policy - vid 1

Summary

This session, led by Pier Andrew, explores how data-driven approaches can enhance policy efficacy in a rapidly changing world. Focusing on the separation between policy design and delivery, Andrew highlights the dangers of prioritizing efficiency over impact, creating a gap in addressing complex societal challenges. Emphasizing the exponential growth of change, he urges public servants to reform systems they inherited and to rethink policy development with continuous data integration. The session invites participants to share experiences, fostering a discussion on the need for adaptive, proactive policy-making in the face of increasing volatility.

Takeaways

• 😀 Acknowledging the importance of the land and culture, the speaker begins with an acknowledgement of country, recognizing the traditional owners and elders.
• 😀 The session is aimed at discussing how data can drive adaptive, proactive policy approaches, particularly in managing and responding to changes in policy environments.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of using data not just for policy analysis or evaluation but as an ongoing, active tool throughout policy design and delivery.
• 😀 The goal is to optimize policy impact in an increasingly volatile world, where continuous and rapid change is a key challenge for policymakers.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the growing gap between the rapid speed and complexity of change and the slower, linear ability of government systems to respond effectively.
• 😀 The traditional deficit planning approach, which focuses on addressing only a portion of problems due to limited resources, is seen as inadequate for dealing with large-scale challenges.
• 😀 Inaction in the face of these challenges can be as risky, if not more so, than taking action, making it crucial to assess both risks and opportunities in the policy-making process.
• 😀 The public sector’s behavior, as the largest employer and spender in Australia, is a critical lever in driving broader economic and social change.
• 😀 A key issue in policy-making is the separation of policy design from policy delivery, which can lead to misunderstandings and inefficiencies in the implementation of policies.
• 😀 The speaker stresses the importance of viewing policies as integrated systems where design and delivery must work closely together to ensure the intended impact is achieved, rather than focusing solely on efficiency.

Q & A

What is the central focus of the session presented by Pier Andrew?

The session focuses on how data can drive adaptive and proactive approaches to policy realization, aiming to maximize policy impact and actively manage changes in the environment.

What is the significance of the acknowledgement of country in this session?

The acknowledgement of country recognizes the traditional owners of the land where the session is being held, in this case, Nal country in Fair cam, and respects the elders past, present, and emerging.

Why is Pier Andrew emphasizing the continuous use of data in policy design?

Pier Andrew emphasizes that using data continuously throughout the policy process helps to optimize impact, address unintended consequences, and ensure that policy evolves in response to ongoing changes.

What does Pier Andrew mean by the 'exponential needs gap'?

The 'exponential needs gap' refers to the rapidly increasing scale and complexity of change in society, which is outpacing the ability of public institutions to respond effectively.

What problem does deficit planning pose in policy development?

Deficit planning assumes that only a portion of a problem can be addressed, often leading to underinvestment in critical areas and unintentionally creating gaps where negative outcomes can occur, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the policy.

What is the risk of inaction in policy making, according to Pier Andrew?

The risk of inaction is that it can lead to worse outcomes than taking action, as not responding to change can have significant consequences, much like a ship remaining anchored while the tide shifts.

What does Pier Andrew say about the public sector’s influence on policy and economic change?

The public sector, being the largest employer and spender in many areas, plays a critical role in driving economic and social change. How it operates and responds to change has a substantial impact on policy outcomes and societal outcomes.

Why does Pier Andrew highlight the separation between policy design and delivery as problematic?

The separation of policy design and delivery creates a disconnect between the intentions behind policies and their actual implementation, leading to inefficiencies, misunderstandings, and potential failure to achieve intended impacts.

What is the 'efficiency mindset' mentioned by Pier Andrew, and how does it affect policy outcomes?

The 'efficiency mindset' prioritizes doing things quickly and cheaply rather than focusing on the most effective or impactful actions, leading to policies that may be efficient in terms of cost but fail to address the right problems effectively.

How does Pier Andrew suggest improving the relationship between policy design and delivery?

Pier Andrew suggests integrating data-driven analysis throughout both policy design and delivery, fostering a more dynamic and continuous approach to policy implementation that is adaptable to ongoing changes and challenges.