Open Government Partnership Expert Advisory Panel
Date / time: Wednesday May 16th, 9:30am to 12:00pm
Venue: Level 2, The Reserve Bank, No 2 the Terrace
Agenda & Topics
1. Welcome and Introductions – 9:30-9:40: Welcome Anaru Fraser, Additional agenda Items
2. Follow-up from 18 April Meeting – 9:40-9:50: Minutes, Matters Arising, EAP Bios
3. Commitment 7 – 9:50-10:40: Dianne Owenga and Melita Glasgow (DPMC), See summary of questions and comment received in Appendix
4. OGP 2018-20 National Action Plan Engagement Process – 10:40-11:25: Update from Larry, Next Steps – EAP member participation
5. Wrap Up – 11:25
NB. Catherine will need to step out between 9:30 and 10:40
Appendix
‘Commitment 7: Improving policy practices’ – Feedback on the initial four Policy Methods Toolbox entries
The Policy Project in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet would appreciate your feedback on the content of the initial four Policy Methods Toolbox entries, aimed at public service policy advisers, and which relate to:
- Design thinking
- Behavioural insights
- Public participation
- Start Right (starting policy projects in an effective way)
Note that the high level descriptor for Commitment 7 was “We will improve knowledge of tools and techniques policy makers can use to create more open and user-led policy”. Also that the ‘Ambition’ was “We will create accessible, easy-to-digest guidance material on: being an ‘intelligent customer/user’ of data and evidence; methods for gathering and generating insights from others, particularly those directly affected by policy and public services; using collaborative approaches, so that policy is informed by a broad range of input and expertise and meets user needs; testing and improving policy and services with citizens-as-users. “
Focusing questions:
It would be helpful if your feedback focused on providing answers to whichever of the following focusing questions seem most relevant to you:
- Will the content about tools and methods included so far in the Policy Project’s online Policy Methods Toolbox help improve policy practitioner understanding of why, how and when to apply those tools?
- For the current four focus areas, could the way the current content is presented be improved, or added to, so that policy practitioner understanding, and the practice of more open and user-led policy, improve? If so, what changes do you recommend?
- What would you suggest as priorities for extending the Policy Methods Toolbox in future (to include what tools and methods, why)?
- What process for engagement beyond government would you advise, in developing the Policy Methods Toolbox in those areas?
- In what ways could you see the information available in the Policy Methods Toolbox being brought to the attention of people and organisations beyond central government?
Feedback Received
- Will the content about tools and methods included so far in the Policy Project’s online Policy Methods Toolbox help improve policy practitioner understanding of why, how and when to apply those tools?
The content is excellent and pitched well to a public policy practitioner audience. I wonder whether a process flow diagram and an example of good policy development would be a good accompaniment to these tools. PN
The challenge is to engage the currently dis-interested policy advisors - for some, the inclusion of regular case studies, promoted through media such as the PSA magazine, will attract their interest and engage their attention. For others, a way of attracting their ongoing attention and commitment might be a competition between government agencies measured against a simple 7 item checklist based on the methodology in the policy tool kit. SS
- What process for engagement beyond government would you advise, in developing the Policy Methods Toolbox in those areas?
It would be great for the general public to be more aware of ‘how we make policy’ in the NZ government. Particularly those individuals/groups who seek and offer public policy design input – knowing how and when best to engage would most likely be really helpful. PN
Policy that plays a role in health care effects the lives of every New Zealander - a draft commitment for the 3rd NAP developed by patients would be a way of engaging people of all ages from all over the country, from all occupations, at all income and education levels. SS
- In what ways could you see the information available in the Policy Methods Toolbox being brought to the attention of people and organisations beyond central government?
As above, if there is somewhere a database of regular contributors (perhaps held by individual departments rather than centrally) to public policy design, how about sharing these links and offering a webinar to walk through them, enabling some Q&A as part of that? What would be awesome is to then be able to clearly identify where civil society / the public can engage and how best to do that. PN
See answer to 2 above. SS
16 May 2018 - Expert Advisory Panel meeting: agenda