Professor Kathryn Newcomer | The Potential of Learning Agendas in Public Institutions

In their insightful research, Professor Kathryn Newcomer at George Washington University and her colleagues highlight the critical role of learning agendas in shaping governance landscapes, fostering evidence-informed decision-making and organisational growth within public institutions. They explore the process of developing a learning agenda and offer guidance for its effective implementation. Additionally, they discuss both the benefits and challenges associated with developing learning agendas to enhance the usefulness and impact of evaluation within public agencies.

The Role of Learning Agendas

In public organisations, leaders and managers aim to make informed decisions based on data and research findings. Yet, they often struggle when the available data fails to meet their needs or expectations. Professor Kathryn Newcomer at George Washington University in the USA and her colleagues emphasise that learning agendas serve as strategic tools for gathering information to promote evidence-informed decision-making. These agendas cover a wide range of topics, develop questions on ongoing or planned activities, and clarify plans and strategies to address them.

By aligning organisational objectives with strategic plans and ensuring decision-makers have the necessary data, learning agendas empower leaders and managers to identify knowledge gaps, prioritise research questions, effectively allocate resources to address key challenges and opportunities and foster a culture of learning and adaptation, essential for effective public service delivery.

Learning Agendas in US Federal Agencies

Federal agencies are now required to develop learning agendas under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (the Evidence Act). The Office of Management and Budget provides guidance for agencies in this process, emphasising the importance of identifying priority questions and regularly reviewing and updating the agendas. Some agencies, like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration in the US, had implemented learning agendas with positive results prior to passage of the Evidence Act, demonstrating their effectiveness in guiding organisational learning and decision-making.

Leveraging Policy Design for Learning Agendas

The field of policy design offers valuable insights into developing learning agendas within public organisations. This involves clarifying policy goals, outlining pathways to achieve them, and defining tools and methods for effective implementation. Pioneering work by Herbert Simon established policy design as a tool for social change, focusing on developing effective social institutions and policies. Contemporary approaches to policy design emphasise problem-solving, user-centricity, collaboration and iterative methods. These ideas translate to developing learning agendas to bridge the gap between evidence producers and users, incorporate user needs, engage stakeholders, and analyze behavioural mechanisms. These insights guide the continuous refinement and adaptation of learning agendas in federal agencies, ensuring alignment with evolving contexts and challenges while promoting evidence-informed decision-making.

Developing and Implementing a Learning Agenda

Before developing learning agendas, organisations must clarify mission objectives and goals, assess existing support for evidence-building activities, and decide on the organisational level for which the agenda should be produced. Senior leaders and programme managers need to agree on mission objectives, while staff and stakeholders must be willing to engage in the development process to promote organisational learning effectively.

Recognising the diverse landscapes of government agencies, Professor Newcomer and her team stress the importance of context in developing and implementing learning agendas. Each agency operates within its unique context, necessitating tailored approaches that resonate with its values, priorities and staffing capabilities. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to implementing the learning agenda mandate. Each agency operates within its own ecosystem, requiring tailored processes that reflect key contextual factors and values.

The 12-Step Pathway to Building a Learning Agenda

Developing a useful learning agenda within public organisations involves twelve key steps. While these steps are listed sequentially, the process is often non-linear, with many actions occurring concurrently and requiring revisiting and repetition:

1. Engage with senior leaders and program managers to agree on core objectives
2. Identify internal and external stakeholders who will contribute to the agenda’s development
3. Align the agenda with key decision timelines
4. Generate a list of questions based on strategic and operational learning needs
5. Select priority questions to ensure alignment with organisational goals
6. Review existing data and evaluation studies to minimise duplication
7. Choose methods and approaches to address priority questions
8. Draft the learning agenda and gather feedback from key stakeholders and leaders
9. Share the agenda internally and externally
10. Allocate resources to address priority questions
11. Regularly review progress and priorities
12. Continuously update the agenda based on new insights and evidence

Boosting Effectiveness and Collaboration

Professor Newcomer and her colleagues shed critical light on the benefits of embracing learning agendas within federal agencies. These agendas transcend mere planning tools, acting as catalysts for organisational growth, programme effectiveness, and collaborative learning.

The development process for creating learning agendas offers opportunities for collaboration between program managers and senior leaders, enhancing relationships and facilitating support for evidence-building activities. The development process promotes evaluative thinking among programme leaders, aligning program activities with intended outcomes, and fostering a deeper understanding of key goals. Learning agendas also play a crucial role in prioritising information needs, ensuring that decision-makers have the necessary data to inform evidence-based decisions. Lastly, learning agendas create a dynamic framework that allows continuous adjustments and revisions based on evolving priorities and changing conditions.

Addressing the Challenges

Yet, developing and implementing a learning agenda in an organisation presents several challenges, particularly during the initial stages. These hurdles include compliance mindsets, effectively engaging stakeholders, and resource constraints. However, effective strategies and practices can be employed to overcome these obstacles.

One common challenge arises from mandates to create learning agendas, which may result in a compliance-oriented approach, where activities are completed to fulfil requirements without any meaningful engagement. Involving executives, senior leaders, and program managers from the outset can ensure more genuine participation and support. Another obstacle arises with the risk of learning agendas’ content becoming overly abstract, making implementation challenging. Addressing this issue requires establishing clear program-level goals and seeking iterative feedback during the development process.

Additionally, staff may face challenges due to limited familiarity with evidence-building activities, limited understanding of the need for the agendas, and time constraints. Employing interactive design approaches can help manage these constraints effectively. Obtaining resources to address learning priorities can be challenging, especially for programme managers. However, identifying suitable partners or leveraging external stakeholders for support can help address resource constraints. Lastly, the widespread production of learning agendas may strain the capacity of the evidence-building community. Inter-organisational collaboration and prioritisation of shared objectives can mitigate these constraints.

From Theory to Practice

Dr Newcomer and her colleagues provide clear, practical recommendations for government agencies to achieve informed governance and enhanced organisational effectiveness through developing learning agendas. They emphasise that the value of the learning agenda process goes beyond the document itself in facilitating better decision-making and organisational learning.

The learning agenda policy offers significant potential for improving governmental outcomes, provided that agencies implement it strategically, with clear leadership involvement, effective stakeholder engagement, and a focus on continuous improvement. As agencies develop and use learning agendas, ongoing learning and improvement will be crucial. Evaluators and policymakers should assess the usefulness of the exercise and make adjustments as needed to achieve theoretical goals in practice.