March 24, 2023

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ROLE OF THE POLICY ANALYST. Policy analysis is a systematic evaluation of the technical and political implications of alternatives proposed to solve public problems. Policy analysis refers to both the process of assessing policies or programs, and the product of that analysis. SIX STEP POLICY ANALYSIS 1) Verify, define and detail the problem 2) Establish evaluation criteria 3) Identify alternative policies 4) Assess alternative policies 5) Display and distinguish among alternatives 6) Implement, monitor, and evaluate the policy   1) VERIFY, DEFINE AND DETAIL THE PROBLEM State the problem meaningfully: Determine the magnitude and extent of the problem Continually re-define the problem in light of what is possible Eliminate irrelevant material Question the accepted thinking about the problem Question initial formulations of the problem Say it with data Locate similar policy analyses Locate relevant sources of data Eliminate ambiguity Clarify objectives Resolve conflicting goals Focus on the central, critical factors Is it important? Is it unusual? Can it be solved? Identify who is concerned, and why? What power do concerned parties have? Make a quick estimate of resources required to deal with the problem   2) ESTABLISH EVALUATION CRITERIA What are the important policy goals, and how will they be measured? Identify criteria central to the problem and relevant to the stakeholders Clarify goals, values and objectives Identify desirable and undesirable outcomes Is there a rank order of importance among the criteria? What will be the rules for comparing alternatives? Administrative Ease Costs and benefits Effectiveness Equity Legality Political acceptability   3) IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVE POLICIES Consider a wide range of options Consider the status quo, or no-action alternative Consult with experts Brainstorming, Delphi, Scenario writing Redefine the problem if necessary 4) ASSESS ALTERNATIVE POLICIES Select appropriate methods and apply them correctly Estimate expected outcomes, effects, and impacts of each policy alternative Do the predicted outcomes meet the desired goals? Can some alternatives be quickly discarded Continue in-depth analysis of alternatives that make the first cut 5) DISPLAY AND DISTINGUISH AMONG ALTERNATIVES Choose a format for display Show strengths and weaknesses of each alternative Describe the best and worst case scenario for each alternative Use matrices, reports, lists, charts, scenarios, arguments   6) IMPLEMENT, MONITOR, AND EVALUATE THE POLICY Draw up a plan for implementation Design monitoring system Suggest design for policy evaluation Was the policy properly implemented? Did the policy have the intended effect(s)?   ROLE OF THE POLICY ANALYST Policy analysis is a systematic evaluation of the technical and political implications of alternatives proposed to solve public problems. Policy analysis refers to both the process of assessing policies or programs, and the product of that analysis. A policy analyst: uses qualitative and quantitative data; uses a variety of approaches to the problem; Applies appropriate methods correctly. Who does policy analysis? Is public policy analysis a calling? A vocation? A service? A guild? A cult? the role of the policy analyst is to: Produce arguments for debates about public policy Produce evidence for decisions about public policy Act as internal organizational consultants Act as external policy consultants Handle both technical and people aspects of policy analysis All policy represents the distribution of power and resources. These policies are an expression of values. Values and beliefs are often used as short-cuts to decision-making. What code of ethics should the policy analyst adopt? What about the professional values of obligation, responsibility, discretion, and citizenship? What about published professional codes of ethics, such as ASPA, ICMA, AICP, NASW, NSPE, etc.? The policy analyst has responsibilities, to the client, the customer, the self, the profession, the public interest, fairness, equity, law, justice, efficiency, effectiveness, and the practice itself. Who is to define what is good? Whose values or goals should be pursued? What is the right thing to do? Who or what is ultimately to be served? Should the analyst try first and foremost to do good, or to do no harm? Should the analyst give neutral advice, or normative advocacy? Should the analyst be supportive or adversarial? Bias is inevitable in policy analysis. To mitigate the effects of bias, the analyst can: identify all underlying assumptions keep accurate records use multiple sources of information use replicable methods and models identify the client’s goals and values identify the formal and informal actors and institutions address relevant professional and ethical considerations

