Policy analysis is the beginning, not the end, of efforts to improve the policy-making process and its outcomes. This is why policy analysis has been defined as the communication, as well as the creation and critical assessment, of policy-relevant knowledge. To be sure, the quality of policy analysis is essential to potential improvements in policies and their outcomes. But good policy analysis is not necessarily utilized by intended beneficiaries, and even when policy analysis is utilized, this does not guarantee better policies. In fact, there is often a large gap between the conduct of policy analysis and its utilization in the policy-making process, a gap that can be visualized in terms of problems faced by a poorly managed lumber mill [Box 1-5].
The communication of policy-relevant knowledge may be viewed as a four-stage process involving policy analysis, materials development, interactive communication, and knowledge utilization. As Figure 1-5 shows, policy analysis is initiated on the basis of requests for information or advice from stakeholders situated at the various stages of the policy-making process discussed in the preceding section. In responding to these requests, policy analysts create and critically assess knowledge which is relevant to policy problems, policy futures, policy actions, policy outcomes, and policy performance. To communicate such knowledge, however, analysts also develop multiple policy-relevant document - policy memoranda, policy issue papers,executive summaries, appendices, and new releases. In turn, these documents serve as a basis for multiple strategies of interactive communication in conversations, conferences, meetings, briefings, formal hearings, and other kinds of oral presentations. The purpose of developing policy-relevant documents and making oral presentations is to enhance prospects for the utilization of knowledge and open-ended debate among stakeholders situated at the several phases of the policy-making process.
The broken line in Figure 1-5 indicates that the influence of analysts on the process of knowledge utilization is limited and indirect. The solid lines indicate that policy analyst directly affect the plausibility of conclusions and recommendations reached by applying policy-analytic procedures, as well as the form, content, and appropriateness of policy-relevant documents and presentations.