Capability Reviews policy making in the real world

3. The drive to professionalise policy making 27

2005: Capability Reviews

Launched in 2005, Capability Reviews assess departments on ten elements of capability - none of which measure policy making capability as such. 53 However, the results are clearly relevant to policy making, as Figure 4 shows. 54 There are three clear strengths: setting direction, focusing on outcomes, and the use of evidence to inform choices which is seen to have improved through greater use or availability of policy analysts. 55 Figure 4 – Civil service capability reviews These three elements relate closely to the task of ‘policy advice’. In contrast, weaker scores relate to the process of realising goals through action – ‘delivery’, in the language of Capability Reviews. 53 We are referring to the model of capability used between 2006 and 2009, which has since been updated, although it still does not measure ‘policy capability’ as such; see Cabinet Office, Capability Reviews: Refreshing the model of capability, 2009. 54 Institute for Government analysis of Capability Reviews, which are available at: http:www.civilservice.gov.ukaboutimprovingcapabilityindex.aspx. In Figure 4, the scales were constructed by assigning a numerical value to the four possible levels of capability, as follows: zero for ‘serious concerns’, one for ‘urgent development area’, two for ‘development area’, three for ‘well placed’, four for ‘strong’. 55 See, for example, both rounds of Capability Reviews for CLG, DCMS, Defra, DfT, DWP, HMT, and the most recent reviews for BERR, DECC and DCSF. See also Annette Boaz, et al. ‘Does Evidence-Based Policy Work? Learning from the UK Experience’, Evidence Policy, vol. 4:2, 2008, pp. 233-253. Set direction Passion, pace, drive Leading delivery Build capability Outcome focus Base choices on evidence Common purpose Plan, resource, prioritise Clear delivery roles and models Manage performance 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 A v e ra g e s e co nd ro und c a pa bi li ty s co re Average first round capability score Civil service capability improving, but delivery a relative weakness n =14 3. The drive to professionalise policy making 28

2010: The Policy Skills Framework