Seven routes to experimentation in policymaking: a guide to applied behavioural science methods

OECD Resource: “…offers guidelines and a visual roadmap to help policymakers choose the most fit-for-purpose evidence collection method for their specific policy challenge.

Source: Elaboration of the authors: Varazzani, C., Emmerling. T., Brusoni, S., Fontanesi, L., and Tuomaila, H., (2023), “Seven routes to experimentation: A guide to applied behavioural science methods,” OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, OECD Publishing, Paris. Note: The authors elaborated the map based on a previous map ideated, researched, and designed by Laura Castro Soto, Judith Wagner, and Torben Emmerling (sevenroutes.com).

The seven applied behavioural science methods:

Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are experiments that can demonstrate a causal relationship between an intervention and an outcome, by randomly assigning individuals to an intervention group and a control group.
A/B testing tests two or more manipulations (such as variants of a webpage) to assess which performs better in terms of a specific goal or metric.
Difference-in-Difference is an experimental method that estimates the causal effect of an intervention by comparing changes in outcomes between an intervention group and a control group before and after the intervention.
Before-After studies assess the impact of an intervention or event by comparing outcomes or measurements before and after its occurrence, without a control group.
Longitudinal studies collect data from the same individuals or groups over an extended period to assess trends over time.
Correlational studies help to investigate the relationship between two or more variables to determine if they vary together (without implying causation).
Qualitative studies explore the underlying meanings and nuances of a phenomenon through interviews, focus group sessions, or other exploratory methods based on conversations and observations…(More)”.