The nature and importance of policy analysis  and evaluation in the local sphere of government. … Policy analysis is described as the dissection, isolation and systematic examining and explaining of policy phenomena or components to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of each part or action Understanding Public Policy Importance of Policy Analysis during the development and Implementation Stages of Public Policy Policy analysis refers to the process of identifying which of the alternative policies is most likely to accomplish a certain set goals as regards the relationship between the goals and policies at hand. According to Dunn (2003), policy analysis methods offer the means needed to evaluate the policy alternatives and provide recommendations on the preferred policy approach to achieve the various economic, social or political goals. In addition, policy analysis offers a way of evaluating the existing policies with the primary of objective of providing recommendations on improvement (Dunn, 2003). Therefore, policy analysis is an indispensable tool during the development and implementation stages of public policy. During the development phase of public policy, policy analysis plays an instrumental role in the decision-making process in order to craft the most effective policy that can achieve the established goal (Dye, 2007). Policy analysis facilitates this by using a systematic approach to evaluate the various policy options with regard the goals and objectives at hand. The outcome of the policy analysis process provides a basis for recommending the most appropriate policy to be implemented in order to achieve the established goals. Policy analysis can deploy a number of methods such as quantitative and qualitative research, and using various models such as the process, institutional and rational models with the main objective of coming up with the best policy agenda per favor (Fischer, Miller, & Sidney, 2006). In the light of this view, Radin (2000) asserts that policy analysis is an effective tool that guarantees the effectiveness and efficiency of the public policies crafted. Policy analysis also plays an instrumental role during the policy implementation process by identifying opportunities for improvement. According to Fischer, Miller, & Sidney (2006), public policy analysis deploys quantitative and qualitative research methods with the aim of analyzing and comparing existing policies and provides recommendations for potential modifications. Dunn (2003) perceives policy analysis as a performance measurement tool for public policies and provides a basis for policy modification by identifying the policy’s weakness, strengths and areas that need improvement. According to Guess & Farnham (2011), policy analysis during the implementation phase of public policy serves as a tool for corrective action identifying aspects of the policy that require revision. Social Impact of Policies Public policies comprise of programs, decisions and actions implemented by governmental agencies in order to address issues affecting the public (Guess & Farnham, 2011). All government levels enact policies that tackle a myriad of social issues ranging from national security and crime to healthcare and education. Public policies have several impacts on various domains such as politics, the economy and social spheres. According to Fischer, Miller, & Sidney (2006), public policies strive to regulate the welfare and the economy system through enhancing social equality and economic performance respectively. Since public policies have the main objective of dealing with social, political and economic issues facing the citizenry, the impact of public policies in their respective domains depends on their effectiveness and efficiency. According to Fischer, Miller, & Sidney (2006), one of the notable social impacts of public policies implemented at all government levels is public protection through increased consumer and public safety. It is evident that the enactment of public policies leads to enhanced workplace safety, cleaner environment, public safety through police protection, safe consumer goods and food, and improved national security among others. The underlying argument is that the interests of the public are central to the development and implementation of public policies; therefore, all public policies, if implemented appropriately, can increase the quality of life and enhance public safety. Another perspective to assess the social impact of public policy is to evaluate the role that public policies play in economic development. According to Dye (2007), several public policies have an indirect or direct impact on the economy of a nation. For instance, public policies aimed at improving education result in positive economic impacts through creating a skilled workforce and reduce unemployment. Similarly, policies associated with infrastructure improvement can also spur economic growth by improving transport and communication. It is extremely difficult to pinpoint a single social impact of public policies because they are multifaceted; however, Dunn (2003) argues that, if public policies are implemented appropriately with the public’s interest at heart, they result in greater good for the society irrespective of its domain. Limitations of Policies on Government Power According to Fischer, Miller, & Sidney (2006), the increasing complexity for public policy planning and development has played an instrumental role in limiting government authority. At present, public and community participation is central to any public policy development process; this implies that the authoritative role of the government in public policy planning and development is being taken over by public and community participation. For instance, Dye (2007) argues that public policy cannot underestimate the power of public opinion during the policy planning, development and implementation process. In addition, the very definition of public policy imposes limitations on government power. In this regard, Radin (2000) argues that the public’s interest is central to any public policy and that the government’s role is just to oversee its implementation. In addition, the emergence of other stakeholders, such as interest groups, is likely to reduce the government’s authority with respect to the policy process. These stakeholders, as well as public opinions, are gradually shaping the policy planning and development process, leaving the government with only task of implementing the policies crafted by these stakeholders in the policy community (Fischer, Miller, & Sidney, 2006).   Importance of Policy Evaluation Related Articles 1 What Is the Importance & Purpose of a Business Plan? 2 Advantages & Disadvantages of Performance Evaluation 3

