Evaluating performance and policy results helps policymakers understand why some policies work and others do not. Policy evaluations can therefore enhance the quality of decision-making and provide tailored advice to improve policy formulation and implementation.
The first section of this chapter provides guidance on how to
build an institutional framework for policy evaluation and
promote the quality and use of evaluations in policy-making.
The following section highlights the need to
review the impact of regulations.
Core questions for consideration by governments
5 Toward robust policy evaluation
Does your country’s current legal and policy framework foster systematic policy evaluation across government? Are the necessary mechanisms in place to ensure ex-post evaluations of regulations?
How does your government ensure the quality of evaluations across government? Are there specific mechanisms in place?
To what extent does your government engage with stakeholders during the policy evaluation process?
To what extent does your government provide a degree of transparency during the policy evaluation process?
How does your government promote the use of the findings of policy evaluations? Does your government consider evaluation results for budgetary discussions?
How is performance information use dot improve policy and service design and delivery? In other words, does your government institutionalise feedback loops to optimise the impact of the evaluation of policy performance and sustain its influence on policy-making?
In the context of pursuing the Agenda 2030 SDGs, is policy evaluation and its feedback loops taking on added importance? How is your government preparing for assessing its progress in pursuing this Agenda and in reporting to citizens on this progress?
Has your government established measures to promote the realisation of ex-post regulatory reviews?
Country practices
5 Toward robust policy evaluation
Canada’s Policy on Results
Chile’s Supreme Audit Institution’s role in Strengthening good governance
Norway’s webportal for evaluations: Measures to foster the use of evaluation results in policy-making
The American Interagency Council on Evaluation policy: Measures to foster the use of evaluation results in policy-making
Discussion of evaluation results at the parliamentary level in Germany: Measures to foster the use of evaluation results in policy-making
Discussion of evaluation results at the parliamentary level in Japan: Measures to foster the use of evaluation results in policy-making