Practitioner Insight
Decision makers are busy; considering various policy problems daily. When they receive useful, clear and well-argued policy memos, their work is made slightly easier. Below, experienced practitioners, across multiple agencies and organizations, share their opinions and experience about what makes for strong policy writing.
Insight from Mohd Daud Mat Din, Senior Fellow, Bait Al Amanah, Malaysia. Edward S. Mason Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School
Practitioner Insight: Mohd Daud Mat Din, Senior Fellow, Bait Al Amanah, Malaysia. Edward S. Mason Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School (*These are his personal views and not representative of the ministries he has worked with.) Q: What is your current role and...
Insight from Jasjeet Ajimal, Former Senior Advisor and Director to Canadian Provincial Cabinet Minister
What is your current title and your most recent title as a policy practitioner? I am currently the co-chair of the Save Afghan Minority Project with the Manmeet Singh Bhullar Foundation and continue to advise the private sector on public-private-community...
Insight from recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School National Security Fellow Program, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Figueroa
What is your current title and your most recent title as a policy practitioner? Recent graduate of the National Security Fellow program at Harvard Kennedy School. My follow on assignment will be in Stuttgart, Germany serving at U.S. European Command as...
Insight from Mike Firestone, Chief of Policy and Strategic Planning, office of Mayor Michelle Wu, City of Boston
In your opinion, what are one or two key elements of strong policy writing? My preference is for a succinct, two page (or so) memo that focuses on the key recommendations or decisions needed, including a very clear statement as to why the policy is needed...
Insight from Dan Koh, Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Labor
In your opinion, what are one or two key elements of strong policy writing? The ability to clearly distill (in one page or less) the question at hand and the current debate or consensus on the issue. Using concise bullets with bolded key passages allows a...
Insight from Ann Hardman, Foreign Officer at U.S. Department of State
A common challenge for new drafters is shifting from an academic style to the more journalistic style and structure of effective policy writing. Most academic papers present arguments that lead to a final conclusion, much like a mystery novel with a...
Insight from Abigail Linnington, Ph.D. Professor of Practice, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Colonel (retired), U.S. Army
Policy writing is critical to many aspects of public policy decision making as it is the primary way junior staff and middle-managers interact with senior leaders and inform their decision making. The Policy writing style uses simple, precise language and...
Insight with Nick Sinai, HKS Adjunct Lecturer, Formerly U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer
Strong policy writers tell a story, and frame the issue in context of where an Administration (or Agency) is trying to go. The best policy memo: Assumes reader has zero context and avoids jargon and acronyms Is clear about the goals; i.e. is it a decision...
Harvard's Jane Rosenzweig reviews "Whistleblower" memo in New York Times
I can’t tell you what’s going to happen to his blockbuster complaint about the president’s behavior, but I can tell you that the whistle-blower’s college writing instructor would be very proud of him. As a writing instructor myself for 20 years, I look at...