MEANING OF POLICY ANALYSIS Policy analysis is a technique used in public administration to enable civil servants to examine and evaluate the available options to implement the goals of elected officials. … Analysis of existing policy, which is analytical and descriptive—i.e., it attempts to explain policies and their development. Policy analysis is a technique used in public administration to enable civil servants to examine and evaluate the available options to implement the goals of elected officials. It has been defined as the process of “determining which of various policies will achieve a given set of goals in light of the relations between the policies and the goals.”[1] Policy analysis can be divided[by whom?] into two major fields:[2] Analysis of existing policy, which is analytical and descriptive—i.e., it attempts to explain policies and their development. Analysis for new policy, which is prescriptive—i.e., it is involved with formulating policies and proposals (for example: to improve social welfare). The areas of interest and the purpose of analysis determine what types of analysis are conducted. A combination of two kinds of policy analyses together with program evaluation would be defined as policy studies.[3] Policy analysis is frequently deployed[by whom?] in the public sector, but is equally applicable to other kinds of organizations, such as nonprofit organizations and non-governmental organizations. Policy analysis has its roots in systems analysis, an approach used by United States Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara[4] in the 1960s. Approaches Various approaches to policy analysis exist. The analysis ‘for’ policy (and/or analysis ‘of’ policy) is the central approach in social science and educational policy studies. It is linked to two different traditions of policy analysis and research frameworks. The approach of analysis ‘for’ policy refers to research conducted for actual policy development, often commissioned by policymakers inside the bureaucracy (e.g., senior civil servants) within which the policy is developed. Analysis ‘of’ policy is more of an academic exercise, conducted by academic researchers, professors and think tank researchers, who are often seeking to understand why a particular policy was developed at a particular time and assess the effects, intended or otherwise, of that policy when it was implemented.[5] There are three approaches that can be distinguished: the analysis-centric, the policy process, and the meta-policy approach.[2] Analysis-centric The analysis-centric (or “analycentric”) approach focuses on individual problems and their solutions. Its scope is the micro-scale and its problem interpretation or problem resolution usually involves a technical solution. The primary aim is to identify the most effective and efficient solution in technical and economic terms (e.g. the most efficient allocation of resources). Policy process The policy process approach puts its focal point onto political processes and involved stakeholders; its scope is the broader meso-scale and it interprets problems using a political lens (i.e., the interests and goals of elected officials). It aims at determining what processes, means and policy instruments (e.g., regulation, legislation, subsidy, etc.) are used. As well, it tries to explain the role and influence of stakeholders within the policy process. In the 2010s, “stakeholders” is defined broadly to include citizens, community groups, non-governmental organizations, businesses and even opposing political parties. By changing the relative power and influence of certain groups (e.g., enhancing public participation and consultation), solutions to problems may be identified that have more “buy in” from a wider group. One way of doing this followed a heuristic model called the policy cycle. In its simplest form, the policy cycle, which is often depicted visually as a loop or circle, starts with the identification of the problem, proceeds to an examination of the different policy tools that could be used to respond to this problem, then goes on to the implementation stage, in which one or more policies are put into practice (e.g., a new regulation or subsidy is set in place), and then finally, once the policy has been implemented and run for a certain period, the policy is evaluated. A number of different lenses can be used during evaluation, including looking at a policy’s effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, value for money, outcomes or outputs. Meta-policy The meta-policy approach is a systems and context approach; i.e., its scope is the macro-scale and its problem interpretation is usually of a structural nature. It aims at explaining the contextual factors of the policy process; i.e., what are the political, economic and socio-cultural factors influencing it. As problems may result because of structural factors (e.g., a certain economic system or political institution), solutions may entail changing the structure itself. Methodology Policy analysis uses both qualitative methods and quantitative methods. Qualitative research includes case studies, interviews with community members. Quantitative research includes survey research, statistical analysis (also called data analysis), model building. A common practice is to define the problem and evaluation criteria; identify and evaluate alternatives; and recommend a certain policy accordingly. Promotion of the best agendas are the product of careful “back-room” analysis of policies by a priori assessment and a posteriori evaluation. Dimensions for analyzing policies There are six dimensions to policy analysis categorized as the effects and implementation of the policy across a period of time. Also collectively known as “Durability” of the policy, which means the capacity in content of the policy to produce visible effective compatible change or results over time with robustness.[6] Effects Effectiveness What effects does the policy have on the targeted problem? Unintended effects[7] What are the unintended effects of this policy? Equity[8] What are the effects of this policy on different population groups?   Implementation Cost What is the financial cost of this policy (some analysts also include tax credits in this analysis)? Feasibility Is the policy technically feasible? Acceptability[9] Do the relevant policy stakeholders view the policy as acceptable? The strategic effects dimensions can pose certain limitations due to data collection. But the analytical dimensions of effects directly influences Acceptability. The degree of acceptability is based upon the plausible definitions of actors involved in feasibility. If the feasibility dimension is compromised, it will put the implementation at risk, which will entail additional Cost. Finally Implementation

The impact of welfare reform on the social services workforce Key points Welfare reform has increased demand on the social services workforce, especially those in third sector care and support Workers have been emotionally affected by the impact of welfare reform on clients lives and have felt angry, distressed, as well as disappointed and frustrated in their ability to help Workers have been diverted from other tasks to help reassure people affected by welfare reform and guide and signpost them through the system Additional workloads and emotional stresses come on top of an already difficult work-life balance, decreasing job security and pay and conditions with possible implications for recruitment and retention The sector is involved in awareness raising, evidence gathering, lobbying and campaigning to challenge aspects of welfare reform Introduction This evidence summary explores the impact of welfare reform – in a climate of austerity and cuts – on key client groups and its consequent effect on the social services workforce in Scotland. It draws on evidence from the UK where relevant or transferable, but focuses on the Scottish context, impact and response. The context Background The Welfare Reform Act of 2012 ushered in wide-ranging changes to the post-war welfare system in the UK. Measures introduced by the Conservative-led coalition government form part of a programme of austerity, with significant cuts to public services. The changes to UK law can be summarised as (White, 2014): Replacing the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with point-based Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Replacing Incapacity Benefit (and related benefits) with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – largely completed after initial phase of testing across UK from 2011–14 A withdrawal of Council Tax benefits and parts of the Social Fund (community care grants and crisis loans) The introduction of Universal Credit (UC), replacing a range of in- and out-of-work benefits incorporating housing costs, and changes to working tax credits The creation of new household caps and ‘under-occupancy’ penalties (known as the ‘bedroom tax’) From April 2013, changes to the DWP Social Fund scheme meant that Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants stopped. These were replaced by the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF), delivered by councils in Scotland. Changes to welfare have also been accompanied by a migration to digital applications and monthly payments. These changes have made the transition for claimants particularly difficult, especially those without the requisite skills to make the transition. A Citizens Advice Scotland report (2013) suggested that claimants in Scotland are less likely than in other parts of the UK to have access to the internet; poorer families are the most affected. This can also be viewed in the broader context of public sector reform (Christie, 2011) and earlier debates, including the Changing lives (2006) report of the 21st century social work review. The latter questioned the sustainability of pouring more money into welfare models. Nevertheless, the extent of the changes brought in by the UK government in 2012 could not have been predicted. Scottish context The Scottish experience of welfare reform has been different to the experiences of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For