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Policy Analyst Learning Map

The Policy Analyst Learning Map is an interactive tool that outlines learning products and useful resources to help policy analysts and others in policy-related fields in the Government of Canada plan their learning and better understand the skills and knowledge they need for their professional development. This tool is designed as a map, not a specific path, which allows learners to explore based on their own learning needs.

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Policy Analyst Learning Map

As a policy professional, this interactive tool will support your learning needs as a policy analyst and also help you better understand the skills and knowledge you require. You can also use this tool to build your learning plan as part of your Performance Management Agreement (PMA) discussions.

Navigating Systems and Processes

Strengthening Policy Skills

Learning in Support of the Government's Priorities

1. The Policy Process

This learning space introduces learners to the fundamentals of the policy world, emphasizing the what and the how of policy-making.

Objective: To equip policy analysts with knowledge of context, structures, and actors.

Guiding questions:

  • What is the Canadian system of government, and how is it structured?
  • How is policy developed?
  • What tools does the government have at its disposal to effect change and enact its agenda?
  • What cycles and processes drive decision-making and accountability?
  • Where and how do I fit into these cycles and processes?

1.1 About the Canadian System

Understanding how the Canadian government works involves learning about the foundational elements of our federal system, and Indigenous reconciliation.

Beginner

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Intermediate

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1.2 The Decision-Making Process

This section covers the policy cycle and the machinery of government, including a mix of theoretical knowledge, concrete tools, and guidance on how to work effectively within the system. You may wish to start with the courses that are highlighted in the windows below for a comprehensive overview (FON306 and FON104).

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1.3 Policy Instruments

This section helps learners understand the range of policy instruments available to public servants as they design and structure policy interventions.

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2. The Policy Ecosystem

This space introduces learners to the fundamentals of the policy world, emphasizing the internal and external policy actors, functions and trends that influence policy-making.

Objective: To equip policy analysts with knowledge of context, structures, and actors.

Guiding questions:

  • What is the policy function within government, and what range of activities are included within it?
  • Outside of government, who are the key stakeholders and influencers that contribute to policy development?
  • Within government, who are the key players with whom a policy practitioner should build relationships?

2.1 Related Government Functions

By understanding other government functions, policy analysts can build stronger links across communities that are required to address multidisciplinary challenges.

While current learning offerings in this space are not designed for a policy analyst, they shed light on the roles and responsibilities of other functional areas and the ways in which they may interact with the policy function.

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2.2 Partners and Stakeholders

Policy practitioners should be equipped with knowledge of actors who participate in and shape the federal policy context.

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2.3 Forces and Trends

Policy practitioners require an awareness of broader social, technological, demographic, and economic forces and trends, from digital drivers changing citizen expectations of government services to larger geopolitical issues that affect Canadian policy.

Beginner

Beginner:

Intermediate

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3. Relationship Building

This learning space supports learners as they build bridges and connections across the public service and with Canadians at large.

Objective: To reinforce the capacity to deliver rigorous and evidence-based policy advice and interventions.

Guiding questions:

  • What practices and strategies can I use to strengthen my own team culture and practices?
  • How can I navigate difficult conversations and resolve conflicts?
  • How can I identify and mitigate biases in my own and my team's work and decision-making?
  • How should I engage colleagues, stakeholders, and communities throughout the policy process?
  • How can I effectively structure and lead meetings, conversations, and workshops to achieve clear outcomes?

3.1 Interpersonal Skills and Team Dynamics

This section features learning that supports the interpersonal skills policy analysts need when working with others and building healthy and inclusive teams.

Beginner

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3.2 Collaboration and Engagement

This section features learning on the skills and tools policy analysts need to engage meaningfully with others – both inside and outside of government – through facilitated decisions and discussions, collaboration, consultation or other means.

Beginner

Beginner:

Intermediate

Intermediate:

4. Analysis

This learning space supports analysts who wish to strengthen and refine their analytical skills.

Objective: To reinforce the capacity to deliver rigorous and evidence-based policy advice and interventions.

Guiding questions:

  • What strategies can I use to define problems and get my project off the ground?
  • How should I structure a research process? How can I identify quality sources of information?
  • What conclusions can I reasonably infer from data? What are its limits?
  • How should I account for implementation concerns and impacts in my analysis?
  • What new ways of thinking could I apply to my work?

4.1 Framing and Defining Problems

Learning offerings in this section are designed to introduce learners to different strategies and techniques to navigate a problem space. Solid policy analysis requires a clear understanding of the problem being addressed as well as a view of what successful outcomes could look like.

