Elements of Science: What are the elements of a great briefing note?

The days of research staying within the walls of “the ivory tower” are over. Today, research communications aren’t just about education and engagement, building trust, or funding support. Good communications are also about supporting decision-making.

Understandably, decision-makers are unlikely to keep an eye on all the latest research, nor will they fully understand the terminology, nuances, or even the statistics presented in peer-reviewed papers. After all, peer-reviewed publications are, first and foremost, a way to communicate with specialists in a particular field. For those researchers who want to connect with decision-makers, a briefing note may be just what they need.

“Briefing notes serve to provide important information to decision-makers, be they senior leadership and managers, or policymakers internally, or to politicians externally in a short, digestible format,” explains Dr. Victoria Metcalf, subject editor with FACETS and Principal Advisor – Stakeholder Engagement at the Ministry of Education Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga in Wellington, New Zealand.

“How briefing notes are shared with decision-makers depends on the governmental system in a country,” says Metcalf. “They might be commissioned directly through something like an expert committee straight to parliament or local government body; requested by a government department seeking to understand an issue to then design policy; or you might be asked to contribute information to one that a government department or official committee is writing themselves.” Equally, “A professional body, such as a marine sciences society, might prepare one in response to a call for submissions on a topic. Finally, a professional body, organisation or individual(s) may create one because they want to alert decisionmakers to a threat, challenge, or opportunity in a cold call scenario,” Metcalf adds.

It’s all about presenting clarity around key concepts

Briefing notes come in various styles, each suited to different decision-making contexts. “The role of a briefing note is to summarise an issue, an opportunity, a piece or suite of research, knowledge or evidence, or a proposed piece of work etc., in a way that enables people to grasp the overall context,” explains Metcalf. “There should also be an assessment of any interdependencies or other aligned areas, as well as a flagging of any risks and mitigation that might be required.” If you are looking for a particular action or direction to be taken, it should also be outlined in the briefing.

Although briefing note lengths can vary drastically, avoid creating a tome that will overwhelm the decision-makers. “The content of the briefing note needs to matter to those receiving it,” explains Metcalf. In other words, share only the key information with as much detail as the decision-makers need to understand it. Ask yourself, “What are the key points that you want to convey? Why do they matter? How do you want this information to be used?” says Metcalf. Clarity is crucial, and if visual aids such as tables, graphs, or infographics can help explain the information, use them. “How effectively you package your research can really influence its uptake,” says Metcalf.

Do a little pre-briefing note work

Before embarking on a briefing note, Metcalf recommends that researchers do a little preparation to understand how the decision-making process works. “Does the researcher, or a critical intermediary person they can get advice from, know the local or national context and the needs and the capacities of [the decision-makers]? Is [the information in the brief] even wanted?”

Understanding the decision-making process can help with other essential aspects of the briefing note. “Is there a strategic approach to how and when it will be delivered? Is there involvement of policymakers in the planning of research to build relationships and awareness to create greater research uptake?” says Metcalf, adding that “sometimes policymakers don’t understand the difference between research and other types of evidence.” Your strategy should also consider when you will deliver the briefing. “Too early and there won’t be demand for it, and too late and it becomes a wasted effort,” explains Metcalf.

It is also worth remembering that a “particular piece or suite of knowledge and evidence won’t sit in isolation once it reaches a policymaker… [It will be] just one ‘short story’ in a much larger ‘book’ policymakers will use to make decisions,” says Metcalf. Understanding the broader picture around a particular issue can help craft a more compelling briefing note.

Don’t be disappointed if your briefing note doesn’t change policy in the way you hoped

Any researcher who takes the time to put together a briefing note will hope that their work will have an influence. ”Achieving policy influence (e.g., a policymaker citing the research) is not the same as researchers supporting evidence-informed policymaking (change in behaviour/outcome),” explains Metcalf. “Policymaking and political decision-making are ideally evidence-informed, but not necessarily evidence-based,” Metcalf adds, noting that opinions on what constitutes evidence-informed policymaking vary substantially.

Generally, research evidence is just one type of evidence that decision-makers will consider. Metcalf says research evidence often “forms a minority component of policymaking” and is “used to back up pre-existing decisions or pre-defined arguments, which is really a form of confirmation bias.”

If there is little uptake of your briefing note during the decision-making stage, or the opportunity to create one didn’t arise, it doesn’t mean that the opportunity to provide key information has passed. “Research can also be used for policy implementation,” Metcalf notes. If you find yourself preparing a post-decision briefing note, try to be mindful of the political and economic context that lead to the initial decision.

Don’t be dissuaded

The potential for lack of change should not dissuade any researcher seeking to engage in decision-making processes. Metcalf points to a theory of change around evidence-informed policymaking. This theory points to a need for both supply and demand for research evidence.

“To stimulate demand for research evidence, policymakers need to have both increasing evidence literacy…, capacity, and incentives to use research in informing policy,” explains Metcalf. “To create supply, researchers need to build relationships with policymakers and ensure good communication of research.”

“Connecting with and preparing briefing notes might sound challenging and sometimes far from the research process itself,” says Metcalf, “but if we want brighter futures and the ability to capture opportunities and deal with challenges better, a closer relationship with policy is vital for researchers and everyone.”

The theory of change highlights the interlink between supply and demand for research knowledge. Taken from the report “What is the evidence on evidence-informed policymaking? Lessons from the International Conference on Evidence Informed Policy Making” by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0).