Eightfold Path (policy Analysis)

Eightfold Path (policy Analysis)

The Eightfold Path is a method of policy analysis assembled by Eugene Bardach, a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. It is outlined in his book A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, which is now in its fourth edition. The book is commonly referenced in public policy and public administration scholarship.

Bardach's procedure is as follows:

1. Define the Problem
2. Assemble Some Evidence
3. Construct the Alternatives
4. Select the Criteria
5. Project the Outcomes
6. Confront the Trade-offs
7. Decide
8. Tell Your Story

A possible ninth-step, based on Bardach's own writing, might be "Repeat Steps 1 - 8 as Necessary."