Online Course on Water Policy Analysis: A Systems Approach

Appropriate water and environmental policy is a prerequisite of sustainable development. However, experts and analysts working on policy processes know that simply preparing scientific reports or policy briefs does not automatically lead to the successful implementation of policy. 

This course is designed for professionals interested in learning the tools and methods which can connect sound analysis and science to address complex policy problems, especially in the water sector.

Formulating policy issues in a way that is clear for different stakeholders and decision-makers is a critical process in policy analysis. Unfortunately, this step is too often glossed over, whereby experts or policy-makers too easily assume that their problem definitions are a ‘given’ and are shared by all.

Policies will not be effective if they are not based on a good understanding of the actual problem that is to be addressed, taking into account different actors involved, the system they aim to influence and the factors that may support or hinder their implementation and the achievement of intended goals.

In this course you will learn modern concepts of policy analysis and use hands-on methods to apply systems thinking to structure complex problems and develop effective designs for policy analysis. This will empower you to contribute to policies that consider society, economy and the environment which will support sustainable development.

Programme

During the first week, you will be introduced to the content of the course, the learning platform, the course instructors and your fellow course participants. By the end of this week, you should be ready to fully engage with the specific content and learning activities in the course.

Topic 1: The art and craft of policy analysis

In this topic, you will learn about the role that policy analysis plays in decision-making. We will cover a so-called ‘textbook’ (linear) approach to policy analysis and planning but will also see how actual practice is often different. This calls for a more comprehensive approach that reflects the different interests of multiple stakeholders. Based on a better understanding of the more complex reality of policy making, you will learn about different roles that you may play as a policy analyst.

Topic 2: Problem demarcation

Building on key take-away messages from Topic 1, you will continue learning methods and techniques to structure complex policy problems. In this topic, you will apply two specific methods to develop an initial problem formulation that meets the needs, priorities and intervention possibilities of key stakeholders. This helps define initial boundaries to the multi-actor system that will be central in further policy analysis.

The methods offered will be stakeholder-sensitive and will enable you to discuss crucial aspects and choices with your key stakeholders. The methods that you will apply are based on value-focused thinking: means-ends analysis and objective trees.

Topic 3: Systems analysis

In this topic you will learn how to develop a conceptual diagram to organize the key factors and elements that play a role in complex multi-actor systems. Systems thinking is fundamental to tackling complex problems and a conceptual diagram of the system under analysis shows how those factors and elements are expected to be linked by the cause-effect relationships that policies aim to influence.

These system diagrams build on the developed problem demarcation and are specifically suited for further policy analysis. They include specific components for possible policy interventions and to assess whether policy outcomes can be expected to meet important policy objectives.

Topic 4: Plan of action

In this final topic, you will learn about key elements that are typically included in a sound plan of action for policy analysis. You will apply the insights and methods from the previous topics to develop a detailed problem description and design a plan of action for a policy issue of your choice.