policyanalysis

Policy analysis is the systematic examination of policy options to address a public problem and inform decision-makers. It combines evidence, reasoning, and value judgments to compare potential courses of action and forecast their likely effects on outcomes such as efficiency, equity, feasibility, legality, and political acceptability.

The process typically includes problem definition, objective setting, and the identification of stakeholders. Analysts generate a range of alternatives, gather and synthesize relevant data, and assess likely impacts using quantitative and qualitative methods. Criteria are established to judge options, and uncertainties are explored through scenario analysis, sensitivity checks, and robust decision-making approaches. Feasibility, implementation requirements, administrative capacity, and political constraints are considered alongside anticipated benefits and costs.

Common methods and tools include cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, risk assessment, distributional and equity analysis, multi-criteria decision analysis, program evaluation, and scenario planning. Qualitative techniques such as expert elicitation, stakeholder interviews, and logic modeling are also used to capture context and mechanisms.

Outputs are typically policy briefs, impact assessments, option papers, and implementation plans that present findings, trade-offs, and concrete recommendations. Policy analysis is used by governments, international organizations, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations to inform legislation, regulation, budgeting, and program design. Limitations include data gaps, uncertainty, value judgments, and political constraints, which analysts address through transparency and sensitivity analysis.