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Start Right Exploration lets you identify and confirm the most important dimensions of a policy project at the start, to assist with scoping, focus, direction and project efficiency. It is also known as policy analysis, policy scoping or...

Design thinking is also known as human-centred design, co-design and participatory design. On this page: Design thinking for policy Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

Journey mapping helps you to understand a person’s experiences by creating a map of their interactions with the system. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

Role play helps you understand and prepare for a situation by acting out a scenario with fictional personas. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use Limitations...

Prototyping helps you to build ideas for policy options by testing a model and refining it through active user participation. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

Experience or empathy interviews are an inexpensive way to learn from people about their experience of a service or system. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

Personas are research-based characters that you create to understand the real experiences of people who will use your service or be affected by a policy. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it...

A summary of the different behavioural change models On this page: Nudge, system-thinking, and peripheral - and central-thinking models The theory of planned behaviour and related models of rational decision-making Motivated reasoning and cognition,...

Myth: Futures thinking tries to predict the future. Fact:  Futures thinking does not attempt to predict the future. There are a range of possible futures and the future can be actively shaped by the decisions we take today. Futures...

A structured process of looking for early signs of change that could disrupt the issue you are studying in unexpected ways. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

A method that identifies and questions the conscious and unconscious assumptions that shape policy analysis. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use Limitations...

Structured brainstorming that helps participants visualise how important trends or events might impact on the policy area. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use...

Stories that describe alternative ways the external environment might develop in the future. Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use Limitations References, guides and key...

A method for testing the robustness of policy options against a set of scenarios to see how well they stand up against a range of external conditions. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal...

Works backwards from a desirable future to identify the actions needed to help shape your desired future/s. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances for use Limitations...

Land Information New Zealand case study: Land Information New Zealand has been using the Development Pathways Tool to help its policy teams develop and grow their skills and to enrich development plan discussions. The tool sets out the...

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / Treaty of Waitangi analysis applies the terms and concepts in the texts of the Treaty to policy development and implementation. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal...

Using structured deliberation by members of the public to progress policy. On this page: Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumtances for use Limitations References, guides and key readings...

Welcome to the Policy Methods Toolbox The Policy Methods Toolbox is a repository of policy development methods that helps policy practitioners identify and select the right approach for their policy initiative. This first release of the...

Quality commissioning is the starting point for producing quality policy advice. Many different things can initiate the need to produce policy advice. Ministers regularly ask for it. External events can precipitate the need for it. Our...

Communicating advice effectively to a decision-maker relies on the art of good story telling. To tell your story well you need to: know your audience (usually a minister) how best to engage with your audience set the scene or context for...

In 2014, the then State Services Commissioner, Peter Hughes, created this functional lead role. The objective was to provide stronger leadership to those parts of the public service responsible for providing policy advice.   Dr Brook...

There are lots of ways for you to connect with your policy colleagues across the New Zealand public service and overseas. You can find here ways to connect with the New Zealand policy community and the international policy community.

The Tier 2 Policy Leaders’ Network constitutes deputy chief executives with policy responsibilities from every public service agency. The Network’s monthly meetings are chaired by Brook Barrington, Head of the Policy Profession. The scope of the matters...

Good quality engagement by government can solve complex problems, can lead to better solutions and build enduring relationships with individuals and groups in the community. Good engagement practice and ensuring a focus on engagement...

We’ve brought together examples of how agencies and policy practitioners are using the Policy Project frameworks and tools in their policy practice. We’ll add to these case studies over time. They provide useful insights into how the...

The Policy Profession Board supports the Head of the Policy Profession – the policy system leader. The Board does this by: acting as a sounding board for system policy capability and quality issues being champions for joined-up efforts to improve the...

Great policy managers build high performing policy teams that deliver great policy advice. That means ensuring the policy team knows what it’s trying to achieve, has a culture of constructive challenge, innovation and continuous improvement....

The Start Right Green Light records the agreement to formally commence a policy project, the initial policy question and the approach to policy development. It's also known as policy initiation, project mandate, project initiation or policy...

The Start Right question prompts for Commissioning Conversations between senior managers and the manager or policy team can encourage the right behaviours in the early stages of policy development. It's also known as policy initiation,...

Evidence Good policy advice is underpinned by good evidence. This means that the advice is informed by up-to-date data, contextual and other knowledge, people’s experiences and research from New Zealand and overseas. Achieving evidence-...

Start Right is also known as policy commissioning, policy initiation and project management for policy development. On this page: About Start Right Why you should use it What it involves What you will get out of it Ideal circumstances...

Start Right Guide Guidance on how to get policy projects off to a great start This document outlines how to apply the Start Right approach to initiating a policy project, so it is set up for quality and success. Start Right is designed to be applied...

Using this document This document contains guidance on different types of communication with ministers and Cabinet. Whether you’re writing a Cabinet paper, a policy paper, an aide memoire or an A3, you’ll find high level descriptions of what’s involved...

Start Right: Green Light Framework The Green Light Framework below lets you record the things you learned during the Exploration phase. The Framework can be used to seek agreement and authorisation, and should be iterated over time as required. Getting...