Havo 5.2.2 Issue Identification and Policy Development

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Me for President

Issue Identification and Policy Development 

In Class Today

What is policy?

Issue identification

Policy development 

Policy Development 

Developing policy that address societal problems, challenges, and opportunities is a critical part of what political parties and candidates do. 

What is policy?

What is policy 

Politics is meant to be a competition of ideas: 

• How the country should be run?
• How should the economy be developed?
• How should the country educate its young people?
• How should public health be managed? 

What is policy?

In order for political ideas to come to life, they must be translated into policy.

Policies are clear plans about how a political vision will be achieved and how ideas will be implemented as actions 

Political Idea/Vision	To eradicate illiteracy in our country, especially among women and girls
Policy	Build 800 new state-funded secondary schools in target areas. Establish 30% of secondary schools as single-sex in the areas with the most need and demand

Issue 

Identification

Research

Development of policy options

Selection of 

Party Policy

Message development and delivery

Implementation and tracking

Stages of policy development

1. Issue identification
   issue identification helps recognise and target specific social problems or policy ares on which it can and should act.
   
   
2. Research
   Research involves gathering as much reliable informarion as possible to inform the understanding of and response to an issue. Good research focuses on outcomes

Stages of policy development

1. Development of policy options
   There is rarely only one option available to address and issue of problem. A good response starts with assessing all of these, asking; what is likely to be the most effective option?
      
2. Selection of policy
   Choose what the official position is based on the options available

Issue Identification and research

How a problem or issue is understood affects the ideas that are put forward to solve it. Therefore it is important to properly diagnose a problem before attempting to develop policy options

Issue Identification and research

Look at the different issues you have chosen last week to focus on as a presidential candidate. 

Pick one to research this week.

Problem Tree Analysis

A tool for identifying and understanding issues is the Problem Tree Analysis.

This structure maps out the anatomy of cause and effect around a particular issue or problem and allows larger problems to be broken down into manageable and definable pieces.

Problem Tree Analysis

The problem is the trunk of the tree

The effects, results, or symptoms of the
problem are the branches and leaves.
(The part that is most visible)

The causes or sources of the problem are
the roots. (the part that is most difficult
to see or most deeply embedded)

1. Write down the problem or issue to be analyzed as you currently understand it at the trunk
2. Write what you consider the causes or sources of the problem as the roots of the tree
3. Write down the consequences, effects, or outcomes as the leaves and branches