Focusing on finding the best method for evidencing impact is distracting, argues Helen Wheatley, Assistant Director Research and Evaluation at Catch22. We should be focusing on using mixed methods to capture data on the rich and...

 In a recent survey, politicians claimed to value the views of constituents and expert opinion over randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other forms of evidence, writes Suzi Gage, Postdoctoral research associate at the University of Bristol....

Across the world there are increasing calls for evidence to play a greater role in government policy. In the US, Results for America are leading the rallying cry. In this blog, Michele Jolin, their CEO and...

This was the question behind a recent Wellbeing Roundtable held in Belfast. Input from a range of senior policy makers from across the UK suggested that it can, or at least, it could. Internationally, policy makers...

In this blog Howard White, co-chair of the Campbell Collaboration, shares his perspective from the international development sector that, as is often the case for those working at the local and national level, continuity is the...

This new paper from the Alliance argues that governments need to adopt an experimental ethos. What does this mean? It means systematically testing out policies on a smaller scale so that impact can be measured, successes replicated...

Building on the increased profile of evidence in policymaking, Sense About Science have launched their Evidence Matters campaign. In this blog Prateek Buch, policy director of the campaign, explains how it will celebrate good uses of...

Nesta has put evidence at the heart of its grant making decisions, writes Vicki Sellick, Director of Nesta’s Centre for Social Action Innovation Fund. In doing so they’re supporting grantees to develop and improve their ability to...

Conversations about evidence base policy often treat RCTs and big data as mutually exclusive but there is no good reason to do so, writes Michael Sanders, Head of Policy Research at the Behavioural Insights Team. By...

Hetan Shah, Executive Director of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), introduces the RSS’ Data Manifesto. Calling for evidence, and offical statistics to be at the heart of policy making and policy debates, the Manifesto argues for...