example, unique responses have been made to both the bedroom tax, with Discretionary Housing Funds available, and introduction of the Scottish Welfare Fund to replace the loss of DWP crisis funds. In Scotland, the Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Act 2012 intended to shift some of the burden of the changes to social security and protect vulnerable individuals in Scotland. The Social services in Scotland: a shared vision and strategy 2015–20 (2015) recognises the significant changes to the welfare system, and contends that ‘Scottish Government is working with stakeholders, partners and the UK Government to understand the impact of the welfare reforms and doing as much as possible to understand the impact on and support public services and vulnerable people in Scotland.’ As evidence of this, a committee investigating the impact of welfare reform was established in January 2012, signifying that Scottish Government was less sympathetic to the changes being implemented by Westminster.1 Following the ‘no vote’ in the Scottish independence referendum (Sept 2014), a further Westminster-Holyrood deal was struck to devolve more powers. Some of the detail is still being worked through, although, details on The Scotland Bill 2015-16 – in particular on welfare reform – have been formally released and include discretionary crisis and community care grants. The Welfare Funds (Scotland) Act 2015 places a duty on local authorities to provide a safety net for vulnerable people in an emergency situation, following abolition of the discretionary Social Fund by the DWP. While the Act comes into force in April 2016, it has been administered on an interim basis under a voluntary agreement between Scottish Government and COSLA since April 2013. The impact of these new powers on people receiving benefits, and the social services workforce supporting them, have yet to be realised. Groups most affected by welfare reform According to Beatty and Fothergill (2013), the poorest local authorities have been impacted the most by welfare reform. White’s review of the literature (2014) identified the following groups as most affected: unemployed and low-income groups; disabled people; vulnerable women; homeless people (Crisis, 2015); and prison leavers. The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC, 2013:1) highlights the disproportionate impact on women; children; migrants and refugees; and disabled people. Dryburgh and Lancashire (2011) reported that disabled people are facing the greatest challenge. The WR Committee (2013) reported that the greatest impact is on working age people, with people of pensionable age, largely unaffected. It should be noted that the reforms to welfare impact more on women with a link to child poverty and larger families bearing the brunt (Beatty and Fothergill, 2013). ‘The explanation for this disproportionate impact on women lies in women’s pre-existing inequality’ (Engender, 2015: 4). The same may also be true of some of the other groups identified. The impact on unpaid carers – part client group, part unwaged member of the social services workforce – is not well known. However, Carers Scotland (2012) published a review, and

Factors Influencing Policy Formulation and Decision The basic factors that influence policy formulation are The objectives of a business firm Its management structure Economic and financial resources available to it at a particular point of time Attitudes, social values and norms of the top management Fiscal and monetary policies of the government Policies of sister concerns and business associations Government regulations and control measures Public opinion and expectations from business etc. You can never evade your responsibility towards the society and your policies must incorporate statements that reflect your interest in the welfare of the society. In corporate business environment, where voluminous business activity is carried on, corporations have very well understood the fact that, acquisition and utilization of resources from the society has to be repaid in the form of contributions to societal welfare. Otherwise their image might get tarnished. Moral and ethical values of a society also influence the mind set of business persons. In countries like India, where people ardently follow traditions and customs, a business person hailing from such a family will definitely try to maintain minimum ethical standards both in personal as well as business environments. Policy Aspects: Business policies cover all the functional areas such as production, marketing, personnel and finance aspects. Major policies pertaining to overall objectives, procedures and control affect the organization as a whole. Minor policies on the other hand, cover relationship in a segment of an organization, with considerable emphasis on details and procedures. Such policies are an outgrowth of major policies and preserve their unity of purpose. They meet the day-to-day requirements of the departments and are generally decided at the sectional and departmental levels.   