What is the policy problem? : Methodological challenges in policy evaluation

• Because when a policy process starts, nobody knows what line of action will eventually be implemented, policy evaluation has to continuously examine the content of different policy components. In order to understand and explain public policy, different stakeholders’ perceptions of the policy problem need to be scrutinized. A policy evaluation should also facilitate the interpretation of policy in a broader context. What values and order does the policy or programme promote? Using an open evaluation framework and a mix of criteria can facilitate a broader interpretation of the policy process. In this article, problems undertaking policy evaluation are discussed in relation to a Swedish medical informatics programme.

Nyckelord

lines of rationality

policy evaluation

policy learning

policy problem

stakeholders

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