IT for transparency and measurability
The book has arrived, even sooner than promised. A framework for evidence-based policy making using IT, by Hans Stol. From flipping through its pages you can tell: this is the hard stuff. But let’s start at the beginning, the introduction in Chapter 1.
Citizens are interested in results, but politicians are busy preparing decisions based only on expected outcome. “When politicians are faced with the results – and here we assume that they differ from what was promised -, they will start arguing that circumstances are different, the ideas have changed and news perspectives have arisen”.
To close the loop that is so typical for Web2.0, or maybe to make a better start, Stol proposes to look into using evidence-based policy making supported by IT. He wants to look into all aspects of policy making, the entire process: from obtaining evidence to reaching ojectives as confirmed by the evaluation of the results. And especially the last is of interest to the citizens.
Stol takes a systems approach as is usually the case when IT is involved, but he acknowledges that there is an important human factor in the equation as well. The policy-making process in his opinion should be done by human beings, supported with IT tools.
Stol starts out with 4 questions:
- How can we improve the quality of the policy-making process in terms of transparency and measurability by rationalization of the process?
- What are the characteristics of the data, representing the facts that should be used to support the achievement of the policy objectives?
- How can IT contribute in all parts of the EBPM (evidence-based policy making)?
- What are the characteristics of an information system that will collect the data representing the outcome of the EBPM?
And he ends with 4 parts of the solution:
- A framework of the policy-making process that enables the transparency and verifiability of the process and improves the quality of the process.
- Guidelines for a metadata model that serves the implementation of the framework.
- Guidelines for an effective integration of IT in the process of EBPM.
- A specification for data capture as a part of the EBPM cycle.
After reading the first chapter I am curious after the rest. But I have some doubts as well. The first chapter talks about data only as the basis for EBPM. This seems to imply a very traditional IT approach and those usually have very little room for people who have to read and use information.