Various Corporate Policies: Strategic business policies cover aspects such as product-mix, promotion-mix, market-mix, administrative policies etc; HR policies cover a wide range of aspects such as pay, promotions, recruitment, selection, induction, training and development, pension, disciplinary action, quality of work life and so on. So, to attain clear-cut objectives, firms need related business policies, in the absence of which, the firm may lose grip and direction in the overall management of the corporation. Factors Affecting Policy American Indians and Social Policy Systems Approach to Policy Making Contextual Factors Cultural: American perception of the importance of causes of social problems=a responsibility for problem(s) and societal obligation to assist those in need (deserving and undeserving poor). Economic: Government’s control of resources. Ex: tax revenues, corporate benefits, government budgetary priorities, etc. Institutional: Government’s administrative capabilities to develop and implement social programs and maintain balance in federal, state and local jurisdiction. Social: Changes in social environment that shape policy.  Ex: war, immigration, demographic factors, industrialization, urbanization, etc. Sequencing of Events: Timing of important developments on evolution of U.S. policy.  Ex: civil rights, terrorism, or nationalization of health care. Legal: Influence of constitutional provisions.  Judiciary both creates new and reshapes old social policy; negates policy; establishes procedural policy.  Ex: Roe vs. Wade; Brown vs. the Board of Education, etc. Political Factors The political process encourages or discourages expansion of public obligation-policy is enacted, defeated or the issue is not given political consideration. American Response to Social Problems An attentive public evaluates the effects on citizens and makes moral evaluations which in turn influence the larger societal context and the political process.   1.2 Factors that influence decisions Now that these different approaches to decision making have been considered it is possible to extract a number of linked factors that influence decisions: The decision makers The decision situation Thinking in terms of a problem or an opportunity Decision criteria Time People affected by the decision Decision support – theories, tools and techniques. Let us briefly consider each of these factors in turn. 1 The decision makers Different people approach decision making in different ways. Individuals are unique in terms of their personalities, abilities, beliefs and values. They also each have traditions of understanding out of which they think and act. Even when the same data is apparently available to all, people will interpret and assimilate the data in different ways and at different speeds. Some people are very confident about weighing up a situation and making decisions, others less so. Some like to take more risks than others. Competences, such as the ability to listen to other people, also vary. Social pressures affect everyone to varying degrees and the approval or disapproval of friends and colleagues may be more important to the decision maker than being ‘right’ every time. Political beliefs also vary and people will rank differently, for example, individual and social gains from a situation. Each individual develops personal beliefs and values, including those relating to their environment, through different life experiences, and hence brings a different perspective to a decision situation. Some people will also have more at stake in a decision outcome than others. There are therefore many issues around who is involved in decision-making processes and how they participate. 2 The decision situation The garbage-can approach to decision making showed that the decision situation is often messy and complex and that apparently unrelated events can affect decision outcomes, depending on what else is going on at the time the decision is taken. For any individual or group there will be both ‘knowns’ and ‘unknowns’ in a decision situation. In the examples so far, in the text and in the answer to Activity 1, the unknowns range from prices and models of computers to weather conditions and availability of people. It is not always easy to work out which aspects of a decision situation are relevant. Elements of change, risk and uncertainty are common in decision situations and recognising and making sense of these elements are two of the main challenges that decision makers face. Risk implies that we know what the possible outcomes of a decision may be and that we know, or can work out, the probability of each outcome. Uncertainty, on the other hand, implies that there are unknowns and that we can at best guess at possible outcomes and their

What is Policy Analysis? “The process through which we identify and evaluate alternative policies or programs that are intended to lessen or resolve social, economic, or physical problems.” – Carl V. Patton Policy Analysis in Six easy steps. Based on the ideas and approach followed by Carl V. Patton there exists a very simple pattern of ideas and points to be considered in doing an actual policy analysis. The six steps are as follows: Verify, define, and detail the problem. The most relevant and important of them all because many times the objectives are not clear or even contradictory from each other. A successful policy analysis will have allocated and identified clearly the problem to be resolved in the following steps. This is the foundation for an efficient and effective outcome of the whole process. The analyst must question both the interested parties involved as well as their agendas of the outcome. Locating the problem in such a way that eliminates any ambiguity for future references. Establish evaluation criteria. In order to compare, measure and