Policy evaluation and behavioral economics

Empirical policy evaluation is necessary to answer the question: what is a good policy? To answer this question, this chapter will review the management of policy evaluation and cover key performance indicators for evaluation, such as efficiency and fidelity. On the basis of these indicators, common frameworks for policy evaluation are explained. Some of the challenges in conducting policy evaluation, though, are the complex and variable aspects of all policies, as well as their context-specific antecedents and outcomes. This makes comparison between policies very challenging, if not impossible; hence, we close with an example of strategies for standardizing the evaluation of policies across domains and approaches. Ultimately, the purpose of this chapter is to identify not only what comprises a strong policy but also how to produce effective policies that maximize the number of people reached and impacted.