Priority Questions and Learning Agendas
A Priority Question is a question that, if answered, informs how you think about, and make decisions related to, your agency’s policymaking, programmatic, and operational functions.
It may be unclear, for example, whether program A or program B has a higher return-on investment, or what are the impacts of regulation W, or how to best redesign and simplify an administrative process Z. If you had additional evidence to address such uncertainty, it could change whether your plan prioritizes A or B, or how budgetary resources are allocated toward W, or whether Z reforms are pursued or not. It could change how you allocate resources toward the achievement of goals.
Often you have many Priority Questions, all of which need to be answered as part of pursuing an agency goal. A strategic list of multiple Priority Questions, to be systematically tackled over a period of time, is referred to as a Learning Agenda.
OSBM's Role
OSBM provides guidance, training, and technical assistance to help agencies identify and answer Priority Questions. Through our Strategic Planning support we help agencies develop Learning Agendas.
Our services include:
- office hours to consult on how to craft a meaningful Priority Question;
- pro bono advice from the Chief Scientist and related experts on options for data analytic and evaluation methods to answer questions;
- 2-4 hour training modules on methods to generate and use evidence;
- and/or help finding external research partners.
Get OSBM Assistance with Priority Questions
Schedule a consultation to develop Agency Priority Questions for your agency strategic plan.