The OECD has collected successful management and governance practices on the generation and use of behavioural science evidence in policymaking from various public sector organisations and identified a broadly applicable framework for encouraging the consistent production and application of useful behavioural science evidence in governments and government organisations.
The 14 good practice principles that make up this framework are categorised under the five dimensions of LOGIC: Leadership, Objectives, Governance, Integration, and Capability.
Leadership. The actions and words of influential leaders can play a critical role in encouraging the uptake of behavioural science evidence in policymaking. Senior leaders in government can advocate for a people-centred approach and request a robust evidence base, and managers can actively develop this mindset in their organisations.
Objectives: Governments can include behavioural science in their strategic plans and monitor its use over time. A formal definition of how a behavioural perspective can help a government achieve its strategic objectives can motivate and guide policymakers’ choices. A strategy for using behavioural science can apply to both public policy (involving citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders) and internal policy (the processes and mechanisms of public administration itself).
Governance: A clear accountability structure around how resources and activities are managed and organised can help a government more efficiently and effectively embed behavioural science into policymaking procedures and practices. Governments should clearly allocate the responsibilities for mainstreaming behavioural public policy and fund associated activities appropriately.
Integration: Partners, stakeholders, and structures can form an enabling environment for behavioural public policy that makes relevant evidence more likely to be sought, produced, and heeded. Governments can build behavioural considerations into standard policy processes and guidelines and adopt behavioural science responsibly and openly to build citizens’ trust. They can also develop processes and structures for behavioural data collection that allow them to diagnose problems and develop solutions more efficiently and effectively.
Capability: Policymakers can learn how to approach a policy problem in a people-centred, evidence-informed way, and ensure they have sustainable, ready access to behavioural science experts. Governments can also establish mechanisms to bring behavioural science evidence into the policy process in a way that is relevant and useful, and to share knowledge and practices among practitioners.
Governments and organisations can use these principles to assess their progress in mainstreaming behavioural public policy. Mainstreaming behavioural science into a government’s standard policymaking practice is a complex, long-term task. Governments and organisations can carry out a systematic assessment of how well they have mainstreamed behavioural public policy by comparing their practices to the principles outlined in this document. Such assessments can help pinpoint strengths and areas needing attention. These assessments not only provide a comprehensive review of the degree to which behavioural science is mainstreamed in policymaking but also lay the foundation for cross‑country comparisons and benchmarking.
The 14 good practice principles for mainstreaming behavioural public policy are: