AMP Toolbox
Draw up an implementation plan
Introduction
Planning the implementation process and the actions necessary for putting the policy into practice is highly important. According to Althaus et al. (2007), it is necessary to use focussed activities which ensure commitment from all actors and to check the availability of the resources required. They also suggest an implementation check list as a good strategy for ensuring successful policy implementation.
The actions recommended in this step focus mainly on the involvement of the institutional actors and administrative procedures necessary for the implementation. This therefore assumes that stakeholders' interests and their commitment to the policy have been ensured in previous steps. Nevertheless, to the extent to which stakeholder activities are necessary for the policy outcome, in this step stakeholders are addressed as “actors“ alongside institutions and their representatives.
Key questions
Planning the implementation process and the actions necessary for putting the policy into practice is highly important. According to Althaus et al. (2007), it is necessary to use focussed activities which ensure commitment from all actors and to check the availability of the resources required. They also suggest an implementation check list as a good strategy for ensuring successful policy implementation.
The actions recommended in this step focus mainly on the involvement of the institutional actors and administrative procedures necessary for the implementation. This therefore assumes that stakeholders' interests and their commitment to the policy have been ensured in previous steps. Nevertheless, to the extent to which stakeholder activities are necessary for the policy outcome, in this step stakeholders are addressed as “actors“ alongside institutions and their representatives.
Key questions
- Which policy levels need to be involved?
- Which agencies need to be involved?
- Do these actors agree on the overarching policy objectives and are they committed to the success of the policy?
- Where do overlapping administrative competences exist?
- Is the timing of activities coordinated?
- Which communication channels are needed?
- Which audiences need to be addressed in a dissemination strategy?
- Which risks can compromise successful implementation?
- How is the policy process to be monitored and evaluated?
Key actions
The following checklist was derived from Althaus et al. (2007):
- Identify all agencies to be involved at all policy levels and check their commitment to the policy objectives.
- Check for overlaps in competencies in order to keep the number of participating agencies small; monitor the presence and involvement of agencies actually executing activities on the ground to ensure implementation objectives are met adequately.
- Design and implement a dissemination strategy that takes into account specific audiences.
- Check communication channels between agencies and actors and design a protocol or communication plan ensuring continuous exchange of information. Check whether risks to implementation have been identified and addressed properly (alternative strategies, etc.).
Other key actions
- Check availability of resources both in financial and human capital means.
- Draw a plan and define milestones (i.e. timeline) which allow for the early detection of delays and plan for emergency activities.
- Draw up a monitoring plan.
Tools
- Stakeholder Meetings
- PERSEUS presentation materials
- Focused conversations
- Facilitation – online descriptions
- Conflict management, negotiation and consensus building
- Consensus workshop method
- Stakeholders analysis (strategies used for stakeholder analysis can be adapted to institutional stocktaking)
- Institutional analysis
- SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis
Further reading
- Gantt charts, graphic visualizations of implementation processes using simple spread sheets can support the planning and coordination of implementation. Wikipedia
- A checklist for implementation (Althaus, Bridgman, and Davis 2007) can be useful for checking the completeness of actions
- Althaus, C., Bridgman, P., Davis, G., (2007), The Australian Policy Handbook, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW. Outlook