualifications • Colloquial (Contextual) • Anything that seems reasonable • Policy relevant • Timely • Clear Message Different notions of evidence Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

11. Research can transform lives “The results of household disease surveys informed processes of health service reform which contributed to a 43 and 46 per cent reduction in infant mortality between 2000 and 2003 in two districts in rural Tanzania.” TEHIP Project, Tanzania: www.idrc.ca/tehip

12. The Cynefn Framework

13. An iterative flexible approach

14. Different policy objectives • Discursive: Client-focused services • Attitudinal: Farmers have good ideas • Procedural: Participatory approaches to service development • Content: UU20, UU25. New guidelines • Behavioural: Approach being applied in practice • Discursive:Client-focused services • Attitudinal: Farmers have good ideas • Procedural: Participatory approaches to service development • Content: UU20, UU25. New guidelines • Behavioural:: Approach adopted for other sectors

15. The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc. The links between policy and research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc. The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc Political economy analysis External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc

16. Identifying the key actors Use the Alignment Interest Influence Matrix (AIIM) to identify the critical stakeholders Map actors on the matrix Identify which are the most influential Who do you work with directly? High Develop enthusiasm to address topic Learn in partnership General level of alignment Develop awareness and enthusiasm Challenge existing beliefs Low Interest in specific topic Low High

17. OUTCOME MAPPING:Building Learning and Reflection into Development ProgramsSarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9330-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html Developing an Action Plan

18. Practical Tools Overarching Tools - The RAPID Framework - Using the Framework - The Entrepreneurship Questionnaire Context Assessment Tools - Stakeholder Analysis - Forcefield Analysis - Writeshops - Policy Mapping - Political Context Mapping Communication Tools - Communications Strategy - SWOT analysis - Message Design - Making use of the media Research Tools - Case Studies - Episode Studies - Surveys - Bibliometric Analysis - Focus Group Discussion Policy Influence Tools - Influence Mapping & Power Mapping - Lobbying and Advocacy - Campaigning: A Simple Guide - Competency self-assessment

19. Being a policy entrepreneur Networker Storyteller Fixer Engineer Researcher

20. Further information ODI – www.odi.org.uk RAPID - www.odi.org.uk/rapid Me: j.young@odi.org.uk