EVALUSE - Evaluation use in public policy

This exploratory research project, led by Dr. Taffoni, seeks to gain a precise understanding of how evaluations are utilized in the policy process. Dr. Taffoni's goal is to strengthen the network of CIVICA researchers interested in evaluation, bridging the gap between evaluation, evaluators, and policymakers to ensure that evidence is effectively incorporated into the policy process. The lack of integration of evaluation findings into policymaking currently limits the effectiveness of evidence-based policy—a central issue in Dr. Taffoni's work. She has begun exploring the uptake of foresight methodologies into the policy cycle to make policy anticipatory and future-proofed. Her primary role in EVALUSE will leverage her research on new sources of evidence-based policymaking.

The topic of evaluation use is crucial to evidence-based policymaking and spans two separate bodies of literature: one focusing on evaluation practices and the other on policy analysis and public policy. This project aims to foster dialogue between these research traditions, as evaluation needs the insights of policy research, and policy experts benefit from the insights of evaluation research. EVALUSE aligns with the CIVICA thematic priority “Democracy in the 21st century”, addressing the crucial issue of strengthening evidence-based policies to provide anticipatory, sound, and innovative policy responses. The central question driving the project is why, how, and under what conditions evidence generated by evaluations is, or is not, incorporated into the policy process.

Policy evaluation plays an increasingly important role in the design and implementation of public policy, forming the foundation of evidence-based policy, which is becoming standard practice in many areas. Addressing complex challenges such as public health crises, wars, and rapid digital and technological developments requires the best available scientific knowledge to inform policymakers' decisions. Sound scientific knowledge and up-to-date data are foundational for policies to work efficiently and be adaptable to continuous crises. Evidence-based and informed policymaking promises to enhance policy effectiveness through improved planning based on robust data and rapid policy adaptation. However, the findings from evaluations are seldom used to inform new and updated policies. For evaluations to make a significant impact, their findings must be incorporated into the policy process and acted upon. This integration depends on various contextual conditions whose interactions are not always clear. This project aims to shed light on these issues, providing actionable knowledge about the extent of this phenomenon and potential solutions.