select among alternatives, relevant evaluation criteria must be established. In this step it must be considered cost, net benefit, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, administrative ease, legality, and political acceptability. Economic benefits must be considered in evaluating the policy. How the policy will harm or benefit a particular group or groups will depend on the number of option viable Options more difficult than others must be considered but ultimately decided through analyzing the parties involved with policy. Political and other variables go hand in hand with the evaluation criteria to be followed. Most of the time the client, or person or group, interested in the policy analysis will dictate the direction or evaluation criteria to follow. Identify alternative policies. In order to reach this third step the other two must have been successfully reached and completed. As it can be seen, the policy analysis involves an incrementalist approach; reaching one step in order to go on to the next. In this third step understanding what is sought is very important. In order to generate alternatives, it becomes important to have a clear understanding of the problem and how to go about it. Possible alternatives include the “do nothing approach” (status quo), and any other that can benefit the outcome. Combining alternatives generates better solutions not thought of before. Relying on past experiences from other groups or policy analysis helps to create a more thorough analysis and understanding. It is important to avoid settling prematurely on a certain number of options in this step; many options must be considered before settling into a reduced number of alternatives. Brainstorming, research, experiments, writing scenarios, or concept mapping greatly help in finding new alternatives that will help reach an “optimal” solution. Evaluate alternative policies. Packaging of alternatives into strategies is the next step in accomplishing a thorough policy analysis. It becomes necessary to evaluate how each possible alternative benefits the criteria previously established. Additional data needs to be collected in analyzing the different levels of influence: the economical, political and social dimensions of the problem. These dimensions are analyzed through quantitative and qualitative analysis, that is the benefits and costs per alternative. Political questions in attaining the goals are analyzed as to see whether they satisfy the interested parties of the policy analysis. In doing this more concise analysis the problem may not exist as originally identified; the actual problem statement from the first step may suffer a transformation, which is explained after evaluating the alternatives in greater detail. New aspects of the problem may be found to be transient and even different from the original problem statement. This modification process allows this method of policy analysis to allow for a “recycling” of information in all the steps. Several fast interactions through the policy analysis may well be more efficient and effective than a single detailed one. What this means is that the efficiency is greatly increased when several projects are analyzed and evaluated rather than just one in great detail, allowing for a wider scope of possible solutions. Patton further suggests to avoid the tool box approach: attacking options with a favorite analysis method; its important to have a heterogeneous approach in analyzing the different possible alternatives. It becomes inefficient to view each alternative under a single perspective; its clearly relevant the need to evaluate each alternative following diverse evaluating approaches singled out according to the uniqueness of each of them. Display and distinguish among alternative policies. The results of the evaluation of possible alternatives list the degree to which criteria are met in each of them. Numerical results don’t speak for themselves but are of great help in reaching a satisfying solution in the decision. Comparison schemes used to summarize virtues are of great help in distinguishing among several options; scenarios with quantitative methods, qualitative analysis, and complex political considerations can be melded into general alternatives containing many more from the original ones. In making the comparison and distinction of each alternative it is necessary to play out the economic, political, legal, and administrative ramification of each option. Political analysis is a major factor of decision of distinction among the choices; display the positive effects and negative effects interested in implementing the policy. This political approach will ultimately analyze how the number of participants will improve or diminish the implementation. It will also criticize on how the internal cooperation of the interested units or parties will play an important role in the outcome of the policy analysis. Mixing two or more alternatives is a very common and practiced approach in attaining a very reasonably justified policy analysis. Monitoring the implemented policy. Assure continuity, determine whether they are having impact. “Even after a policy has been implemented, there may be some doubt whether the problem was resolved appropriately and even whether the selected policy is being implemented properly. This concerns require that policies and programs be maintained and monitored during implementation to assure that they do not change for