ABSTRACT
If set approaches like the policy analysis and program evaluation models
are not always ideally suited to the “real-world” information needs of de
cision makers, how should policy researchers go about their task? How
can policy researchers best attune their efforts to the policy process? This
chapter proposes a systematic yet flexible step-by-step approach based on
our experiences with dozens of research projects. This approach is in
tended to be more sensitive to the varying contexts under which policy
research is conducted, and therefore more practical, than are the other
strategies discussed earlier. The proposed approach places explicit em
phasis on the information needs of clients and the significance of the
policy sequence.
