Table 1.

Three perspectives on 5-step policy analysis

	Policy analysis texts	Policy process research	Critical policy analysis
Step 1	Define a policy problem identified by your client	Incorporate a policymaker’s willingness and ability to understand and solve the policy problem	Challenge dominant ways to frame issues
Step 2	Identify technically and politically feasible solutions	Identify the mix of policy instruments already being used, and why	Use inclusive ways to generate knowledge and perspectives on solutions
Step 3	Use values and political goals to compare solutions	Identify how actors cooperate or compete to define and rank values	Co-produce the rules to produce and evaluate solutions
Step 4	Predict the outcome of each feasible solution	Emphasise uncertainty about the disproportionate effect of your solution on the existing policy mix	Identify the impact on marginalised groups, such as via gender and race analysis
Step 5	Make a recommendation to your client	Recommend how to adapt to policymaking systems. In the absence of certainty, how often do you act? In the absence of centralisation, how can you deliver this instrument?	Co-produce your recommendations with many stakeholders, to make sure that you anticipate and respect their reaction to your proposals

Source adapted from Cairney (2020b)