Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Panel: Rapid Cycle: Rigorous Evaluations to Guide Program Design

(Tools of Analysis: Methods, Data, Informatics and Research Design)

The increasing availability of data presents a strategic opportunity to bring to bear innovative and rigorous methods for answering important questions about what works in public programs. This panel brings together three cogent examples from across the country of using research evidence for decision support and policymaking. In particular, we discuss ways in which rigorous research methods—such as predictive analytics and rapid-cycle evaluations—are accessible tools to support ongoing program improvement. Moreover, this panel highlights the successes of practitioner-researcher partnerships in using rapid-cycle evaluation to guide program design.