Test, learn, adapt: developing public policy with randomised controlled trials

This paper from the UK Cabinet Office describes how random control trials can be used to assess the effectiveness of public policy interventions.

Contents

• What is a randomised controlled trial?
• The case for RCTs - debunking some myths
• 1. We don’t necessarily know ‘what works’
• 2. RCTs don’t have to cost a lot of money
• 3. There are ethical advantages to using RCTs
• 4. RCTs do not have to be complicated or difficult to run

Test

• Step1: Identify two or more policy interventions to compare
• Step 2:Define the outcome that the policy is intended to influence
• Step 3:Decide on the randomisation unit
• Step 4:Determine how many units are required for robust results
• Step 5: Assign each unit to one of the policy interventions using a robustly random method
• Step 6: Introduce the policy interventions to the assigned groups

Learn

• Step 7: Measure the results and determine the impact of the policy interventions

Adapt

• Step 8: Adapt your policy intervention to reflect your findings
• Step 9: Return to step 1