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4.2 Conducting Research

This section highlights learning offerings and resources to support an analyst's ability to conduct high-quality and rigorous research.

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4.3 Using Data

This space features learning to support the further integration of data into policy analysis.

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Beginner:

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4.4 Bridging to Implementation

It is important for analysts to incorporate implementation considerations from the earliest stages of policy development. This section features learning offerings to help analysts close the gap between policy and implementation.

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4.5 Innovative Approaches to Policy Analysis

This section offers resources on a range of new and innovative methods for policy development.

Note: The CSPS Digital Accelerator is a transformative learning experience that helps teams transition to new digital ways of working, through a combination of hands-on workshops, peer learning, coaching and mentoring. This unique offering is available to all levels of learners. You will find links to the Accelerator within each of the beginner, intermediate and advanced sections.

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5. Synthesis and Communication

This learning space supports the development of more effective and efficient communication skills to help policy analysts reach a variety of audiences.

Objective: To reinforce the capacity to deliver rigorous and evidence-based policy advice and interventions.

Guiding questions:

  • How can I improve my writing and communication skills?
  • What are the principles and practices of a good briefing?
  • How can I condense and clarify complex analysis into intuitive products?
  • How can I frame my advice to decision-makers?
  • How can I tailor my brief to different audiences?

5.1 Written Communication

A core function of policy analysis is the ability to synthesize and communicate complex information in a compelling way to a variety of audiences, including decision-makers, other public servants or the Canadian public. This section supports analysts as they develop their broader written communication skills.

Beginner

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5.2 Oral Briefing and Presenting

Learning in this section focuses on developing strong oral briefing skills to support the planning and delivery of well-constructed briefings that are tailored to the intended audience.

Intermediate

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5.3 Design, Visualization, and Storytelling

This section highlights resources designed to strengthen an analyst's ability to transform their analysis and data into clear, concise, accessible, and visually appealing products for different types of audiences.

Beginner

Beginner:

6. Leading in the Policy Space: Values, Leadership, and Managing Projects

This learning space supports practitioners as they step into positions of increasing responsibility. It is meant to be complementary to the existing suite of leadership development programs at CSPS (e.g., Aspiring Directors Program).

Objective: To support the implementation of the Government's agenda through subject-matter expertise, leadership development, and the application of strategic policy lenses.

Guiding questions:

  • What considerations should inform the advice I provide to political decision-makers?
  • How can I start to internalize and demonstrate leadership competencies?
  • How have previous leaders managed and mitigated policy crises, and how might I do so in the future?
  • If I work on a file that is not a current priority, what can I do to prepare for when it becomes a priority?
  • What can I do to learn from my current leaders and develop my tactical and strategic thinking?

6.1 Values and Ethics

As values and ethics are a foundational component of the roles and responsibilities of public servants, learning tailored to policy leaders provides space for reflection on some of the principles, rules, norms, and challenges that policy analysts must navigate.

Beginner

Beginner:

Intermediate

Intermediate

6.2 Effectively Supporting the Policy-Making Process

This section offers learning resources that support current and aspiring leaders across the public service. It seeks to complement CSPS's leadership development programs by highlighting resources that are tailored to a policy context.

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Intermediate

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7. Policy Lenses and Priority Topics

This learning space offers resources on policy lenses used by practitioners and decision-makers, as well as on horizontal issues identified as government priorities.

Objective: To support the implementation of the Government's agenda through subject-matter expertise, leadership development, and the application of strategic policy lenses.

Guiding questions:

  • What are policy lenses, and how should I apply them to my file?
  • How can I, as a policy analyst, advance the Government's current priorities through my work?
  • How might my particular file be affected by – or affect – government priorities?

7.1 Policy Lenses

Policy analysts must consider the needs of all Canadians and understand the possible impacts of their recommendations in a number of cross-cutting areas. To account for this, most decision documents have a list of required mandatory assessments (e.g. Modern Treaties, etc.) as well as additional considerations that may be content- or context-specific. These cross-cutting priority areas are often called "policy lenses". Learning in this space supports analysts as they apply a variety of policy lenses to their work.

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Intermediate

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7.2 Priority Topics

This section offers learning related to current horizontal Government priorities, informed by a number of key agenda-setting documents such as the Speech From the Throne, Federal Budget, and Departmental Mandate Letters.

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Intermediate

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Feedback

To submit your feedback about the Policy Analyst Learning Map, please complete the feedback questionnaire or send your comments directly to transferable@csps-efpc.gc.ca.

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